Walshestown National School

SWINE FLU GUIDELINES

Schools have been issued guidelines by the HSE with regard to a possible outbreak of Pandemic H1N1 (Swine Flu). These guidelines are available on the HSE website (www.hpsc.ie) Parents should consult these guidelines for detailed information on matters relating to the Swine Flu.

The following procedures have been decided upon by St.Paul’s N.S., Walshestown based on these HSE guidelines.

Children should bring two packets of tissues to school each day. Parents should teach children to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Each tissue should be used only once.

Specific bins will be provided in each classroom for used tissues.

Each toilet in the school has a dispenser containing anti-bacterial soap. Children will be encouraged to wash their hands after coughing or sneezing and before eating at lunch times.

Disposable paper towels will be provided for drying hands. Cloth towels will no longer be used.

There will be an alcohol-based hand gel dispenser at the main door of the school. All parents/visitors will be encouraged to use this.

Hard surfaces in the school will be cleaned frequently.

It is important to realise that teachers have no expertise in medical matters. Parents who have concerns of a medical nature, and especially parents of children with underlying medical conditions, should consult their G.P. for advice.

Children with flu like symptoms should not be sent to school. If your child has flu-like symptoms, you should keep your child at home and consult your G.P. If a child shows flu-like symptoms at school, parents will be contacted via the School Contacts List.

Issued by the Principal in consultation with Board of Management and Parents Council


Letter To Parents re outbreak of suspected viral illness in
_Walshestown National School, Clogherhead, Co. Louth.

13/10/2009

Dear Parent,
A small number of children from our school have been diagnosed with suspected Swine Flu. These children have been advised to remain off school for 7 days. I have sought and received advice from the Public Health Department of the HSE.

The school will continue to function as normal. In the meantime you should be aware of the measures to prevent the spread of flu:

Know the symptoms and signs of flu. Symptoms of flu include fever (100.4° F / 38.0° C or more) and symptoms such as cough, sore throat, headache, runny or stuffy nose, body aches and fatigue. Some people may also have diarrhoea or vomiting.
Don’t send children to school if they are sick. Any child who is sick at school will be sent home. Staying at home when sick will allow a child to rest and allows you to monitor their health closely. It also protects other children and staff members especially those at higher risk of severe illness from flu.
Staff or students affected by flu should stay at home for 7 days from onset date even if they feel better sooner.
Teach your children:
To wash their hands often with soap and water. You can set a good example by doing this yourself
To cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. If they don’t have a tissue they should cough or sneeze into their upper arm or elbow not their hands.
Not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils
Wash hard surfaces such as kitchen worktops, taps, door handles, etc frequently with a normal household cleaner as the virus can live on these surfaces.
Staff or pupils in at-risk groups for complications of flu (at-risk groups include pregnant women, persons with chronic medical conditions - respiratory, heart, kidney, liver, neurological disease; immune-suppression, diabetes mellitus, haemoglobinopathies, severely obese, persons on treatment for asthma) should continue to attend school as normal. At-risk persons should seek medical advice as soon as possible if they develop symptoms of flu.

For influenza information contact the HSE 24 Hour Flu Helpline 1800 94 11 00 or visit the Flu website


Yours sincerely