Swine Flu -- CDC Issues Guidance to Schools for 2009-2010 School Year (Summary)

[Anonymous]

On Friday the CDC put out its "Technical Report for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators on CDC Guidance for School (K-12) Responses to Influenza during the 2009-2010 School Year"

http://flu.gov/plan/school/k12techreport.html

The guidance comes in two parts.

The current recommendations come first, and they appear to be based on the assumption that the flu this fall will be of the same severity as it was here in the US in the spring and summer of 2009.

The second part is guidance for schools to consider, if the severity worsens.

Recommended responses under conditions with similar severity as in spring 2009

* Stay home when sick
CDC recommends that individuals with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8° C] or greater), or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications.

* Separate ill students and staff
Sick students and staff should always be required to stay home. CDC recommends that students and staff who appear to have an influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill during the day be promptly separated from other students and staff and sent home

(Comment: guidance notes people caring for these kids until they can be picked up should not be high-risk i.e. no pregnant teachers or school nurses with asthma) Sick kids should be given surgical masks and nurses or staff should wear N95s)

* Hand hygiene
Influenza may spread via contaminated hands or inanimate objects that become contaminated with influenza viruses. CDC recommends that students and staff be encouraged to wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.

* Respiratory etiquette
CDC recommends covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throwing the tissue in the trash after use.

* Routine cleaning
Schools should regularly clean all areas and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact .

* Early treatment for high-risk students and staff
CDC recommends that schools encourage ill staff and parents of ill students at higher risk of complications from influenza to seek early treatment.

* Selective school dismissals
Selective school dismissals may be considered based on the population of an individual school.

(Comment: Schools dismissed might have a high percentage of at-risk kids, such as schools for medically fragile kids or schools for pregnant students This measure wouldn't affect community-wide transmission but would just be to protect students and staff at high risk of severe illness and death.)

That's for severity just like in the past spring. If there is any increase in severity (not sure by how much?) then these are measures to consider:


Recommended additional responses during times of increased influenza severity

"The strategies which follow use a variety of methods for increasing social distance, while attempting to maintain operability of most schools. Feasibility and acceptability of these strategies will vary considerably across communities. Except for school dismissals, the following strategies have not been scientifically tested. But CDC wants communities to have tools to use that may be the right measures for their community and circumstances."

* Active screening for illness
In a higher severity situation, schools should send home persons with symptoms of acute respiratory infection (that is, any two of the following: sore throat, cough, runny nose [new and unexplained by allergies], or fever).

* Permit high-risk students and staff to stay home
If influenza severity increases, students and staff at high risk for influenza complications may consider staying home from school while influenza transmission is high in their community if they, or their families, are concerned about their ability to avoid influenza at school.

* Students with ill household members stay home
If influenza severity increases, school-aged children who live with people with influenza-like illness should remain home for 5 days from the day the first household member got sick.

* Increase social distances within the school environment
If influenza severity increases, schools should explore innovative methods for increasing social distances within the school environment. The goal should be to keep distance between people at most times or to cluster students in small, consistent groups.

(Comment: suggestions include rotating teachers between classrooms while keeping the same group of students; canceling classes that bring students together from multiple classrooms; postponing class trips that bring students together from multiple classrooms or schools in large, densely-packed groups, and discouraging use of school buses and public transit among others listed.)

* Extended exclusion period
If influenza severity increases, individuals with influenza-like illness should remain at home for at least 7 days, even if symptoms resolve sooner. Individuals who are still sick 7 days after they become ill should continue to stay home until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.

*School dismissals: reactive and preemptive
In case influenza severity increases, CDC recommends that communities review and prepare to implement their school dismissal plans according to the guidelines outlined below.

* Resuming classes after a dismissal
The length of time students should be dismissed from school will vary depending on the type of school dismissal as well as the severity and extent of illness. When the decision is made to dismiss students, CDC recommends doing so for 5 to 7 calendar days.

(Comment -- closure for preemptive dismissal might be longer than closure for reactive dismissal).

* Reducing adverse effects from school dismissal
As part of a community planning process, school dismissal plans should address possible secondary effects on the community. The planning process should include communicating these plans with all community members affected by school dismissal.</blockquote>

[Anonymous]

I shoud add the above is just a summary of the report, which gives more explanation and rationale.

My purpose in posting this is just that I believe it is good information for parents to read and understand now, especiallyt if they have kids who are at high risk for flu complications and might be weighing risk/benefits of kids attending school, risk/benefits of vaccines when available, and so on.

[Anonymous]

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you!

You are welcome!