Friday, September 18, 2009

State and regional health department officials are keeping the School System informed about any recommendations regarding the H1N1 virus.

First, they do NOT recommend closing schools unless attendance becomes so low, it impacts learning. Closing schools has not stopped the spread of the virus according to the CDC.  Recommendations for prevention remain the same: do not come to school with a fever, practice good hand washing, cover your nose and mouth when you cough and wash hands afterward, and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Standard cleaning practices are sufficient and extraordinary cleaning is not necessary.

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.  The Health Department does not yet know when the vaccine will become available, but they predict it will be the first of October. A distribution plan has not yet been announced.