Response of Schools in India

[Ronan Kelly]

NEW DELHI: Following the drastic increase in the number of H1N1 influenza cases in the past few days, the state health department is planning to
intensify the awareness drive in the city, especially in schools. The number of children testing positive in the capital has also gone up. Of the total number of cases that have tested positive in the last one week, close to 50% are children.
"Now we are now reporting a lot of positive cases every day and a majority of them are children. We are planning to intensify the awareness drive in the city and will hold a meeting with the education department, MCD and NDMC to plan out a strategy to create awareness in schools run by the government and civic authorities,'' said JP Singh, principal health secretary, Delhi government.

The decision to intensify the awareness campaign was taken at an emergency meeting called by the Delhi's health minister Kiran Walia on Wednesday evening.

On Wednesday, 71 positive cases were reported of which 47 were children. "The woman who died on Monday night had tested positive today (Wednesday). A nine-month-old suspected H1N1 case has been admitted in Hindu Rao Hospital. So far 1486 cases have been reported in the city of which 167 are undergoing treatment,'' said Dr Anjan Prakash, additional nodal officer, Delhi government.

Doctors say children are more vulnerable to the infection, as they spend long hours in school where they move in closed groups and also have weak immunity system. "The sudden dip in temperature has facilitated the transmission of the virus. Now that the virus is there in the community, every strata of the society is getting affected. Since children move in closed groups in school, they are at a greater risk of contracting the infection,'' said Dr Bir Singh, professor, community medicine, AIIMS.

Meanwhile, Walia paid a surprise visit to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital, especially to the swine flu ward, in the evening and found the condition of the hospital "barely up to the mark". "I have been making surprise rounds for the past few months now. I wanted to see whether the signages for H1N1 patients are in place or not and the condition of the ward. The swine flu ward is functioning fine, but the rest of the hospital was barely up to the mark. A lot needs to be donee,'' said Walia.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ainst-H1N1-in-schools/articleshow/5020038.cms

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

School closed after student contracts swine flu
STAFF WRITER 21:18 HRS IST
Ambala, Sept 27 (PTI) A local school today suspended classes for three weeks till Diwali after a student was diagnosed with swine flu.

Official sources said the management of Chaman Vatika Public School decided to close down the institute after a girl student of class six contracted the disease.

Her throat swab sample sent to PGI, Chandigarh had tested positive for H1N1 virus.

A team of doctors today screened all who came in contact with the infected student.
http://ptinews.com/news/303330_School-closed-after-student-contracts-swine-flu

 

[Roehl_JC]

Re: India: Chandigarh doctor and med student have H1N1

Re: India: Chandigarh doctor and med student have H1N1

New directives for mandatory classroom student checks each morning and school closures when 3 or more students get H1N1

Tuesday, 29 September 2009
CHANDIGARH: In order to prevent Swine Flu cases in schools of Chandigarh, a special meeting was convened under the chairmanship of the Secretary Health, Sh. Ram Niwas today. He directed the Education Department to be vigilant and issue instructions to all the principals to follow the guidelines of GOI as well as Health Department, Chandigarh.

It was advised that the school authorities should make it mandatory for all class teachers to begin their class with active screening of each student in the class so as to detect any student who is having symptoms of flu (mild fever with cough/ sore throat with or without body ache, headache, diarrhea and vomiting). If any student is detected, he/she should be referred immediately to the medical facility or to nearby hospital. He/she should be further advised to stay at home for 7 days and observe strict discipline of home isolation.

The onus of observance of discipline of isolation henceforth is shifted to the parents and school authorities should accordingly write a letter to the parents. The parents should also be advised to keep their wards at home, in case they are found to be having flu like symptoms. There should be constant self-monitoring and if a symptom deteriorates, it should be reported to health authorities immediately.

Similarly the Education Department was also advised that the students, teachers and other employees working in schools/educational institutions to continue to stay at home for at least 7 days if they are advised by the doctor to take Oseltamivir treatment and they should observe home isolation. There should be constant self-monitoring and if symptoms deteriorate, it should be reported to health authorities, immediately. School authorities should not insist on production of medical certificate from such preventive absentees.

