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Swine flu is a virus that is particularly affecting children
and young adults. Children are proving to be highly efficient
carriers of the swine flu (H1N1) virus and schools provide
the perfect environment for it to spread.
What can schools and parents do to slow the spread?
By practising good hygiene everyone can play their part and
help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including swine
flu:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the
spread of virus from your hands to face or to other people.
- Clean hard surfaces (such as door handles) frequently
using a normal cleaning product.
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using
a tissue when possible.
- Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
- Make sure children follow this advice.
If you think you may have swine flu, you should check your
symptoms on www.nhs.uk, call NHS Direct (0845 46 47) or call
the Swine Flu information line on 0800 1 513 513. If you are
still concerned, you should call your GP, who can provide
a diagnosis over the phone.
There are lots of children with flu-like symptoms in the
school. Why is the school not being advised to close?
School closures and the distribution of antiviral medicines
for prevention are not recommended at this time because the
virus is widespread within the community. People are likely
to be repeatedly exposed to the virus in their every day lives
- closing a school will no longer be effective in slowing
the spread of the virus as people could still be exposed outside
the school.
What should I do if my child has symptoms of swine flu?
If you think your child may have swine flu, you should check
their symptoms on www.nhs.uk, call NHS Direct (0845 46 47)
or call the Swine Flu information line on 0800 1 513 513.
If you are still concerned, you should call your GP, who can
provide a diagnosis over the phone.
If your child has the signs and symptoms of swine flu -
fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing, sore throat, pain
in muscles and joints, headache and chills and in some cases
vomiting and diarrhea - you should keep your child away from
school until they have recovered and are free of symptoms.
If your child is prescribed antiviral medicines for treatment,
they should also stay at home until they have finished the
course. This is to avoid spreading the infection as much as
possible.
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