[BHS etree] BUSD: Update Regarding Suspected Swine Flu at Malcolm X School

[bhs at idiom.com]

BUSD Families and Staff have received Superintendent Huyett's phone message
regarding the discovery of two suspected cases of the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
at Malcolm X Elementary School, and the subsequent canceling of classes at
that school.  Here is an important letter from the City of Berkeley Health
Division with specific guidance and information for Berkeley parents.  The
text of the Superintendent's phone message is included below as well.

Mark Coplan, BUSD Public Information Officer
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City Of Berkeley
Department of Health & Human Services
Public Health Division

H1N1 (Swine) Flu
Information for Berkeley Parents

May 3, 2009

Suspected cases of H1N1 flu have been identified in students who attend
Malcolm X Elementary School. The children are recovering at home and did not
need hospital care.  Beginning Monday, May 4th, 2009, classes and functions
at Malcolm X will be dismissed for 7 to 14 days, to slow the spread of this
illness.  The City of Berkeley Public Health Officer will make the decision
about resuming classes in consultation with the Berkeley Unified School
District Superintendent.

While Malcolm X Elementary School Classes are Dismissed: 
- Students from Malcolm X should stay home and away from other people and
groups. They should not gather in other locations such as shopping malls,
movie theaters, church, sporting events or community centers.  Families of
Malcolm X students should avoid large gatherings.
- Members of the family may go to work or childcare if they are well, but
the Malcolm X students should stay home.
- Students at schools other than Malcolm X should attend school as usual,
unless they are sick.  All other schools remain open.  To keep the flu from
spreading to more people, we ask you to keep all sick children home.

Regular school guidelines will be followed regarding exclusion of sick
children. Children, staff, and volunteers, as always, should stay home when
ill.

People who are sick should stay home from work or school and stay away from
other people until they are well.  The H1N1 flu illness has been mild, so
regular home care as for any other flu may be all that is needed (see below
for more detail).  People who are concerned or feel they need medical care
should contact their health care providers.  If you do not have a health
care provider, you may call the City of Berkeley Public Health Department,
Nurse of the Day at 981-5300 for referral information.

The most important steps you and your family can take to stay healthy are:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or
sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and wash your hands.
Teach your children how to do this too!
- Teach your children to wash their hands often (especially before eating)
with soap and water. Have your children sing “Happy Birthday” twice while
washing their hands.  Be sure to set a good example by washing your hands
yourself.
- Adults and children who are sick should stay home from work and school.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.  Teach
children not to touch their faces.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.

Here are some tips for helping those who are sick with the flu: 
- Have them drink a lot of liquid (juice, water) 
- Keep the sick person as comfortable as possible. Rest is important.
- For fever, sore throat and muscle aches, use ibuprofen (Motrin) or
acetaminophen (Tylenol). Do not use aspirin with children or teenagers;
aspirin use with viral illnesses (like flu) has been associated with the
development of Reye’s Syndrome, a life-threatening illness.
- Keep tissues and a trash bag within reach of the sick person.
- Be sure everyone in your home washes his/her hands frequently. 
- Keep the people who are sick with the flu away from the people who are
not sick. 

Children should be taken for emergency medical care right away if they have
these warning signs: 
1) Fast or troubled breathing; 2) bluish skin color; 3) not drinking enough
fluids; 4)  not waking up or not interacting; 5) being so irritable that the
child does not want to be held; 6) Flu-like symptoms improve but then return
with fever and worse cough; 7) Fever with a rash 

Adults should get emergency medical care right away if they have: 
1) trouble breathing or shortness of breath; 2) pain or pressure in the
chest or abdomen; 3) sudden dizziness; 4) confusion; 5) severe or continuing
vomiting

When Malcolm X Classes Resume:
- The Berkeley Unified School District will notify you when classes will
start again.  A decision about resuming school will be made by the Health
Officer in consultation with the Superintendent.
- Students do not need a doctor’s note to return to school.  Regular school
guidelines will be followed regarding exclusion of ill children.
- The school building is safe to occupy and does not require any special
cleaning.

For more information:
Ø	Call the city at 510-981-CITY (2489) or 510-981-5300, orSwine Flu
(H1N1)
Hotline for the Public~(1-888-865-0564).  This is a toll-free H1N1 hotline
in English and Spanish. Assistance in other languages is also available.
The hotline is operational Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and
on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ø	See the following websites:
o	City of Berkeley Health and Human Services: [
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Home.aspx
]http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Home.aspx
o	California Department of Public Health: [
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/news/Pages/SwineFluLndingPg042409.aspx
]http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/news/Pages/SwineFluLndingPg042409.aspx 
o	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): [
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm
]http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm

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Superintendent Huyett’s District Wide Phone Message 

May 3, 2009 

Hello. This is Berkeley Schools Superintendent Bill Huyett, with an update
on the Swine Flu.

The City of Berkeley Public Health Officer has advised us of two suspected
cases of the Swine Flu at Malcolm X Elementary School. She has directed us
to close Malcolm X classes and extended day programs for one week, so there
will be no school beginning tomorrow, Monday morning.  In addition, Malcolm
X students who attend after school programs elsewhere should not attend
those programs. At this time, classes at Malcolm X will resume on Monday,
May 11th.  We will confirm this later this week.

I am sharing this update with all of our families in the district because I
want to keep everyone informed.  But I want to emphasize that this affects
only Malcolm X students.

For more information on the Swine Flu, please access the City of Berkeley
website.

Thanks for your attention in this important matter.
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Mark A. Coplan
Public Information Officer, BUSD
510-644-6320 Cell: 510-472-3811
Mark_Coplan at berkeley.k12.ca.us
Berkeley Unified School District
2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, Ca 94704-1180