Swine flu forces school preparedness
Chris Jordan, of Cuyler, a custodian with the Fabius-Pompey Central School District, helps clean school buses as the district prepare to re-open schools on Monday. The schools were closed when a student was confirmed to have swine flu after a trip to Mexico. Stephen D. Cannerelli / The Post-Standard. Used by permission. More at syracuse.com.
UPDATE 5/4: The State Education department has updated H1N1 information, resources - including a Q&A for for schools and universities (PDF) online at http://usny.nysed.gov/swine-flu-info.html.
School officials should plan ahead in case a local health emergency is declared and schools are required to close, the State Education Department and the Department of Health announced after an outbreak of swine flu had already closed three New York schools as New York Teacher went to press.
On April 30, all schools in the Fabius-Pompey district in central New York were closed, with plans to reopen May 4 after a high school student who had traveled to Mexico tested positive for swine flu, a respiratory illness infecting pigs and people who have been in contact with pigs.
The district planned a thorough cleaning of schools and buses, utilizing many custodians in the Fabius-Pompey Non-Instructional Employees local.
First to close was a Queens private school that shut down after 28 students who had traveled to Mexico tested positive for the swine flu. PS 177 in Queens, a school for autistic children, also closed. Bemus Point Central School District in Chautauqua County closed its junior-senior high school after a student's family member was infected.
The situation prompted New York state to activate its health emergency preparedness plan and put out a high alert to quickly identify and respond to any cases of this flu.
"New York is in a heightened surveillance stage," Health Commissioner Richard Daines and Education Commissioner Richard Mills declared in a joint statement.
Schools have been provided with information for parents and students, along with a pledge to be kept informed.
School personnel have been asked to observe and report any increases in absenteeism, or in the number of students or staff exhibiting flu-like symptoms. District protocols require communicating with local health department officials.
Decisions regarding possible school closures are usually made by school and district officials in consultation with the school medical director, nursing staff and local health department officials.
The commissioners advised school district officials to warn residents of the possibility of future closures.
They stressed, however, "We believe students can safely attend classes, and schools will remain open at this time."
Anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms should stay home. Symptoms include:
- Fever (over 100 degrees F.), or feverishness;
- Cough or sore throat;
- Runny, or stuffy nose;
- Muscle pain, fatigue and possible vomiting and diarrhea.
- Change in behavior or eating habits in children.
With good hygiene, health officials believe the spread of swine flu in school can be arrested.
If schools close, parents are being asked to avoid putting children in close contact with other children.