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NZ - Sick teachers, students told to stay home as holidays end

D

DazzaMc

Well-known member
NZ - Sick teachers, students told to stay home as holidays end

With swine flu cases soaring in New Zealand and schools resuming tomorrow, health officials are advising teachers and students to stay home if they are sick.

In New Zealand there are now 2255 confirmed cases of swine flu (Influenza A H1N1) and the virus has led to the deaths of 10 people.

However, the actual number of people with swine flu was significantly higher because only a small proportion of people were being tested, the Ministry of Health said.

This was because it was a mild illness for most people and they could recover at home without needing medical treatment.

Thousands of teachers and students were due to go back to school tomorrow with the end of the school holidays.

"If you have flu-like symptoms, stay at home until you are essentially well," Public Health director Dr Mark Jacobs said.

Anyone with flu symptoms should call their GP or Healthline on 0800 611 116.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-st...s-students-told-to-stay-home-as-holidays-end/
 
NZ - Swine flu warnings as school resumes

NZ - Swine flu warnings as school resumes

Swine flu warnings as school resumes

The Ministry of Health (MoH) is asking parents to be cautious about swine flu as students return to school this week.

The MoH says anyone with flu-like symptoms should stay home until they're better.

Parents in Wellington who spoke to 3 News say they will be taking extra precautions.

The MoH says there are now more than 2,200 "confirmed" cases of swine flu in the country

The real total is said to be much higher, because not all flu cases are being tested.

http://www.3news.co.nz/News/Swine-f...rticleID/113214/Default.aspx?ArticleID=113214
 
Re: NZ - Swine flu warnings as school resumes

Re: NZ - Swine flu warnings as school resumes

Swine flu numbers expected to increase as students return to school

One of New Zealand?s largest primary schools has some surprising back-to-school news.

Owairoa Primary says the health of teachers is better than ever because sick students are staying at home to avoid the spread of swine flu.

Forty-five of the school?s students called in sick for the first day of school, and some days more than 80 have been off ? enough to fill four class rooms.

But that has hand an interesting effect on the teachers.

?The absenteeism of teachers ? which is normally quite high ? has reduced markedly,? says Owairoa Primary School?s Principal Alan McIntyre.

He says some days none of the school?s staff have been off sick ? which is unheard of.

?We put that down to sick children being away and the teachers not catching their bugs,? he says.

The school would sometimes need six to eight relief teachers per day ? but not anymore.

?I?ve hardly had any sick days compared to normally when you pick up everything off the children,? says teacher Jo Owen.

There are no official figures on teacher attendance, but the Ministry of Health says anecdotally it is the same story nationwide.

?We had a couple away at the end of term,? says Mt Cook Primary School Principal Sandra McCallum.

?But generally our staff are in really good health.?

Parents say they are being more vigilant.

?The kids pick up everything in school and I am concerned,? says mother Kirsty Stewart.

?I?m worried that all three of my kids will get it, but I?m just hoping that when they get it, they don?t get it too seriously.?

Mother Pat Jamieson says she was very vigilant last term to ensure her children did not pick up the virus.

?We will do the same this term.?

But the Ministry of Health warns cases will increase.

?With schools going back we start to get an upswing again in the number of cases in the community,? says Deputy Director of Public Health Fran McGrath.

?We might see an increase in the numbers needing to be admitted to hospital.?

The number of confirmed swine flu cases has already taken a leap, with a total of 2,368 ? that is more than 113 cases in just one day.

http://www.3news.co.nz/News/Swine-f...rticleID/113254/Default.aspx?ArticleID=113254
 
Re: NZ - Swine flu warnings as school resumes

Re: NZ - Swine flu warnings as school resumes

Schools asked to keep eye on sick students

Schools are being asked to keep a close eye on students and children with underlying health conditions as they are more susceptible to both swine flu and seasonal flu.

