H1N1: Information for Schools

September 3, 2009 – UPDATE

The U.S. Department of Education has issued guidance to help state educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), schools, and postsecondary institutions deal with legal issues surrounding the management of an H1N1 outbreak during the 2009-2010 school year.

The document discusses waivers (and other forms of relief) from federal education requirements that may provide the operational flexibility necessary to efficiently respond to the administrative challenges presented by an H1N1 outbreak such as prolonged school closures, excessive absenteeism, or other disruptions in the regular delivery of educational services to students.

Sections within the document address the implications of a prolonged school closure or other disruptions in the regular educational services to students, legal questions for school administrators, and the possibility of finding other flexibility in federal education laws and regulations.

For instance, one section of the document includes guidance for liability issues that might arise from school involvement in H1N1 vaccinations.  Schools will generally be exempt from liability for injuries resulting from H1N1 vaccines because HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius declared that the flu constituted a “public health emergency” under federal law.

To access the full document, click here.

Source: Guidance on Flexibility and Waivers for SEAs, LEAs, Postsecondary Institutions, and Other Grantee and Program Participants in Responding to Pandemic Influenza (H1N1 Virus), U.S. Department of Education, September 2009; and Education Department Releases Legal Guidance for Districts on H1N1 Flu, District Dossier, September 2009.

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 August 26, 2009 - UPDATE

The U.S. Department of Education has released a document with recommendations to ensure the continuity of learning for students during extended absences or school dismissal in case of a flu outbreak. The recommendations are designed to help education stakeholders start planning and acting now for the impact that seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza could have this fall and winter on students’ learning process.

The document aims to help schools maintain the continuity of learning for
1) individual or small groups of students who are out-of-school for extended periods and 2) large groups of students disrupted by school dismissals or large number of faculty absences. The recommendations suggest that educators prepare take-home assignments in advance for distribution to affected students and use media outlets such as the Internet and telephones to post homework materials, conduct classes, share information, and keep teachers, parents and students in close contact. In order to support that, the department is working with companies such as Google and Microsoft to make continuity learning resources such as pre-printed lesson plans, conference call services, webinars, podcasting, and virtual classrooms more affordable and accessible for educators.

The document 1) lists options to get materials to students who are at home like providing students with hard copy packets of reference materials, curriculum, and assignments; 2) includes considerations for ensuring continuity of learning such as “how will affected parties communicate?”; and 3) shares potential resources and partnerships to close the gaps of communication including using phone conferencing and online courses. In addition, the document provides a decision table to help guide school leaders and educators through their planning. The department has also created a Q&A document to respond to some questions schools may have on planning for the continuation of learning for students.

Ann Flynn, NSBA’s Director of Education Technology, notes that there is no “warning or suggestion” within the recommendations that communicate that “effective systems of remote delivery take time to create.” She further points out that to be effective, these systems need a broad base of stakeholders involved in their development as well as some initial work to determine the availability and accessibility of resources for students who will be learning from home.

To access additional U.S. Department of Education resources on H1N1, please visit www.ed.gov/h1n1flu.

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August 19, 2009 – UPDATE

CDC has issued guidance for businesses and employers for planning and responding to the 2009-2010 Influenza season.  This guidance combined with guidance for schools that was issued on August 7, 2009 outline the essential steps communities should take. In the guidance issued for businesses and employers, CDC encourages employers to be cognizant of school closures in their communities so they can help employees stay home to care for their children if needed. 

Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Influenza Season

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/guidance/

CDC also issued today Preparing for the Flu:  A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/toolkit/, which includes useful downloadable resources such a poster, fact sheets, and a workplace poster.

CDC is also organizing events to discuss comprehensive plans for H1N1 Vaccination

The CDC is asking for public discussion, deliberation, and input as the agency considers whether to simply make vaccines available to those seeking immunization, to promote vaccination to those most at risk, or to implement a widespread immunization program.

Two-day WebDialogues for interested members of the public will be held:  August 26-27 and August 31-September 1. Visit the following link to select from two dialogues, then register: www.WebDialogues.net/H1N1. 

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August 7, 2009 -- UPDATE

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated guidance for schools on H1N1 for the new school year:  CDC Guidance for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators for School (K-12) Responses to Influenza during the 2009-2010 School Year.  The guidance is intended to disrupt the spread of H1N1, especially among school-aged children where incidence rates are very high, and minimize disruption of the educational process.  The highlights of the updated guidance are:

• Recommendations under conditions similar to the severity of H1N1 in the Spring 2009;
• Recommendations under conditions with increased severity; and
• Guidance on decision making, including who should be at the table.