In order to prevent further spread of infection it was deliberated that students, teachers and other employees working in schools/educational institutions are advised to observe strict cough / sneeze etiquette i.e. use tissue while sneezing and coughing. The tissue paper so used should be kept in a separate plastic bag, so that it can be disposed of safely.

The Nodal Officer-Swine Flu informed that regular cleaning of school with detergent after the closure of the school was of utmost importance. The Principal of all the schools should ensure that all class-rooms including desks, benches, chairs, door handles, knobs should be cleaned every day so as to avoid further spread of infection. Similarly, no parent will send the ward to the schools with facemask. This is against the guidelines of GOI. Instead such parents should be asked to keep their students at home that if they are down with Flu like illness.

Regarding closure of school, it was decided that appearance of clustering of laboratory confirmed positive cases in one class/ block in the same school or Lab confirmation of influenza type A H1N1 cases of 3 or more than 3 students in a school, closure of school should be given priority. This should be done in consultation with the Health Department officials and the Nodal Officer-Swine Flu, UT-Chandigarh

For the students staying in hostels, it was decided that in case there are suspected cases in hostel the school shall contact near by hospitals for examination.

It was also decided that all the schools should display ?DO?S AND DON?TS? for H1N1 infection at all important places. All the schools should circulate pamphlets containing ?DO?S AND DONT?S? for H1N1 infection and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) to the students.

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/19217/93/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

28 fresh cases of swine flu in Kerala

STAFF WRITER 20:9 HRS IST
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 14 (PTI) Concerned over H1N1 influenza cases being reported among students in some parts of the state, Kerala government today said school authorities can declare holiday for a week, if necessary, to check the spread of the disease.

The school authorities, district Health Department and district collectors concerned could take appropriate decision on the matter, a Health Department release said here today.

Meanwhile, 28 fresh swine flu cases were reported taking the total number of cases to 697 in the state since its outbreak three months ago.

Ten persons had succumbed to the virus so far, the release said.

State Health Minister P K Sreemathi today held a meeting with Health and Education Secretaries and discussed the steps to be taken to check the spread of swine flu.
http://ptinews.com/news/331485_28-fresh-cases-of-swine-flu-in-Kerala

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

More flu cases reported from schools

Staff Reporter

Authorities contemplate closure of affected schools
Minister convenes meeting to review situation
Lack of cooperation from educational institutions alleged

Thiruvananthapuram: A host of influenza A (H1N1) cases have been reported from various schools and colleges in the district, indicating vigorous spread of the virus in the community.

On Wednesday, Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy convened a meeting of the Secretaries of the Health and Education departments, Director of Medical Education and the Director of Health Services to review the situation and discuss the special infection control measures to be adopted.

The District Collectors have been asked to convene meetings with the school principals and according to the situation, the schools may be closed for a week, it has been directed.

The school authorities have been asked to take a judicious decision after discussing with the district health administration and the Collector.

All efforts of the district administration to contain the spread of the virus and minimise risk to others are being thwarted by the lack of cooperation on the part of some school/ college authorities, health officials pointed out.

?We have been organising several sensitisation programmes on H1N1 infection in educational institutions but the response has been lukewarm. People still do not seem to realise that H1N1 has reached their neighbourhood,? a senior doctor said.

Even though educational institutions had been given instructions that study tours to other States be avoided, none had been paying heed.

Warnings ignored


?Despite our warnings, one of the colleges arranged a study tour to Hyderabad and one of the students has now tested positive for H1N1. The entire group of students have thus been exposed to the risk unnecessarily,? he added.

After schools started reporting a number of cases, health officials have been going to schools to organise awareness camps and train teachers.

Teachers in schools are being instructed to screen the children every morning and to send home immediately any child with cold or fever symptoms.

Health officials said that given the vigorous manner in which the virus had been spreading in the community, the public should now realise that any flu-like illness - fever, running nose, chills - posed certain amount of risk and that it should not be treated lightly.

?H1N1 is just like any other influenza, often self-limiting and resolves itself spontaneously with good rest, nutrition and fluid intake. Children need to be sensitised about following the general cough etiquette in school assemblies on a daily basis because the infection can spread very easily among this group,? State nodal officer for H1N1 Amar Fettle said.

