SWINE FLU
ADVICE FOR THE YOUTH SECTOR
SEPTEMBER 2009
INTRODUCTION
Swine flu is a respiratory Illness caused by a new strain of the Influenza virus which has been named pandemic (H1N1) 2009 by the World Health Organisation.
What are the symptoms of swine flu?
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of normal, human seasonal flu and include:
- fever;
- fatigue;
- coughing;
- sore throat;
- headache;
- runny nose;
- pains in the limbs or the joints.
- Some people with swine flu have also reported vomiting and diarrhoea.
How is Swine Flu treated?
1. If the illness is mild and there are no underlying risk factors then it can often be managed like normal flu by staying in bed and taking over the counter preparations. However those with underlying conditions and with more serious disease should stay at home and telephone their GP, GP out of hours service or telephone the Swine Flu Helpline: 0800 0514 142 (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm) for advice.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) advise it is important that they do not go to their GP’s surgery or to an accident and emergency department, but that they stay at home where, if necessary, they will be visited by a doctor.
2. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), together with the PHA, has monitored the development of the virus locally, as well as in GB and the south of Ireland over the summer months.
3. The PHA has advised the Department of Education that the wider education sector, including the youth sector should be operating as normal, unless otherwise advised.
4. Everyone can play their part and help reduce the spread of all viruses, including swine flu, by encouraging children and young people to practice good personal hygiene by:
- Washing their hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of virus from their hands to their face or to other people;
- Covering their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and to use a tissue when possible;
- Disposing of used tissues quickly and carefully;
- and by cleaning hard surfaces (eg door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
5. Adequate supplies of liquid soap, hot and cold water and paper towels or hot air dryers should be available for children, young people and staff at youth settings. It is not necessary to provide hand sanitisers. However, if sanitisers are provided, it should be noted that they are not a substitute for good hand washing facilities.
6. The PHA, advise that should a child, a young person or a member of staff/volunteer develop flu-like symptoms while at a youth setting, arrangements should be made for them to be taken home or go home as soon as possible. While waiting to go home or to be picked up, they should be placed in a suitable area, such as a medical room or a small office (in order to reduce the chance of spreading infection to others), but where they can be kept under observation.
7. Parents should take their son or daughter straight home and if necessary telephone their GP or GP out-of-hours service.
8. If a child, young person or member of staff/volunteer develops flu-like symptoms at home, they should stay away from the youth setting until they recover and should, if necessary, seek medical advice as outlined at point 8 above.
9. Youth settings are advised by the PHA that even if a child, young person or member of staff/volunteer is confirmed as having swine flu, the facility should normally remain open. The swine flu virus is becoming increasingly widespread in the community. People are likely to be repeatedly exposed to the virus in their every day lives - so that closing a particular facility will no longer be effective in slowing the spread of the virus as people could still be exposed outside the facility.
10. In some special circumstances, for example a facility with children or young people who are particularly vulnerable to infection or because there are insufficient staff members, a decision may be made to close a facility. However, it is important to point out that swine flu has, to date, been a relatively mild illness. As far as possible the youth sector should to plan to manage for 'business as usual' and any closure will be the exception rather than the rule.
11. The PHA advises that it is safe for pregnant youth workers and volunteers to continue to work in a youth setting, if a young person(s) or another member of staff/volunteer, has tested positive for swine flu or have come into close contact with a positive case.
It is important not to consider pregnant women as a group apart. The key to managing this group is to ensure that pregnant women are aware of the signs and symptoms of influenza so that they can seek early medical advice or assessment and, if indicated, treatment.
Once it is ubiquitous in the community, pregnant women are just as likely to be exposed to influenza in the community as their workplace. It is sensible for pregnant women to avoid close contact with people who have symptoms of the flu. In the context of pregnant workers or volunteers, the emphasis should be on ensuring that symptomatic children are identified, isolated and sent home. Good personal hygiene should be applied whenever possible.
The key to risk assessment in the workplace is whether there is an excess risk as compared to that faced by the ordinary population in the local community. In summary, for pregnant women there is not an overall excess risk associated with working in the youth sector compared to the risks that they face in everyday life in the community.
12. The PHA advises that it is safe for youth workers or volunteers to return to work following illness, even if a young person(s) or another member of staff/volunteer in the school or youth setting has tested positive for Swine Flu.
13. Further advice is available from the Swine Flu Helpline: 0800 0514 142 (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm)
14. More general information can be obtained from various websites, including:
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