School status - Stage four 'Managing it'

We are
- key staff are briefed, and their roles and responsibilities understood
- Informing students, staff, & parents of developments, differences between common cold & influenza, good hygiene practices, importance of staying home if sick
- sending students and staff with influenza-like symptoms home

Advice for parents

It is unlikely that early childhood services or schools will be advised to close if they have suspected or confirmed cases. The Ministry of Health advises that there is no need for any restrictions on people returning to work, school or their early childhood service after an overseas trip, unless they have symptoms.

- Gatherings such as parent teacher evenings, sports tournaments can continue, with the usual precautions.

- Students with symptoms should stay at home in line with normal practice.

- Hygiene measures should continue including hand washing before and after eating, keeping hands away from mouths, and covering mouths when coughing or sneezing. Remind students constantly, wash / sanitise your own hands

The Ministry of Health advice is that people who have travelled overseas but who are well on their return or arrival do not need to be routinely excluded from school or work on their return.

At this time, the Ministry of Health is not recommending cancelling or postponing overseas travel during the upcoming school holidays which start on Saturday 4 July.

The most important thing you can do as parents and caregivers is reinforce these messages to your children:
·     Ensure your children wash and dry their hands thoroughly and regularly – especially before meals and after toileting.
·     Always use a disposable tissue when coughing or sneezing and discard it in a closed rubbish bin.

If your child has flu-like symptoms, please keep them home until a doctor or nurse has checked them and okayed them to return to school. Swine flu symptoms are similar to seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.

Further Information, use the links below:

STUDENTS WORKING AT HOME

What you can do

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/pandemicinfluenza