Swine Flu and Your School

FEA SWINE FLU UPDATE

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AVOID THE SPREAD OF SWINE FLU IN YOUR SCHOOL..

How to protect yourself and others:

   

• Wash your hands often with warm soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to avoid the spread of germs
• Cover your nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Toss the tissue in the trash right after use
• Avoid close contact with sick people
  
  
     

What to do if you think that you might have been exposed or exhibit virus symptoms:

• Stay home from school or work if you are sick and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them
• Seek medical assistance, either from your own health care provider or emergency medical personnel
• Discuss medications with your health care provider. Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and can make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. According to the CDC, antiviral drugs work best if started within two days of symptoms. CDC recommends the use of Tamiflu® and (brand name Relenza®) to prevent and treat h1n1 infections.

On Sunday, April 26, 2009, the acting secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for swine flu. The declaration allows HHS to prepare and mobilize in the event that the outbreak grows to the level of an epidemic in the U.S.

Your national unions, AFT and NEA, are currently monitoring the course of the swine influenza type A (H1N1) outbreak for its implications in preventing the spread in public schools.

Swine flu ordinarily is not transmitted easily from human to human, but the rapid spread in Mexico and the U.S. clusters led Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conclude that the virus is easily spread human to human.

The new swine type A (H1N1) influenza is considered an outbreak. It has not become an epidemic or pandemic influenza.  In this uncertain environment, it is important to  reassure members and avoid general panic. At the same time, we should closely monitor school districts to make sure that they mount an adequate response.

In the U.S., new cases include 2 confirmed cases in Florida in Lee and Broward County schools, a cluster identified in a New York City school among students who recently visited Mexico (28 cases as of April 27); two 16-year-old boys in San Antonio, Texas, who attended the same school; and a father and daughter from San Diego County. Another case occurred in a patient from Imperial County, which borders San Diego County. Both California counties are home to the first two swine flu patients that the CDC announced on April 21. Two cases have since been reported in Kansas, another in Ohio and additional cases in California.  As of April 28, the CDC had identified 64 cases. The number of cases is expected to rise as more suspected influenza cases are tested for the virus (H1N1).

Your School Policy?
 
Local leaders may want to contact the local health department to find out how the health department works with school districts and what resources are available to deal  with a potential outbreak.
Leaders take a moment to assess your school district's policy.


Policies should include:

• clearly communicate good practice to all staff, students and parents;

• actively exclude sick staff and children from school and communicate that to the school community;

• create a process to quickly refer children with acute respiratory symptoms to the nurse for assessment and possible isolation;
• provide additional support to teach and encourage hand hygiene (soap and water, opportunities to wash hands and alcohol gel); 
• address the status of employees if the system closes; and 
• provide for appropriate cleaning of all classrooms, cafeterias and lunchrooms, bathrooms, gymnasiums and other common areas.

Additional actions the union can take include:

• monitor the status of running water, soap and towels in bathrooms;
• monitor ventilation and working with the district to increase ventilation either by opening windows or increasing outside air in mechanical systems.

Find more information at: http://www.neahin.org/swineflu/index.html
See AFT Health fact sheet: Swine Influenza - Fact Sheet