Circular soon


The Education Department will soon issue a circular regarding the important steps to be taken for the implementation of the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health for schools and educational institutions, in the event of H1N1 infection among students.

Thiruvananthapuram district, with about 185 confirmed cases of H1N1 infection, accounts for more than quarter of the cases being reported from the State and this is just the tip of the iceberg, physicians warn.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/15/stories/2009101561850300.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

Flu: school advised to close for a week

Staff Reporter

16 confirmed H1N1 cases reported; number of absentees doubles this week.
Thiruvananthapuram: With the number of Influenza A (H1N1) cases reported in schools swelling, the district health administration is learnt to have advised a prominent city school to close for a week to break the spread of infection.

The expert advice has been conveyed to the District Collector, who has called a meeting with the school authorities on Friday morning to take a final decision.

The district health administration officials pointed out that as on Thursday evening, 16 confirmed cases of H1N1 had been reported from the school.

It is very much probable that the actual number of cases would be much higher as the number of absentees in the school has also been unusually high all this week, health officials pointed out.

?The average number of absentees in the school has gone up from the usual figure of 300 to over 600 this week. We tried our best to let the school function normally but with the number of cases steadily going up, it would be better that the school is closed and the risk of spread is minimised,? a senior official said.

Medical officers said that children should be better encouraged to follow the basic cough etiquette as well as hygiene practices like washing hands often. Even if schools were to be closed, any congregation of schoolchildren, which is not absolutely necessary, should be strictly avoided, they said.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/23/stories/2009102359490300.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

A (H1N1) flu: 100 per cent screening in schools begins

Special Correspondent

All the students of private schools in the city to be screened


EXTRA VIGIL: A Coimbatore Corporation doctor checks a student at a private school in the city on Monday as part of a fresh screening for A (H1N1) influenza.

COIMBATORE: The City Health Department of the Coimbatore Corporation began on Monday a 100 per cent screening of students in private schools in the city to check for A (H1N1) influenza cases. Two schools were covered on the first day of the drive. This followed a decision of the Government to carry out the screening in Coimbatore after a spurt in the cases of students testing positive for the flu over the last 15 to 20 days.

Health Secretary V.K. Subburaj announced after a review meeting here on Friday that all the students of the private schools in the city would be screened.

Doctors and urban health nurses of a Corporation health centre screened students of a private school at Ganapathy, Joint Director of Health M. Duraikannan said. School authorities said the screening was done for 700 students to check whether they had any of the symptoms of the influenza. Another health team from the Corporation screened over 500 students of a school near Ramanathapuram.

Public Health authorities explained that frequently travelling adults, especially by flights, contracted the virus. Before the problem was detected in them, they passed it on to the children at home. From here it spread in the schools.

Apart from the screening, doctors and health officials were educating parents and teachers on the importance of early detection and treatment and the need for absolute quarantine or isolation of the infected persons.

During the discussions with health officials, the Health Secretary had said there was no need to close the schools.

On the other hand, the detection of cases would be effective if the schools functioned and enabled screening of all the students. Legislators belonging to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam submitted on Monday a memorandum addressed to District Collector P. Umanath, calling for measures to control the spread of the flu.

Adequate number of doctors, medicines and effective screening were needed as there was panic among the people over the rise in the number of cases.

The Department of Local Administration and the Department of Health should co-ordinate on flu control measures, the memorandum said.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/03/stories/2009110359850300.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

Another school closes after student test positive for swine flu
TNN 7 November 2009, 07:02am IST

JAIPUR: Students and parents are alarmed following the rise in swine flu cases in schools. Many parents who are terrified that their child might
have contracted the virus have not sent their children to schools. In the last two days 31 students from different schools have been found infected with H1N1 virus.

On Friday, Maharani Gayatri Devi (MGD) School has declared off till Wednesday, as one student tested positive for the flu. This is the second school in a week to be closed down after a dozen students of SMS school were found positive for swine flu.
Since Friday morning, MGD school started receiving frantic calls from parents confirming the news reports of a positive swine flu case. "After reading news reports of swine flu case in the school, I asked my daughter to stay at home," said a concerned parent.

