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Illness empties classrooms
By KIM THOMAS - The Press
Last updated 05:00 02/07/2009
Some Canterbury schools have nearly a third of their students and teachers off sick with possible swine flu.
Papanui High School principal and Canterbury-West Coast Secondary Principals' Association chairman Denis Pyatt said 28 per cent of Papanui pupils were away sick this week. This was double the number of last week's absentees.
Pyatt said principals across Canterbury were reporting a similar rise in absenteeism over the past week.
"The flu really seems to have kicked in. Some schools have quite a lot of teachers away sick, too, which is a real problem. Most schools are just hanging in there until the holidays [which start next week]," he said.
Kirkwood Intermediate principal Phil Tappenden said a quarter of students and three or four teachers were away this week. This was a big increase in sickness from last week, he said. Normally in winter, the school had about 5 per cent of pupils away.
"It seems the flu season has really hit this week. It's a horrible grey winter and it is starting to take its toll," he said.
The Hospitality Association of New Zealand's Canterbury regional manager, Susan Biss, said that in the past few weeks hotels in South Canterbury had reported about six cancelled bookings from tourists scared off by swine flu.
The total number of confirmed swine flu cases in New Zealand was 711 yesterday, and the number of confirmed cases in Canterbury was 188.
Canterbury health experts are advising people to stay away from public events and meetings to prevent the spread of swine flu.
Canterbury medical officer of health Alistair Humphrey said: "If you start to feel sick while at work or in a public place, you should take yourself home."
Humphrey said most people should be able to manage the illness at home by taking paracetamol and getting plenty of fluids and rest.
Only the sickest would be given Tamiflu for their swine flu, Humphrey said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/2557383/Illness-empties-classrooms
By KIM THOMAS - The Press
Last updated 05:00 02/07/2009
Some Canterbury schools have nearly a third of their students and teachers off sick with possible swine flu.
Papanui High School principal and Canterbury-West Coast Secondary Principals' Association chairman Denis Pyatt said 28 per cent of Papanui pupils were away sick this week. This was double the number of last week's absentees.
Pyatt said principals across Canterbury were reporting a similar rise in absenteeism over the past week.
"The flu really seems to have kicked in. Some schools have quite a lot of teachers away sick, too, which is a real problem. Most schools are just hanging in there until the holidays [which start next week]," he said.
Kirkwood Intermediate principal Phil Tappenden said a quarter of students and three or four teachers were away this week. This was a big increase in sickness from last week, he said. Normally in winter, the school had about 5 per cent of pupils away.
"It seems the flu season has really hit this week. It's a horrible grey winter and it is starting to take its toll," he said.
The Hospitality Association of New Zealand's Canterbury regional manager, Susan Biss, said that in the past few weeks hotels in South Canterbury had reported about six cancelled bookings from tourists scared off by swine flu.
The total number of confirmed swine flu cases in New Zealand was 711 yesterday, and the number of confirmed cases in Canterbury was 188.
Canterbury health experts are advising people to stay away from public events and meetings to prevent the spread of swine flu.
Canterbury medical officer of health Alistair Humphrey said: "If you start to feel sick while at work or in a public place, you should take yourself home."
Humphrey said most people should be able to manage the illness at home by taking paracetamol and getting plenty of fluids and rest.
Only the sickest would be given Tamiflu for their swine flu, Humphrey said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/2557383/Illness-empties-classrooms