Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Swine Flu in NASD

Thanks to the reader who forwarded to me a link on the NASD web site announcing “The First Diagnosed Case of H1N1 in NASD”.

To read the announcement, you have to download a document that reads:

We have been notified that we have a confirmed case of the H1N1 virus in the District. The student is receiving proper medical care and will remain out of school until the student is cleared.  As a District, we are working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning schools. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.

We are taking precautions in school to prevent the spread of the virus.  Our teachers are sending any students with flu-like symptoms to the nurse's office and students with symptoms will be sent home.  We continue to emphasize the use of good hygiene among our students and staff.  Frequent washing with soap and water or hand sanitizer, coughing or sneezing into the bend of the arm, not sharing personal items such as drinks and food are re-enforced daily by the staff.  Surfaces are cleaned appropriately.

We are doing everything possible to provide a healthy, safe environment for your children.

It would seem that it would be important to disclose in which building the student attended last week that was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, if the student was in school at all (though it appears he/she was).  Given the period of time from when one contracts H1N1 to diagnosis, there could have been a considerable number of students exposed and the earlier they can be tested, the better.

The CDC provides extensive information, available here.

Posted via email from Ross Nunamaker

3 comments:

Missy said...

The H1N1 case is in the new middle school. The letter my son received says it (he attends there)

RossRN said...

Thank you Missy! Good bit of info missing from the general announcement to the rest of us.

BS Troop 78 Hershey Trip 2009 said...

There is also a confirmed case in the intermediate school. I can say that many, many kids went home in the highschool due to flu like symptoms. While i hope it does not happen, i would not be surprised if school closures soon follow if this spreads to become a larger problem.