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Swine Flu guidelines for schools, colleges |
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DIMAPUR, AUG 18 (EMN): With concerns of H1N1 or swine flu infection among students rising, the State Health department today issued guidelines for schools, colleges
and all other institutions as directed by the Joint Monitoring Group in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It also recommended against the closure of institutions.
According to the guidelines, any student or staff member showing flu like symptoms such as fever, cough, running nose and difficulty in breathing should be allowed to stay at home for a period of 7 to 10 days and educational institutions have been asked not to insist on production of medical certificate by the student or staff.
Educational institutions should monitor the health status of such students/staff who might have come in contact with a suspected case of Influenza A H1N1 to see whether they develop flu like symptoms. In case they do so, they should be allowed to stay home, as outlined above.
In case of students staying in hostels, educational institutions have been asked to not only monitor the health status of the students but also that of care providers. It has to be ensured that the care providers wear face mask and wash hands regularly, it was advised, adding that it might not be advisable to send the boarders back to home, as it would spread infection further.
Educational institutions have further been encouraged to report such cases to local health officers for further monitoring.
Given the correct magnitude of the spread of A H1N1 infection and the fact that the current virus is fairly mild, it said closure of educational institutions on account of any student or staff member falling ill with like flu like symptoms is not recommended. However, it was advised that schools should discourage the excursion of students to affected places.
In the event students had already proceeded to affected areas, then on their return, if flu like symptoms of fever, sore-throat, cough, body ache, running nose, difficulty breathing etc, are seen, students should abstain from attending school and be allowed to stay at home for a period of 7 to 10 days, the guidelines said.
The notification issued by Director, H&FW, Dr TL Nakhro asked all schools and colleges to strictly observe the given guidelines to manage cases of Influenza A H1N1 cases.
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