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Fresh directions on H1N1 to schools
Tribune News Service

Schoolchildren hold a banner during a H1N1 awareness rally in Hyderabad on Monday. — Reuters

New Delhi, August 17
Faced with spread of swine flu, the Health Ministry has prepared fresh guidelines to contain the spread of the influenza, suggesting that school managements should take precautionary measures like dispensing with the morning assembly instead of closing down institutions.

According to guidelines, which are based on the advisories issued periodically by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the international experience has shown that closure of the schools has not been the answer to control the disease. School principals are also being advised to make it mandatory for all teachers to go from seat to seat to identify students with influenza-like symptoms and if detected will be asked to see a doctor and stay at home for a week.

Since, swine flu has been highly contagious and easily spreads through contact, schools were being told to discourage large congregations of students.

The Union Health Ministry has stepped up efforts to reassure people that the situation has been under control. Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who came in for sharp criticism for not being very forthcoming at a time when a panic-stricken public, was looking for answers, and had gone into damage-control mode, following gentle prodding by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Azad had also taken help of his colleague, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, to see that his ministry’s advisories on prevention, screening, testing and treatment were disseminated to the people.

Faced with a rush of patients at designated hospitals, the ministry had revised its guidelines last week, which said, “Not all the patients with flu-like symptoms need to be screened, put on Tamiflu, or hospitalised.”

According to these guidelines, patients who also display added symptoms like breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness and drop in blood pressure, would be given priority for testing and hospitalisation.

Flu alert

Students, teachers barred from attending school in Meghalaya

Guwahati: As the swine flu scare sweeps across Meghalaya, especially the capital Shillong where so far five persons have tested positive for H1N1 virus infection, authorities have asked 117 Class VII students and 15 teachers from St. Edmund’s High School in the city not to come to school for the next 10 days. They fear that these students might have come in contact with the Class VII student from the school affected by the virus. Director of the state health services, K H Lakiang, informed The Tribune over phone from Shillong that as one of the five swine flu patient in Shillong was a Class VII student of St. Edmund’s High School, 117 students from the same class as well as 15 teachers who might have come in contact with the swine flu-hit student were asked not to come to the school. — TNS

Ganguly’s niece tests positive

Kolkata: The swine flu has hit the most famous family of Kolkata - Sourav Ganguly’s. Sneha, niece of the former captain of the Indian cricket team, tested positive for H1N1 virus today. She has been admitted to the isolation ward of MR Bangur Hospital, according to Sourav’s elder brother, Snehashish. Sneha is a class V student of La Martinere for Girls. — PTI

Pune schools shut till Aug 23

Mumbai: With no sign of swine flu cases abating in Pune municipal authorities have decided to extend closure of schools, colleges and multiplexes till August 23, officials said today. One more person died today and more suspected cases are being reported in local hospitals, they added. Meanwhile, in Mumbai theatres opened after being shut down during the extended weekend as the number of swine flu cases being reported appears to have stabilised. Health officials felt the muggy weather due to lack of rain may be one of the reasons for the H1N1 virus not spreading in the city. — TNS