The National Association of School Nurses participated in a CONFERENCE CALL ADVISORY: CONTAINING SWINE FLU AT SCHOOL today, Monday April 27th at 3PM Eastern time. The call was hosted by the U.S. Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide guidance for identifying, containing and preventing swine influenza in school facilities.

Most important fact shared on the call: Notify officials if you have information regarding school closures and if you have any questions: osdfs.safeschl@ed.gov

Websites recommended on the call:

Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov Click swine flu information link

CDC guidance re: school closings and other mitigation: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/mitigation.htm

CDC swine influenza Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm

For detailed background information: www.pandemicflu.gov

Most of the questions were posed by school nurses and the role of the school nurse in surveillance was prominent on the call. The officials promised that a transcript of the call and a summary of the key points would be provided on the web.

Until then, some of the highlights include:

· Community mitigation and social distancing is the main strategy to combat a flu for which there is no known vaccine

· A brief history of the 1918 influenza outbreak highlighted the differences in mortality in communities that delayed school closures and other social distancing strategies (Philadelphia) and those that implemented them immediately after identifying the first known case (St. Louis)

· The typical influenza incubation period is 2 days, but it has not been determined specifically for this strain

· The virus in not transmittable to humans through food or pets

· School nurses should conduct risk assessments, including travel histories and illnesses within families on symptomatic students

· Testing results for the particular swine flu virus takes 24hours. However, a quick swab test may confirm the student's is from a variant strain, ruling out swine flu.

· Guidelines for school closure with the identification of a single confirmed case

- The local health department will be key in assisting the school in making school closure decisions

- If no additional cases, the school may reopen in 7 days

- During school closure, all school related activities should be canceled

- Mobilize parents and the community to prevent students from congregating outside closed schools

- Mask a symptomatic student, if their condition tolerates it, until they can be picked up at school

· Be careful to not discriminate against students based on ethnicity. All exclusion decisions should be made on known exposures and test results.

FURTHER QUESTIONS and to REPORT ANY FLU-RELATED SCHOOL CLOSING:

U.S Department of Education

Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools

osdfs.safeschl@ed.gov