Re: Dept. of Edu. N.Y.C. Daily School Attendance Records
Preventing Influenza in New York City?s Schools
Information for Parents, Teachers, and School Principals
Excerpt:
How will you handle school closures this school year?
The Department of Education and the Health Department have established an open school policy. This means that when the flu returns, we do not plan to close schools with high levels of flu activity. Instead, we will work with parents and other members of the school community to keep our schools open, while also taking steps to reduce the spread of influenza within schools.
You closed a lot of schools last spring. Why is this year different?
Schools don?t normally close on account of influenza. The Health Department recommended some temporary closures last spring because H1N1 was a new virus and its potential impact was unknown. Now that H1N1 is better understood, experts agree that conventional infection-control measures are more appropriate than school closure.
Will you ever close schools under any circumstances?
Not until we have employed other effective strategies to keep students safe. We will closely monitor influenza activity within schools. If 4% (at least 15) of a school?s students are sent home with fever with a cough or sore throat on a single day, a doctor or supervising nurse will visit the school to assess the situation. This health supervisor will work with the principal to educate parents about the need to keep children home when sick and will confirm that the school is practicing recommended infection control measures.
The health supervisor will also identify students and staff members who may be at risk of complications from influenza because they have other health conditions, and ensure that measures are in place to protect them. These measures would include reminding them to contact a medical provider to discuss the possibility of preventive treatment with antiviral drugs, and to seek treatment promptly if stricken with influenza-like illness. If these measures do not appear adequate to protect vulnerable students and staff, the Health Department may consider school closure as a last resort.
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http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/52393F17-8203-4E05-9609-035968B3CCC6/0/FAQdoc.pdf
