Here's hoping that kids remember to wash their hands and sneeze into tissues.
As noted in today's article, school officials are urging parents to stress good hygiene to their kids to reduce the possibility of an H1N1 outbreak in school.
To help things along, Wake is among the school systems who are partnering up with health officials to offer free seasonal flu shots to students.
The regular flu shots won't prevent a kid from getting H1N1. But school officials hope it will prevent schools from getting slammed by both types of flu at the same time.
Wake Human Services got $296,000 in federal stimulus money to offer free regular flu shots to students in the public and private schools.
While details are still being finalized, the clinics will be held beginning in October after-school in places such as high schools.
For now, the message is good hygiene. Click here for tips from Wake.
“I would encourage you to use common sense,” East Millbrook Middle Principal Andrew Livengood told parents at a back-to-schol event last week. “If they do have a high temperature, keep them at home.”
Livengood had been hit with a flurry of questions from worried parents. But afterward, some parents said they're not too worried.
“I’m not saying I’m not concerned, but I’m not panicked,” said Linda Dohme, a Raleigh parent of a sixth-grader and a third-grader. “To me, it’s like the regular season of flu. You need to watch your hygiene.”
Comments
The sheer numbers of kids
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 22:35 — momof2goodboysThe sheer numbers of kids now in school is why. What kills me is that at open house at the high school, they all stress not to miss class at any cost. I understand that. Then we are told not to let our kids come to school sick. The make-up policies need to be loosened up if they really want kids not to come to school sick! It is extremely difficult to get caught up if you miss one day- 2 or 3 are hell!
Same Here
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 22:41 — ExplorisMSParentMy son brought home the syllabus for one of his courses yesterday, and the language of it took an almost incredulous tone that someone could possibly be sick enough to miss class. So, who do we listen to?
I struggle to determine if
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 08:41 — rr77rr99I struggle to determine if this Swine Flu hype is media shark feeding frenzy and we should just blow it off, or if it is a real concern. Then I think about my children's elem. school where they are packed in like sardines and really, it's not only the flu that concerns me, but all the stomach viruses, regular flu, mono, sinus infections, ... list goes on.
There is NO WAY to sit children further apart. I have often asked teachers at the elem. levels why they put desks in groups, instead of the "old school way" of desks in rows facing forwardand I get answers ranging from, "there is no room" , to "we feel it is a better learning environment" (which infuriates me because it's not.. talking, touching, laying on other desks. I like the old school way but I am sure it impedes self esteem development..whatever).
Point is.... if the Swine flu takes off, it will shut down the WCPSS schools because 1) the schools are not able to be cleaned effectively every day - esp the year round schools. 2) Teachers are not allowed to open windows and some schools don't even have that option anyway 3) The kids are packed in like sardines 4) If you can get an entire population of elem. kids to practice good hygiene, you deserve the Nobel Prize - because in the real world.. it's not happening. They may wash hands, but before they get back to their desks they've , picked, poked, explored places that carry a lot of germs (nuf said), or their "table partners" have already spread their germs. 5) Teachers( by OSHA regulations I believe) are not allowed to use Lysol or bleach products in the classroom and without those "harsh chemicals" germs are not getting killed with just soap and water wipe downs. 6) Even wiping hard surfaces down is not a preventative when so many illnesses are airborne.
yeah, so .... if the media hype lives up to their own expectations, we will see lots of "closed due to flu" school days. Question is, when will these days be made up? Sunday?
Centers for Disease Control...
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 08:07 — midtownmom"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines advise teachers
to seat students farther apart in class. That'll be a challenge this
year since budget cuts have forced schools to increase class sizes."
That is quite an understatement. Also, why is it such a big deal at the start of the"traditional" school year. Have they forgotten that many schools have been in session for almost eight weeks??