CDC has also posted a “Communication Toolkit for Schools (K-12)” that includes FAQs, Fact Sheets, and Letter Templates.

In anticipation that some schools may have to be dismissed for periods of time due to the heightened presence of H1N1 in the school population, CDC has developed a national reporting system that is synchronized with state health department reporting. In an effort to obtain the most complete and timely information on school closures, CDC asks that anyone and everyone report on school closures when they occur by completing and submitting the form found by clicking here.

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Important! Report School Dismissals: The School Dismissal Monitoring System sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Education is now operational.  Report novel influenza (H1N1)-flu related school or school district dismissals here. 

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July 31, 2009 - UPDATE

 CDC Launches School Dismissal Monitoring System Aug. 3, 2009

As of July 31, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend dismissing students from school in response to H1N1. However, it is possible that the recommendation could change or that some schools or school districts may not follow the current recommendation based on local circumstances. The CDC and the U.S. Department of Education, in collaboration with state and local health and education agencies and national non-governmental organizations, are implementing a school dismissal monitoring system for the 2009-10 school year. The system will be activated Aug. 3, 2009. To report a school closing, go to www.cdc.gov/FluSchoolDismissal.

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July 10, 2009—UPDATE

Whether or not H1N1 flu has appeared in your community and schools, this message is for you. 

At the 2009 Flu Summit held at the National Institutes of Health on July 9, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said: “We can’t afford to be unprepared.”  She and other administration officials confirmed that the H1N1 pandemic flu shows no signs of going away over the summer and is expected to be with us into the fall or longer. (You can watch the Summit proceedings at the CDC pandemic flu website, your source for the most up-to-date information and resources related to H1N1.)

The good news is that—to date—H1N1 has not caused serious illness in most people. Also, hand washing and staying home from school and work are seen as effective measures.  A vaccine will help tremendously to reduce the spread of H1N1, and CDC expects one could be ready within the next few months. Also anticipated is that K-12 students and staff would be among the first groups to be vaccinated when the vaccine is ready because the highest prevalence of H1N1 infection has shown up in 5- to 24-year-olds. If that happens, it’s expected that “school-located vaccination” (SLV) will be an important option to vaccinate many school-age children in a short period of time. Public health officials are looking to the schools as sites for mass vaccinations because private providers (e.g., pediatricians, family physicians) are unlikely to have the capacity to serve as primary vaccinators of school-aged children as rapidly as necessary.

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June 12, 2009 – UPDATE

Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent a joint letter to all schools in the U.S. yesterday on the current status of H1N1 planning. June 11 also was the date that the World Health Organization declared a global H1N1 flu pandemic, a decision “based on the sustained worldwide spread of H1N1, not the severity of illness caused by the virus.”

In their letter, the secretaries express appreciation to teachers, parents and administrators for a job well done, but they underscore that the novel H1N1 virus is expected to persist as a problem into the fall and that a vaccine is unlikely to be ready until weeks after the school year starts. They urge schools to reinforce their planning for interventions, including those for disinfecting touched surfaces, policies that are enforced on exclusion of students and staff with flu-like symptoms, or school closures for extended periods. Another consideration for schools is how to accommodate requests for schools to serve as vaccine distribution locations. “While all of us want to do all we can to keep students engaged in learning and maintain a sense of normalcy, we need to be ready for whatever the fall may bring,” state the secretaries.

The list of recommendations for schools to address in their “all hazards planning” over the summer includes:
·  Update emergency plans and contact lists. Visit http://www.ed.gov/emergencyplan and http://rems.ed.gov/ for guidance on developing an emergency plan.
· Collaborate with health agencies at the local and state levels. Information and contacts can be found at http://www.naccho.org/ (local) or http://www.astho.org/ (state). ·  Develop response and communications plans addressing protocol for sending home students or staff with flu-like symptoms.
· Let parents know they should be developing contingency plans for when their child must stay home or when schools are closed.
· Plan for continuity of education through other systems, including use of community resources if possible (http://free.ed.gov/ provides online resources that may be useful to staff in planning instruction).
· Consider how school meals might be delivered to students in need.
· Contribute to managing the pandemic by working with health departments to coordinate data on absences and rates of illness.

Questions for the U.S. Department of Education can be submitted to flu@ed.gov.

