Flu Information
Date:29 Jun 2009
Dear Inaburra Families,
Late on Friday 26th June I was made aware that a member of our middle/senior school community had been diagnosed on that day with swine flu. She developed symptoms on Saturday 20th June, visited the doctor immediately, and was absent from school for some of last week as a result.
I need to inform you of the following:
• According to the Department of Health, the time that she was most infectious was the day before the symptoms showed themselves (i.e., Friday 19th June)
• She did not travel to any of the destinations that have been previously diagnosed as risky, thus indicating that the virus can be contracted locally
• The Department of Health is now in the PROTECT stage. We will follow their advice
• The Department of Health is working with at least two other local schools who are in the same situation as us
On the basis of the information provided to Inaburra by the Department of Health the following decisions have been taken:
• The decision to keep the school open has been made, in line with Department of Health advice. The only schools that the department is currently advising to close are those with a high percentage of boarders.
• Staff and students who are in a high risk medical category have been contacted personally by the Principal or Head of Junior School and advised to stay at home, pending further advice
• Where the school is unsure of the relationship between a pre-existing medical condition and swine flu, staff and students have been advised by phone to receive advice from their doctor
• To ensure that our medical information is 100% current, students were addressed at assembly today and asked to identify themselves if their family has not been contacted but think they might be medically at risk.
The general advice of the Department of Health for staff and students is that school can operate normally. The only precaution is that anyone contracting flu-like symptoms should visit their doctor.
Any family who wishes to talk about an issue connected to swine flu should contact the school on 9543 2533. Information fact sheets are available at
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/swine_flu.html
With thanks,
Paul Burgis
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