New Zealand's death toll attributable to the swine flu pandemic remained at 10 today while the cumulative total of confirmed cases in New Zealand continued to rise. Today it was 2368, up from 2255 yesterday.

With schools returning from holiday today, deputy director of public health Fran McGrath said students and children who have flu-like symptoms should stay at home until they were well and no longer coughing or sneezing.

Both the ministries of health and education say it is important that schools take early action and call parents or caregivers of children who show symptoms.

"This is usually three to four days from the start of symptoms, but it could be up to a week. Staying away from other people when you are sick will help slow the spread of the virus in the community and allow both schools and health services to better manage the impact of the flu pandemic," Dr McGrath said.

The Ministry of Education is not collating numbers on students that might be absent due to flu this winter.

But David Hodge, the principal of Rangitoto College, the largest secondary school in the country with about 3000 students, said the rates of absenteeism were up.

"But we are not sensing that there's any big problem."

Normal absentee rates ranged between 5 and 8 percent and figures from the end of last term varied from day to day and between the years but the number of absentees had increased between 2 and 4 percentage points, he said.

People were being sensible and if they suspected their child had the flu they were keeping them at home.

Rangitoto College saw the country's first recorded cases of swine flu when a group of students returned from a trip to Mexico, where the strain was first detected.

Mr Hodge said the personal hygiene message was getting through and people seemed to be treating the whole flu season with care and respect.

He said he believed the flu was actually transmitted less this winter because people were taking more precautions.

"Once upon a time you would have got kids coming to school spluttering all over the place and sneezing on people. This year that's not happening."

Meanwhile, in Canterbury two new flu centres have opened in Rolleston and Rangiora to cope with an increase in the number of out-of-town flu patients attending the Christchurch Central Flu Centre.

"We've noticed that increasing numbers of people visiting the central city flu centre are coming in from Selwyn and Waimakariri. It therefore makes sense to open local centres for these people," said Phil Schroeder, head of the Canterbury Primary Pandemic Group.

One-hundred-and-seventy-six people attended the Christchurch centre over the weekend.

The Ministry of Health continued to encourage pregnant women who get sick with influenza-like symptoms to be prompt in phoning for medical advice.

Pregnant women were one group at greater risk of complications from the new influenza virus and should call their doctor or Healthline for advice if they become unwell with influenza-like symptoms.

If flu symptoms become worse, people should seek medical advice from their GP or phone Healthline on 0800 611116.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/5738405/schools-asked-to-keep-eye-on-sick-students/
 
Re: NZ - Sick teachers, students told to stay home as holidays end

School's back without too many absentees

By KATARINA FILIPE - The Timaru Herald Last updated 05:00 21/07/2009
South Canterbury high schools were not left empty as the first day of term began yesterday, with only 115 students calling in sick and no reported cases of measles.

Timaru Boys' High School rector Kevin O'Sullivan said 28 students were home sick, with some saying they had the flu.

But out of 660 students, the number of absentees was less than expected, Mr O'Sullivan said.

"I think the holidays were quite timely for things to settle down again. For the moment, we are a little bit optimistic."

No red spots had appeared on faces around the region, though a suspected 45 cases of measles have been reported at Canterbury schools. Christchurch Boys' High School students have been the worst-hit, with 16 cases suspected.

Timaru Girls' High School had 27 students absent yesterday, but with a roll of about 450, that accounted for less than 6 per cent. At Geraldine High School the situation was similar, with 29 students away out of about 600.

Fourteen Waimate High School students of about 400 away and eight Mackenzie College students, out of about 200, were absent.

Nine students at Opihi College called in sick, with one person having flu-like symptoms. A spokesperson for the school said that with a school of about 380 students, it wasn't a big proportion.

Craighead Diocesan School would not give the Herald an exact number, instead saying it had a "small number" of students off sick, with a roll of more than 300.

Roncalli College students start back on Monday. Mountainview High School students start back today.
...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/2611501/Schools-back-without-too-many-absentees
 
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