Schools monitoring H1N1 virus

As students return to class, Baldwin School District officials tell the Herald that they have a plan in place in the event that the feared H1N1 virus, more commonly known as the swine flu, invades their buildings this year.

Officials explained that the district developed a Pandemic Flu Plan two years ago, and it has since been revised to incorporate H1N1. “There is a complete protocol in terms of what the district will do in terms of pandemic flu, and it has been revised based on swine flu,” said Cristina Schmohl, the district spokeswoman.

Several precautions are being taken by officials to prevent an outbreak of the disease in Baldwin schools. Hand sanitizer dispensers are now available in all of the schools, and custodians are continuing routine cleaning. Posters in the schools urge students and staff to wash their hands frequently and to cover their nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing. Officials added that the district will participate in the state health department's attendance reporting through its Web site.

Last spring, when H1N1 made headlines, officials recalled, they participated in daily calls with the county Department of Health and reported absences through its Web site. Information on guidelines and protocols from the state and county departments were sent home to parents, and a ConnectEd message was also sent by phone and e-mail. In addition, the district Web site now offers a link to the Centers for Disease Control, and updates are posted regularly.

"We've kept up with all the advisories from the New York State and Nassau County health departments [and] the CDC, and have taken steps to implement steps they've suggested," said Superintendent Dr. James Mapes. "So far, the planning is not done all that differently than we normally do in terms of planning for the health of our students. We're pretty confident that we're staying on top
of it."

What doctors are saying