NZ - Schools are being warned they could be forced to shut if students test positive for swine flu.

[Sally Furniss]

Schools are being warned they could be forced to shut if students test positive for swine flu.

The Ministry of Health is sending letters to all schools on Tuesday, warning of possible closures of up to a week where cases of the illness are found.

There have been some school closures in Victoria and Queensland, with the number of confirmed swine flu cases in Australia now above 400.

Health Ministry Director of Public Health Dr Mark Jacobs says the letter includes hygiene advice on preventing the spread of illness and a warning that confirmed cases could lead to school closures.

He says schools will have to plan on how to quickly notify parents of closures, as well as what options there are for continuing lessons, possibly using the internet.

Dr Jacobs says it is only a matter of time before more cases emerge in New Zealand.

Rangitoto College principal David Hodge says it would be hugely disruptive if schools were forced to close.

Cases of swine flu were diagnosed among a group of students at the school last month.

Mr Hodge says closing schools would be hard on working parents and students, especially those sitting major exams such as NCEA.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/06/02/1245b532f968

 

[Snicklefritz]

Re: NZ - Schools are being warned they could be forced to shut if students test positive for swine flu.

Something about this article strikes me as a veiled threat. "Don't report illness, because if you do, this is what's going to happen, and that would be very invonvenient for you."

 

[RiSi]

Re: NZ - Schools are being warned they could be forced to shut if students test positive for swine flu.

The letter:

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/~/media/M...lthSafety/school and ECE letter Dr Jacobs.pdf

Information about school responsibilities around reporting and closure:

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/education...ionsAndAnswers/6ClosuresAndNotifications.aspx

The Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998:
Enable the Secretary for Education to suspend a centre’s licence (and therefore stop it from operating) if reasonable action is not taken to prevent children from coming into contact with a person suffering from an infectious disease. This discretion is rarely exercised in normal circumstances, but could be used in the event of a pandemic. It is more likely, however, that the Medical Officer of Health would exercise powers under the Health Act 1956 to restrict the attendance at early childhood centres as necessary.

Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
In addition to requirements under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act, pandemic planning will help ECE/Schools/TEOs ensure they meet their obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, including:
"Every employer shall take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of employees while at work; and in particular shall take all practicable steps to:

• provide and maintain for employees a safe working environment
• provide and maintain for employees while they are at work facilities for their safety and health..."

 

[Snicklefritz]

Re: NZ - Schools are being warned they could be forced to shut if students test positive for swine flu.

Thanks Risi. It's interesting that the word 'warning' does not appear in the letter.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Schools are being warned they could be forced to shut if students test positive for swine flu.

Thank you RiSi

Information from the Ministry of Health website
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/influenza-a-h1n1-education

Influenza A (H1N1)

For educational institutions

* Ministry of Education guidance
* Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance


Ministry of Education guidance

Information to supply to parents:

1. If their child is sick with flu symptoms keep them at home and contact their local doctor or health centre or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

2. If their child is being kept home, for whatever reason, they must inform the school immediately.

3. The Ministry of Education has supplied all schools with information produced by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service to ensure schools are well prepared if an outbreak occurs. Further updates will be taking place as information comes to hand.

4. The Ministry of Education website also has information available for you to view if you wish - Pandemic Planning (www.mindedu.govt.nz) .

5. Hygiene is the most important step in preventing the spread of influenza. Washing hands thoroughly, for at least 20 seconds with soap and drying hands well, or using an alcohol-based rub, are the best ways to protect yourself from the spread of germs. Keep coughs and sneezes covered, and dispose of tissues in a covered, lined rubbish bin. Try to stay a metre away from sick people.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: NZ - Schools are being warned they could be forced to shut if students test positive for swine flu.

Schools on alert for swine flu closures [The swine flu]
4:00AM Monday Jun 08, 2009
By Martin Johnston

Schools are being told to prepare for closures of "several weeks" once swine flu takes hold in the community.

The Health Ministry wrote to schools last week in its campaign to explain to the public that despite containment of the disease so far in New Zealand, the country would soon be hit hard by the virus. This is because of the fast rising number of cases in Australia and the impossibility of detecting and isolating all cases at the border.

In New Zealand 14 people with A (H1N1) flu have been confirmed, all of whom had travelled overseas, but in Australia the tally has passed 600, including 521 in Victoria.

Ministry public health director Dr Mark Jacobs wrote that schools must prepare how they would cope when the virus - readily spread by children - started circulating freely.

"If a school or early childhood service was directed to close it could happen very fast - students would be sent home at the end of the day and told not to return. Your communication with parents needs to be thought through and prepared. Consideration also needs to be given to remote learning and lessons by schools, not just for a week, but potentially several weeks."

Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand vice-president Paul Daley said closing schools for this long would disrupt learning, but if it was needed there could be no objection.

"If we get to that, everybody's health is what's important."

Some education could continue through email, the internet and by hand-delivering materials, but this had limitations. If some schools were closed for much longer than others, this would have to be taken into account in NCEA results.

Dr Jacobs also suggested students be kept home from school for a week if they had recently returned from Australia, even without flu symptoms.

This suggestion has caused confusion. The Ministry of Education told principals it was "background information for families and not a directive. Schools and early childhood education services are not expected to act on this suggestion".

Dr Jacobs' suggestion reflects a controversial move by New South Wales state to impose a seven-day quarantine period on children returning there from neighbouring Victoria. They cannot attend school for a week, which the Victorian Government called bizarre.

Mr Daley said the Ministry of Education's email had "clarified" Dr Jacobs' letter.

What action to take regarding asymptomatic pupils returning from Australia was up to each school, Mr Daley said. He advised principals to prevent such children from simply returning to school. He suggested they first be questioned by a school nurse about potential contact with flu patients before deciding the appropriate action.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10577047