Q CORNER #40
H1N1 – Everything you need to know about the flu, but were afraid to hear
Over the weekend it seemed that no matter what I read or what I watched there was a report on H1N1 (formerly known as the swine flu). It is a national cause for concern that we can only hope ends up having far less of an impact than is currently anticipated. Our school nurses representative, Pat Forrai-Gunter recently attended a meeting for school superintendents in Cuyahoga County presented by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Pat updated the Executive Board and will address all of our Building Chairs and Delegates at the September 17 Delegate Assembly. In the meantime this is the information that we have regarding H1N1 and the protocol to be followed to prevent an outbreak or in case of an outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the following guidelines for schools on August 7, 2009:
- Emphasis is not on school closure. The focus is on stepping up basic good hygiene practices like hand washing and keeping sick students and staff away from school.
- School staff should routinely clean areas that students and staff touch often with the cleaners that they typically use. Special cleaning with bleach and other special cleaners is not necessary.
- Students and staff who appear to have flu-like illness should be sent to a room separate from other students until they can be sent home.
- Those with flu-like symptoms should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
- Decisions of school closure and what measures to implement to minimize transmission of disease should be based on the severity of the disease in the community and should be made in collaboration with local and state public health officials. The local health department shall be called prior to the decision to close school.
- The seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against the novel H1N1 influenza virus.
- Some people will need 3 vaccinations this fall. One for seasonal flu and two for H1N1.
- Currently, the CDC is recommending the following as priority population for the H1N1 vaccine:
- Pregnant women
- People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months
- Health care and emergency personnel with direct patient contact
- Children 6 months to 4 years of age
- Children 5 – 18 years of age with chronic medical conditions
- Once the recommended priority population is vaccinated or if additional vaccine supplies are available, the following groups will be targeted:
- Persons between the ages of 5 – 24
- Persons from ages 25 – 64 who have chronic health disorders
H1N1 is a cause for concern. I am hoping that with information and forewarning we can all work together to minimize its impact on our students and colleagues. Building Chairs, principals, teachers, paraprofessionals, nurses, parents, school support personnel must collaborate with one another to make the impact of H1N1 as minimal as possible. As we get more information it will certainly be passed on to you. Please contact Pat Forrai-Gunter or any officer with any concerns that you have.
In Union,
David