Many parents have criticised MGD school authorities for not declaring an off on Friday. "How could the authorities play with the lives of students when they knew that a school student had tested positive. The authorities could have closed the school," said an angry parent.

Some of them were so worried that they have decided not to send their children to school till the school compound is medically sanitised. Many worried parents took their children back home in midst of the classes.

"When I woke-up my daughter had already left for the school. I learnt about the news when I read the newspaper," said concerned parent. A school scribe has said that many parents came rushing after reading the news reports on the case.

In many city schools, parents have asked the school authorities about the steps taken to avert the spread of the flu. "As a precautionary measure, I drop and pick up my kids in my car. I fear that using the school transport would increase the possibility of the spread of this disease," said Atiq Ahmed, father of a class IX student.

This disease can be fought together if school authorities and parents take extra precautions to counter this disease. Meanwhile, parents continue to rush to the hospital to seek medical attention even if their child suffers from minor cold and cough.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ositive-for-swine-flu/articleshow/5204856.cms

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

H1N1 screening sends pupils home
Amit Sharma, TNN 21 November 2009, 02:17am ISTText Size:|Topics:students
screening
H1N1

CHANDIGARH: Screening of students with flu-like symptoms in city schools to stop the spread of H1N1 influenza led to many children being sent home
on Friday. The number for such students was 350 in KBDAV School, Sector 7.

Also, attendance has come down at many educational institutions as parents have been told to keep children home if they are unwell.

KBDAV has also decided to postpone its unit tests by one week and suspend the workshop on class-X grading system in which students? parents were to participate.

Sources said 207 students were sent back from St Kabir School, Sector 26.

However, its chairman JP Singh maintained that the said students had remained absent on their own.

Sources added that attendance at Vivek High School, Sector 38, dipped by 20% and 10 students were sent back from there on Friday. The community radio service of the school is spreading H1N1 awareness messages and sale of ice cream on campus has been stopped.

Tender Heart School, Sector 33, sent back 16 students. The management there has called meetings of its parent-teacher association to spread awareness against swine flu and is running an SMS campaign for the purpose.

Six students of Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, were sent home on the day. Sources said there had been 10% attendance drop at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41.
St Anne?s School, Sector 32 and Ryan International School, Sector 49, continue to be closed after some students there were found infected by H1N1 influenza. Meet today

Independent Schools? Association of Chandigarh is going to hold a meeting on Saturday to discuss ways to curb spread of H1N1 virus at educational institutions
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ing-sends-pupils-home/articleshow/5252985.cms

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

'No need to close all schools'
TNN 21 November 2009, 02:47am ISTText Size:|Topics:H1N1 cases
emergency meeting
UT health department

CHANDIGARH: In the wake of H1N1 cases being reported from school across the city, an emergency meeting of UT health department?s advisory committee on swine flu was convened on Friday. The committee decided that at present there is no reason to close down all school and instead guidelines formulated by the health department should be followed.
According to guidelines, if three or more positive cases are reported from various classes of the same school, the institution is advised to be shut down for a week. However, if the same number of cases is found from a single class, all sections of only that particular class will be closed down.

It was also decided that throat swab samples of suspected patients would only be tested at PGI and no private lab would be allowed to do so as of now. Notably, a city-based private lab, which was sending H1N1 samples to its office in Delhi for testing, was reprimanded for conducting the test without the administration?s permission. The review committee also decided to study the pattern of drop-out percentage of school students in the last 15 days. For this, DPI(S) would be asked to provide the data from various schools, said HC Gera, nodal officer for swine flu.

Meanwhile, a class VII student of Ryan International School tested positive for the virus. A resident of Gurgaon (Haryana) also tested positive in the city. Haryana health officials were asked to quarantine his family. Five suspected cases were also reported.

