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Swine flu prompts new precautions
Hospitals, schools and sports groups increasingly vigilant
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 6:46 PM PT
CBC News
Athletic staff at Vancouver Technical Secondary School are wiping down all sports equipment with anti-viral solutions after every class. (CBC)
The death of a 13-year-old Ontario boy from swine flu has many B.C. families and organizations taking extra precautions to minimize the spread of the H1N1 virus.
Evan Frustaglio of Toronto died Monday, within a few days of complaining of a sore throat.
B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver has reported seeing 50 to 60 new cases of H1N1 every day for the last few weeks, but most of the children have not required admission.
Officials said they are ready to increase the number of intensive care beds and cancel elective surgeries if the number of critically ill children increases.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority has removed all toys and reading materials from hospital waiting rooms to help control the spread of viruses and germs to staff, patients and visitors.
All gear now wiped down
Gym teachers at Vancouver Technical Secondary School have taken on an extra routine after every class before the athletic equipment is put away.
"We try our best ? to just wipe everything down to minimize any contamination from H1N1 and hopefully our kids don't go home sick," said athletic director Joanna Vieira.
"With my senior girls basketball team, I'm going to make sure that we don't shake hands or anything like that ? even minimize that kind of contact in practice."
Parents, too, have become more vigilant.
"We just actually had an incident here where kids wanted to share the water bottle, and we said, 'not the best idea at a normal time, let alone now,'" said Heather Mitton of Burnaby, mother of a young soccer player.
Sport B.C. taking action
The group that governs amateur sport across B.C. is now putting together an information campaign targeting young athletes and their coaches.
Paul Varian, the CEO of Sport B.C., said the campaign is intended to help "ensure the contact with people and players, insofar as is possible within their sport, is minimized."
"Also, [so] they can spot early symptoms of H1N1, so they can ensure that someone potentially coming down with the disease is removed and isolated from other players or other athletes," Varian said.
The three latest victims in British Columbia, announced in a weekly update Tuesday, were over 40 years old.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/10/27/bc-swine-flu-prevention-kids.html?ref=rss
Hospitals, schools and sports groups increasingly vigilant
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 6:46 PM PT
CBC News
The death of a 13-year-old Ontario boy from swine flu has many B.C. families and organizations taking extra precautions to minimize the spread of the H1N1 virus.
Evan Frustaglio of Toronto died Monday, within a few days of complaining of a sore throat.
B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver has reported seeing 50 to 60 new cases of H1N1 every day for the last few weeks, but most of the children have not required admission.
Officials said they are ready to increase the number of intensive care beds and cancel elective surgeries if the number of critically ill children increases.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority has removed all toys and reading materials from hospital waiting rooms to help control the spread of viruses and germs to staff, patients and visitors.
All gear now wiped down
Gym teachers at Vancouver Technical Secondary School have taken on an extra routine after every class before the athletic equipment is put away.
"We try our best ? to just wipe everything down to minimize any contamination from H1N1 and hopefully our kids don't go home sick," said athletic director Joanna Vieira.
"With my senior girls basketball team, I'm going to make sure that we don't shake hands or anything like that ? even minimize that kind of contact in practice."
Parents, too, have become more vigilant.
"We just actually had an incident here where kids wanted to share the water bottle, and we said, 'not the best idea at a normal time, let alone now,'" said Heather Mitton of Burnaby, mother of a young soccer player.
Sport B.C. taking action
The group that governs amateur sport across B.C. is now putting together an information campaign targeting young athletes and their coaches.
Paul Varian, the CEO of Sport B.C., said the campaign is intended to help "ensure the contact with people and players, insofar as is possible within their sport, is minimized."
"Also, [so] they can spot early symptoms of H1N1, so they can ensure that someone potentially coming down with the disease is removed and isolated from other players or other athletes," Varian said.
The three latest victims in British Columbia, announced in a weekly update Tuesday, were over 40 years old.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/10/27/bc-swine-flu-prevention-kids.html?ref=rss