Slough Borough Council would like to advise residents it is working very closely with both the PCT and Health Protection Agency (HPA), who are advising on the local swine flu situation.
Currently, Slough Wexham Secondary School has been closed, and a case has been confirmed at Langley Grammar School.
The procedure when a case occurs in a school is that the HPA will contact the head teacher and local authority directly.
There will be a discussion between the HPA, school and local authority on the best action to take in the individual circumstances; this will not necessarily mean that the school with close. The HPA will identify contacts and spread of the flu and will arrange access to medication as needed.
The HPA has stated that it is important for parents and schools to be vigilant and take prompt action if children become ill with any two or more of the following symptoms: fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headaches, body aches, diarrhoea and vomiting.
The Slough advice, if parents notice these symptoms, is to -
* Contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or their GP by telephone and keep children at home. The GP would then contact the regional Flu Response Centre and take advice on the need for testing and treatment
* Similarly, parents of children who have travelled recently to any country where person-to-person transmission of the virus is established (such as North America and Mexico) should watch out for these symptoms, especially in the first seven days after return, and take the above actions if required.
General good respiratory and hand hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including swine flu. Remember to ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’-
* Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible
* Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
* Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of virus from your hands to face or to other people
The NHS website states, ‘Close contacts of probable or confirmed cases (family, friends or otherwise) will be started on antiviral medicine as a precautionary measure, but can continue their normal lives, as long as they do not have any clinical symptoms’.
Slough Borough Council
