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H1N1 Update by Mona Nashman-Smith, Superintendent *Please continue to check ABA website for regular updates regarding ABA’s procedures as they relate to the H1N1 virus. Today I held meetings with the Undersecretary at Oman’s Ministry of Health and I am confident that the local authorities are well placed to manage the recent spread of H1N1 virus in the capital city and throughout the country. I was informed by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Saidi, that the country has enough TAMIFLU in stock to treat any infected individual (local and expatriate) and that Oman has put in place procedures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to deal with any epidemic outbreak in the country. We will continue to work closely with Oman’s Ministry of Health and monitor the advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the USA as we prepare for the first day of classes. ABA’s response to a diagnosed H1N1 flu virus sickness will be to follow school's normal sickness policy at the school: Parents are responsible to self-report any illness to the school nurse, who in turn will make recommendations regarding the enrollment of the child and how many days the student should be absent. Please note that the new student orientation will proceed on August 26th at 10:30 AM and the first day of classes will begin as scheduled on August 29th at 7:30 AM.
Below is a list of recommendations published by the CDC for schools, which we plan to follow at ABA: Stay home when sick: Those with flu-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. They should stay home even if they are using antiviral drugs. (For more information, see CDC recommendations regarding time-away from school). ABA has a full-time nurse on campus and direct liaison with Dr. Hussein of the Massaret Clinic should we require any medical intervention for students and/or staff who appear to develop flu like symptoms while attending classes. These individuals will be sent immediately to the nurse and will remain in the nurse’s care until proper diagnosis has been made and appropriate measures are taken to address the individual’s medical needs. Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette: WHO recommendations emphasize the importance of the basic foundations of influenza prevention: stay home when sick, wash hands frequently with soap and water when possible, and cover noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available). ABA has placed dispensers with sanitizing liquid in all the classrooms and in areas where people congregate. We will also ensure tissue boxes are in all classrooms and explain the importance of proper hygiene and the covering of the mouth when sneezing and/or coughing with a tissue, followed by the immediate disposal of the tissue in the garbage bin. We ask that parents also emphasize these two important preventive measures with their children. Routine cleaning: School staff will increase the number of times they routinely clean areas (hand rails etc) that students and staff touch often with the cleaners they typically use throughout the school day. Early treatment of high-risk students and staff: People at high risk for influenza complications who become ill with influenza-like illness should speak with the school nurse as soon as possible when returning for the school year. Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk because it can prevent hospitalizations and deaths. People at high risk include those who are pregnant, have asthma or diabetes, have compromised immune systems, or have neuromuscular diseases. Students with ill household members stay home:
Students who have an ill household member should stay home for seven
days from the day the first household member got sick. This is the
time period they are most likely to show flu like symptoms
themselves if they have been infected. ABA is working closely with Oman’s Ministry of Health officials and will close school at the request of the Minister of Health. If a child and/or adult in a classroom have been diagnosed with H1N1 it is possible that the students and/or adults in the classroom most affected may be asked to stay home for a week to ensure that those who may have contacted H1N1 symptoms are treated immediately prior to returning to school. The infected individuals will begin to show signs of symptoms within 5 to 7 days. Updated: August 10th , 2009
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