There are eight members in the committee, led by home-cum-health secretary Ram Niwas. Other members included UT director, health and family welfare, medical superintendents of three government hospitals, heads of community medicine and virology departments of PGI, medical director of INSCOL hospital and nodal officer for swine flu.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-to-close-all-schools/articleshow/5252911.cms

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Response of Schools in India

Chandigarh school closes due to swine flu scare
IANS 24 November 2009, 02:34pm IST

CHANDIGARH: A leading all girls school here in Sector 26 has been closed for a week starting Tuesday because of a fear of swine flu, officials said.
The decision was taken after a class nine student of the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School tested positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus Monday.

"Apart from one positive case there were some more students of different classes who were exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Following this, we have closed the school from Nov 24 to 30," a school spokesperson said.

He added: "This closure is as per precautionary measures suggested by the Chandigarh health department. We do not want to take any chance, however the scheduled exams of class ten and twelve will be held during this week."

So far, four other private schools and two engineering colleges of this city have been closed after their students exhibited swine flu symptoms.

Over 475 suspected cases have been reported in Chandigarh hospitals out of which over 120 tested positive -- nearly half of whom were students.

Four people have died here because of this deadly virus till date.

"We have observed that students are more prone to swine flu in Chandigarh but there is no need to panic. The situation is under control. Regular screening of students is done in their schools and we are also compiling the data of absentees due to this disease," H.C. Gera, Chandigarh nodal officer for swine flu, said on Tuesday.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ue-to-swine-flu-scare/articleshow/5264166.cms

 

[Roehl_JC]

Re: Response of Schools in India

Dec. 2 Chandigargh

Besides withholding daily updates from the media, the Chandigarh Administration seems to be keeping it away from the affected institutions also.


Schools which have been in news for swine flu cases are not receiving regular updates about fresh cases.


Authorities in Vivek High School, St John?s School, Carmel Convent School and St Stephen?s School say they are not being regularly informed of fresh cases in their schools. As a result, these schools cannot take any preventive measures.


Last month, several classes were suspended in these schools.


?We don?t know if more students have been infected with swine flu, as the Health department hasn?t sent any communication to us,? H S Mamik, director of the Vivek High School, said. ?We now rely on parents to come forward and tell us if their child is unwell.?


Two positive cases from the school were reported on Tuesday. The students, a girl and a boy, are residents of Sector 42 and 38, Chandigarh, respectively.


So far, the virus has affected seven students in Vivek High School. But the school ?knows only about four cases?.


School authorities also denied having any information about the student who tested positive on Monday.


In another case, a Class I student of St John?s was tested positive on Tuesday morning, but the school was informed only late in the evening.


?It was only after 8 pm that we received a call, and were instructed to suspend Class I B with immediate effect,? the school?s spokesperson said. ?We tried to inform all parents, but there were many who could not be contacted. A number of students may turn up tomorrow. A regular and timely update would have been handy.?


School authorities further said, ?It is not possible to inform all parents whenever there is a positive case. It?s better that parents get updates through newspapers.?


Health Secretary Ram Niwas, meanwhile, refuted the schools? claims. ?Schools themselves are not willing to share information, as they fear bad publicity. We have been extra cautious in every case. Health officials have been going to schools, quarantining students and asking authorities to discontinue classes,? he said.


Niwas reiterated his decision to not share daily updates with the media, for it would ?lead to panic?.


?For the same reason, schools have been instructed to not talk about positive cases,? he said.


St John?s sends 15 students back home, man dies at PGI


St. John?s School sent 15 students back home on Tuesday after they showed flu-like symptoms.


An Ambala resident died of swine flu at PGI two days ago. While the UT and PGI officials refused to comment, swine flu nodal officer of Ambala Dr Surinder Mohan said Rakesh Agarwal (42) died on the day his samples were tested positive on Monday. Two persons have died of swine flu in Ambala so far.

In Mohali schools, no classes have been reportedly suspended. Vice-principal of the Yadavindra Public School, Anita Kashyap, said no student was sent back home due to swine flu.


Annual function of the Lawerance Public Senior Secondary School, which was postponed earlier, has been scheduled for December 5.


In Panchkula also schools functioned normally. Sandeep Sardana, principal of the Manav Mangal School, Sector 11, said, ?Two doctors are keeping a close watch on students. But no instructions or guidelines have been received from the administration.?


http://www.indianexpress.com/news/W...schools-can-t-take-preventive-measures/548862