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Schools take steps to prevent swine flu in students
Shivani Vig, TNN 6 August 2009, 10:28pm IST
KANPUR: From indefinitely putting off weekly assessments to monitoring students' health and issuing regular updates on the dos and don'ts to check
the spread of Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) virus to sending children back home even due to cough and cold, the schools in the city are taking no chance when it comes to swine flu.
The message of caution has come from city school authorities after the reports of a 14-year-old student from Pune falling a victim to the H1N1 flu. "After the news of the infection to students in Pune, we are constantly advising the students not to expose themselves to people with cough and cold. We have also talked to them about the symptoms and instructed them to seek medical attention immediately if anybody has a sore throat or fever that persists for a long time," said Supriya Grover, principal of UP Kirana Sewa Samiti.
"Children from junior and senior classes, who may be suffering from ailments like cold, cough, running nose, breathing problems, headache, continued low-grade fever, diarrhoea or dysentery need not attend their classes and should get themselves tested by authorised government doctors," she informed.
From making students aware of the symptoms of the infection to contacting the parents and giving them a dose of information about H1N1 during parents-teacher meetings, the schools are being extra careful in their attempts to prevent cases of swine flu among their students.
Principal of an eminent city school in Civil Lines KV Vincent said they had opened a dispensary at their school and the children were being monitored by the staff on a daily basis. "We have also asked teachers to discuss the disease with students without causing panic," informed Vincent.
The prime focus at almost all the schools is on closely monitoring the health of their students, putting additional stress on personal hygiene, organising talks by doctors and public health specialists and establishing network of parents for continuous interaction and reporting of suspected flu cases.
"The parent, teacher association of our school would be briefing about what measures should be taken to keep the students safe from this disease and frequent monitoring of health of students is being done," pointed out Shilpa Manish, the head mistress of a prominent school in Azad Nagar.
A number of schools began their awareness drive after reading about the disease in newspapers about the death of 14-year-old Rida Sheikh of Pune.
District administration gears up
The district administration has sent out alerts to district surveillance officers and rapid response teams. Also, pamphlets with details about swine flu, including its symptoms, precautions and treatment, would be distributed in schools, educational institutes and hospitals to create awareness.
"We will soon be issuing circulars to the school authorities for taking up preventive measures. We will also be distributing pamphlets to raise awareness among masses about swine flu," said district magistrate Anil Kumar Sagar.
Jittery Parents
The death of 14-year-old Rida Sheikh due to swine flu has pressed the panic button among city parents as well, who are worried about the well being of their dear ones studying or working in Pune.
Some are nervous, a few anxious and others in double mind to call back their children home. As shared city-based industrialist Mickey, who was battling apprehensions about his son studying BBA in Pune: "Sitting here at home, we can just pray for his well being. Though we are in regular touch him, the way hospital authorities are handling people and refusing to test them for virus, it has made us nervous."
Sharing a similar concern, Madhu Singh, mother of 23-year-old Anshuman Singh, said: "With more and more students being reported having H1N1 virus, I am really worried about my son's health."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...swine-flu-in-students/articleshow/4864432.cms
Shivani Vig, TNN 6 August 2009, 10:28pm IST
KANPUR: From indefinitely putting off weekly assessments to monitoring students' health and issuing regular updates on the dos and don'ts to check
the spread of Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) virus to sending children back home even due to cough and cold, the schools in the city are taking no chance when it comes to swine flu.
The message of caution has come from city school authorities after the reports of a 14-year-old student from Pune falling a victim to the H1N1 flu. "After the news of the infection to students in Pune, we are constantly advising the students not to expose themselves to people with cough and cold. We have also talked to them about the symptoms and instructed them to seek medical attention immediately if anybody has a sore throat or fever that persists for a long time," said Supriya Grover, principal of UP Kirana Sewa Samiti.
"Children from junior and senior classes, who may be suffering from ailments like cold, cough, running nose, breathing problems, headache, continued low-grade fever, diarrhoea or dysentery need not attend their classes and should get themselves tested by authorised government doctors," she informed.
From making students aware of the symptoms of the infection to contacting the parents and giving them a dose of information about H1N1 during parents-teacher meetings, the schools are being extra careful in their attempts to prevent cases of swine flu among their students.
Principal of an eminent city school in Civil Lines KV Vincent said they had opened a dispensary at their school and the children were being monitored by the staff on a daily basis. "We have also asked teachers to discuss the disease with students without causing panic," informed Vincent.
The prime focus at almost all the schools is on closely monitoring the health of their students, putting additional stress on personal hygiene, organising talks by doctors and public health specialists and establishing network of parents for continuous interaction and reporting of suspected flu cases.
"The parent, teacher association of our school would be briefing about what measures should be taken to keep the students safe from this disease and frequent monitoring of health of students is being done," pointed out Shilpa Manish, the head mistress of a prominent school in Azad Nagar.
A number of schools began their awareness drive after reading about the disease in newspapers about the death of 14-year-old Rida Sheikh of Pune.
District administration gears up
The district administration has sent out alerts to district surveillance officers and rapid response teams. Also, pamphlets with details about swine flu, including its symptoms, precautions and treatment, would be distributed in schools, educational institutes and hospitals to create awareness.
"We will soon be issuing circulars to the school authorities for taking up preventive measures. We will also be distributing pamphlets to raise awareness among masses about swine flu," said district magistrate Anil Kumar Sagar.
Jittery Parents
The death of 14-year-old Rida Sheikh due to swine flu has pressed the panic button among city parents as well, who are worried about the well being of their dear ones studying or working in Pune.
Some are nervous, a few anxious and others in double mind to call back their children home. As shared city-based industrialist Mickey, who was battling apprehensions about his son studying BBA in Pune: "Sitting here at home, we can just pray for his well being. Though we are in regular touch him, the way hospital authorities are handling people and refusing to test them for virus, it has made us nervous."
Sharing a similar concern, Madhu Singh, mother of 23-year-old Anshuman Singh, said: "With more and more students being reported having H1N1 virus, I am really worried about my son's health."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...swine-flu-in-students/articleshow/4864432.cms