As you may have already seen or read in the news media, there have been a number of confirmed cases of the Swine Influenza reported in Mexico and several American states. As a precautionary measure and to prevent the spread of this highly contagious influenza virus, you should keep your child at home if he or she exhibits flu-like symptoms, like fever, coughing, sneezing or headache. Also, as a preventative measure you should practice yourself and also emphasize with your children frequent and thorough hand-washings and sneezing and coughing into tissues, as well as avoiding physical contact with people who exhibit flu-like symptoms.
H1N1 (SWINE) FLU Q & A
Q. 1 When should schools send notification to parents regarding reported cases of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI)?
A. Notification to parents regarding individual, sporadic cases of ILI is not required or recommended. For schools with a cluster of ILI cases (five or more) it is recommended that parents/staff be notified. A sample parent letter was emailed to all principals on September 8, 2009 and is available on the Health Education Services (HES) web site. Further guidance is available by calling HES at 754-321-2272.
Q. 2 Are there certain individuals at school who should be notified of reported cases of ILI?
A. The following individuals who have had close contact with affected students/staff should be notified: pregnant staff or students and individuals with chronic health conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, etc.).
Q. 3 What should individuals at school be told when notified of reported cases of ILI?
A. Individuals should be told that they may have been exposed to an individual with ILI and to contact their health care provider for guidance.
Q. 4 If a parent contacts the school stating their child has been diagnosed with H1N1 should the student’s health care provider be contacted to confirm the diagnosis?
A. No, it is not necessary to contact the student’s health care provider to “confirm” a diagnosis of H1N1. The District is collecting daily information from schools to track the number of students and staff who have Influenza-Like Illness “ILI”. Schools must complete the Suspected Influenza Notification Form and fax to Health Education Services with the student’s signs and symptoms or the comments that parents make when they call in to report the student’s absence.
Q. 5 Can school administration share student contact/health information with the Broward County Health Department without parent consent.
A. OnApril 26, 2009, the United States Department of Health & Human Services declared a nationwide public health emergency involving 2009 H1N1. FERPA authorizes school officials to disclose, without consent, education records to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency, if knowledge of that information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals.
Q. 6 When should a student be isolated from other individuals at school?
A. Students should go to the school’s designated isolation room when they exhibit signs and symptoms of ILI. Please follow the Influenza Screening Flowchart for General Flu Conditions (Appendix 8A revised 9/8/09). Remember that fever of 100 degrees or greater is the hallmark symptom and students who present with two or more of the following symptoms: headache, fatigue and weakness, sore throat, cough, stuffy/runny nose, muscle aches/pains and in some instances, diarrhea, should be isolated until parents pick up.
Q. 7 Where should a student be isolated at school?
A. Schools need to isolate students in their designated isolation room. Examples include non-common areas such as a portable, gym, or empty classroom. The area must not be a commonly used area such as the cafeteria. The school health room should not be used to isolate students.
Q. 8 Who should supervise isolated student(s) at school?
A. The school’s designated Influenza Manager should supervise the student(s) until their parent(s) picks them up. It is not recommended that the school nurse or Health Support Technician (HST) supervise the student (s), as their role is to meet the health needs of all students.
Q. 9 What cleaning procedures should be followed when ILI is reported at school?
A. The CDC recommends general and routine cleaning of schools. District approved cleansers and disinfectants are to be used to clean surface items that are more likely to have frequent contact, e.g., desk tops, door knobs, cafeteria tables, computer keyboards, etc. Cleaning after each case of reported ILI is not necessary when routine cleaning and hand washing procedures are followed.
Q. 10 What type of supplies do you need to have on hand at your school?
A. Schools must have the following supplies available at all times: hand soap, hand sanitizer, disinfectant cleaners, paper towels, gloves, face masks, and thermometer with disposable covers. Please refer to the Pandemic Supplies List in Appendix 3, of the Pandemic Manual and the Basic First Aid List in Section VI, of the Health Services Manual. A new power point presentation regarding the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been added to the HES website.
Q. 11 Where can I find posters for schools about flu prevention?
A. The CDC has many resources for posters that are free of charge. You can print and display these posters in your school. Please go to the CDC web site at www.cdc.gov/germstopper/materials, or you may go to the HES website and select the H1N1 Tool Kit for schools to find a link to Flu Prevention Posters.
Q. 12When suspected cases of ILI are reported to Health Education Services (HES) what action steps are taken?
A. HES reviews all Suspected Influenza Notification Forms that are received on a daily basis. A daily report is then submitted to the Broward County Health Department (BCHD) reflecting the number of students and staff reported to have ILI symptoms. When schools report clusters of students/staff (5 or more) to HES, the BCHD Epidemiology Department is contacted to determine if further actions/recommendations are indicated. HES will communicate directly with principals regarding any additional directives from the BCHD, other than as indicated in Question 1. Schools should not send any information home without consulting HES for guidance and approval.
Q. 13Can I require a student/staff to submit a doctors’ note before returning to work/ school to go to a health provider?
A. No
Q. 14How can I alleviate/address the fears of possible ILI/H1N1 expressed by staff and/or parents?
A. Keep everyone informed with H1N1 updates and resources on the website and educate staff on the Influenza Screening Guidelines with the symptoms of H1N1 (Appendix 8A), reinforce Infection Practices, and to stay home when ill.
Q. 15 Will parents have a choice on whether their child gets the intranasal or injection or will it be entirely determined by the health department staff based on the survey parents fill out?
A. The Health Department has indicated that children will receive the intranasal mist UNLESS the screening information completed by the parent indicates a need for the intramuscular injection (shot).
Q. 16 What will the school’s role be in ensuring that children under 10 get the second dose? What if a student is absent on the day of the second administration, or a parent changes his/her mind regarding the second dose? A. A schedule will be provided to you specifying the return date(s) for the vaccinators to do the second dose. If a child is absent on that day and no other days are scheduled at your schools, the parent will be notified of other sites they may take their child to. If the parent chooses not to get the second dose, there is no health risk other than the child not having the full protection of the vaccination.