At NSBA, we welcome your questions and stories about how you’re dealing with H1N1 in your district. Please submit comments to SchoolHealth@nsba.org.
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May 4, 2009 - UPDATE

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated guidance for schools and childcare settings in responding to the Influenza A H1N1 virus.  This interim guidance was updated on May 1, 2009 at 4:35 PM.  Recommendations include that schools and childcare facilities close for up to 14 days depending on the extent and severity of the illness and in close consultation with local and state public health officials.  Additional and updated guidance is expected to be issued by the CDC no later than May 8th. 
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May 1, 2009 - UPDATE

At the teleconference convened on April 30 by the Department of Education, five key points were underscored:

• We need to work together to keep our children healthy and safe.  Education and public health professionals should be sharing resources and information;
• Your school and district need a plan.  Plans should be created, updated, and communicated to school personnel; 
• Resources are readily available from a variety of sources (see below). 
• The situation is constantly changing; and
• Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has offered to assist with any federal obstacles preventing us from ensuring that our children and schools are healthy and safe.

April 30, 2009 -  A U.S. Department of Education conference call was held at 1:30 pm EST today to update school leaders on the H1N1 flu (swine flu), offer additional guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and highlight newly available resources.  

Transcripts from the call will soon be available on the U.S. Department of Education website along with other useful resources.  On the call, education and public health officials underscored (1) that the situation is fluid and that guidance and resources will be updated frequently and (2) that school officials need to be working with their local and state public health officials because decisions will be locally driven.  Transcripts from the Monday, April 27th conference call, which was also directed to school leaders, are already available.   

Swine Flu:  Better Safe than Sorry

The U.S. government has started to take the necessary steps to prevent swine flu from becoming widespread, including urging that non-essential travel to Mexico be avoided.  Additionally, the government is putting out a lot of information on how to prevent the spread of the disease. The World Health Organization has raised the pandemic phase alert to level 5, stating that, currently, there is widespread human infection, and that it is imperative that all sectors of society be proactive in combating the disease. 

As of today, the CDC is reporting 109 confirmed cases and one death.  So far, the virus has infected people in eleven states: Texas, Ohio, New York, Nevada, Michigan, Massachusetts, Kansas, Indiana, California, Arizona, and South Carolina.  The CDC's Swine Influenza website is updating the number of cases on a regular basis. 

According to the CDC, the 1918 flu pandemic experience relays the importance of intervening quickly and the need to involve the entire community in preventing the spread of the disease. 

Schools can often be a disease spreading haven because they house hundreds to thousands of people in a confined location.  In the U.S., news of the outbreak first happened at a Queens, New York private school where 28 cases have now been confirmed.  The school was closed for a few days and now there are reports of Texas and California schools being closed.  The median age of all cases in the U.S. so far is 16 years.  Therefore, schools need to have an active role in containing the spread of the disease as it is affecting the school-age population.

The CDC’s Swine Influenza site contains a significant amount of information on swine flu and what can be done to prevent it.  Questions from school districts, state education offices, and education associations across the country are continuously being answered on the site.

The CDC and U.S. Department of Education have recommended that schools be closed when there is a confirmed case of swine flu or a suspected case that has been epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case.  Broader school dismissal should be left to the discretion of local authorities with the advice of the local health department and should take into account the extent of the illness in the community.  If there is a school closure, it is also advised that all school activities be canceled and that parents and students avoid congregating outside of the school. Schools should also consult with their local or state health departments for guidance on reopening.  The CDC has interim guidance available on its website to help with such school and community mitigation.

The following are some additional recommendations put out by the CDC and the U.S. Department of Education:  

• Inform students, parents and staff about the symptoms, which can include cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches and a fever, and stress preventive measures such as washing hands frequently and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing.   
• Refer students who are complaining of flu-like symptoms to a health care provider, but also follow confidentiality guidelines.  Experts state that there is no need to single out students who have recently been to Mexico and that they should only be asked to stay at home if presenting flu symptoms.   
• Use mitigation strategies such as home isolation and social distancing by asking that those who have the flu stay at home for seven days after the onset of the disease.   
• Monitor closely the health of school populations and communicate with local health authorities, political leaders, and communities.   
• Consult with state school boards associations, school districts, and other education organizations that may have useful guidelines in dealing with such an outbreak.  The Washington State School Directors’ Association produced a six-page publication on preparing schools for a flu pandemic with tips about policy considerations and other issues school boards should think about in response to a pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Education has created an email address (flu@ed.gov)
where education leaders and school staff can direct any questions related to how schools should be proceeding.  They have also asked that if a school is closed due to swine flu that it be reported to them at this email address.  In addition, the department will be continuously updating its blog on swine flu.

NSBA's School Health Programs will be sharing any new updates and/or guidelines that are relevant to schools as they become available.  For the latest on swine flu cases, visit CDC's Swine Flu website. 

Source: CDC website; U.S. Department of Education website; and WHO website.