Schools Critical in Stemming Swine Flu Spread
By MICHELLE WAYLAND
Updated 8:20 PM PST, Sun, Apr 26, 2009
School officials can play a key role in stemming the spread of swine flu, which has infected seven people across Southern California, state schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell said in San Diego.
"We want to make sure we take all preventative measures as are necessary," O'Connell said at a San Diego news conference.
Officials with school districts around San Diego County can go to the state Department of Education Web site to download a free "Keep Our Schools Healthy" toolkit that includes sample letters to send home to parents and posters to place on campus to remind children about proper hygiene. The toolkits come in multiple languages, O'Connell said.
O'Connell said parents should send their children to school on Monday.
"Our schools in California are safe," O'Connell said. "We want to make sure our parents and professional educators so everything they can to keep our schools safe."
To keep the outbreak in perspective, only a few children out of a state enrollment of 6.3 million students have been infected, he said.
The U.S. is declaring a public health emergency to deal with the emerging new swine flu.
The precautionary step doesn't signal a greater threat to Americans. But it allows the federal and state governments easier access to flu tests and medications.
Federal health officials say 20 cases of swine flu have been reported in five states so far. Officials expect more cases and more severe illness among Americans.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napilotano says roughly 12 million doses of the drug Tamiflu are being released from a federal stockpile so that states can get it if needed.
Napilotano said at a White House news conference Sunday that the emergency declaration is standard operating procedure -- one was recently declare for the inauguration and for flooding.
The 20 cases reported so far are in New York, Ohio, Kansas, Texas and California.
To date, four other cases of swine flu have also been reported in San Diego County.
- A 7-year-old male (Friday)
- A 54-year-old male and his 16-year-old daughter (Thursday)
- A 10-year-old male (Tuesday)
U.S. officials will begin asking travelers about illness if they're entering the country from areas with confirmed swine flu.
Passengers won't be barred from getting into the United States. But they could be referred for further testing.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano characterized the step as more "passive surveillance," saying airline workers certainly could tell people they shouldn't fly if ill.
She spoke at a White House news conference Sunday.
First Published: Apr 26, 2009 1:30 PM PST
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