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Prairie Valley School Division continues to closely monitor the health and safety of our students and staff during this H1N1 pandemic. By working closely with the three Health Regions that overlap with the Prairie Valley School Division boundaries, we can assist in limiting the spread of influenza like illnesses.
This week, the Health Regions began providing vaccinations to school aged students from kindergarten to grade six. Although the Health Regions organize theses clinics, many of the clinics have been held in our schools. While PVSD staff has assisted the Health Regions in organizing the vaccination clinics, we continue to take our direction from public health. If you have any questions about the vaccination clinics, please contact public health. The following websites provide information about upcoming vaccination clinics in our Health Regions:
There has been an increase in the number of students and staff reporting influenza like illnesses in our schools in the past couple of weeks. Prairie Valley Schools are continuing to take precautions in our schools to control the spread of H1N1 and other influenza like illnesses based on the recommendations of Public Health. Cleaning procedures have been intensified this fall and this process will be continued. Students and staff have been educated on proper hand-washing techniques and proper sneeze and cough etiquette.
The Public Health Agency identifies that getting the H1N1 flu vaccine is the best way for Canadians to protect themselves and others from getting infected. Other important factors in the control of the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus in schools are:
- Early identification of ill students and staff exhibiting influenza-like illness symptoms,
- Exclusion from the setting of anyone ill with symptoms of influenza-like illness and,
- Practicing cough/sneeze etiquette and frequent hand cleaning.
We continue to ask parents to closely monitor their children and, if your child is exhibiting signs of influenza like illnesses, please keep them home until the symptoms subside. Thank you for your continued attention to this important health matter and for your ongoing efforts to reinforce public health practices which will aid in preventing the spread of influenza. The following links provide information from the Ministry of Health about H1N1 for parents:
If you have any questions about the H1N1 virus, the vaccination program or the symptoms of H1N1, please contact your nearest public health office. If you have questions specific to Prairie Valley School Division and our H1N1 response, please contact Pat Mooney at 949-3366. |
