Kim Eves
Director of Communications
Greenwich Board of Education
290 Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
http://www.greenwichschools.org/
Phone: 203-625-7415
e mail: kim_eves@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Fax: 203-869-8003
GREENWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS HEALTH UPDATE THURsDAY, May 28, 2009
15 new cases OF H1N1 have been Confirmed and reported
by the State Department of HEalth inVOLVING wMS students
Please check the Greenwich Public Schools Web Site regularly for the most up-to-date
and accurate information: http://www.greenwichschools.org/page.cfm?p=6651
School Opening Status - Western Middle School and Glenville classes at Western Middle School will remain open and on schedule, tomorrow, Friday, May 29, 2009.
H1N1 Cases – The State Department of Health has confirmed 15 additional cases of H1N1 flu virus in school-aged children at Western Middle School. These 15 new cases plus the 11 previously confirmed cases, amount to 26 confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu virus at Western Middle School. Please note that, per the Greenwich Department of Health’s May 28, 2009 release, there are 32 confirmed cases in Greenwich residents – only 26 of those 32 are from the Greenwich Public Schools. Also, according to the Greenwich Dept. of Health release – all of the WMS students have recovered or are recovering and none have required hospitalization.
Absenteeism – 156 Western Middle School students out of 492 were absent from school today. 15 Glenville students out of 108 located at Western were absent today.
GDoH Attendance Guidance - The Greenwich Department of Health has issued an important notice with School Attendance Guidance for ALL schools. It has been posted to the web site – all parents and staff are urged to read the memo and to adhere to the guidelines. In summary, the guidance states that anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms should remain at home for a minimum of seven days.
Staff members throughout the District have been instructed to send students exhibiting any flu-like symptoms to the school nurse and nurses have been instructed to send students with flu-like symptoms home from school. Additionally, District and school custodial staff have been instructed to wipe down surfaces including door knobs, railings and other hardware, etc. with an increased vigilance.
Activities and sports - Generally, if students and staff are not exhibiting symptoms and are in school – then activities and sports will continue as scheduled. There may be exceptions made on a case-by-case basis. Today’s Western Middle School Track Meet in Weston was canceled primarily due to the fact that there were not enough students in attendance at school to participate in the meet.
RECAP OF EVENTS/DECISIONS:
* 5/27/09 Meeting with Health Professionals – The Greenwich Department of Health and the Greenwich Public Schools conducted a meeting at Western Middle School to provide information and answer health-related questions. State and local health professionals and school District administrators participated, including Dr. Matthew Cartter - State Epidemiologist for the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, Dr. James Sabetta - Greenwich Hospital Infectious Disease Physician, Caroline Baisley – Director of Health for Greenwich Department of Health, Tom Mahoney – Director of Special Clinical Services and Public Information Officer, and Dr. Betty J. Sternberg – Greenwich Superintendent of Schools
The meeting was taped and will air on Cablevision’s Education Access Channel 78. Please check the GPS web site for the schedule after Thursday, May 28, 2009.
* Absenteeism as of 5/27/09 – 211 Western Middle School students out of 492 were absent from school on 5/27/09. This is less than on Tuesday, May, 26, 2009 (229 were absent) and Friday, May 22, 2009 (260 were absent). 20 Glenville students out of 108 located at Western were absent today (less than Tuesday at 33).
* As of 5/26/09 there were 11 confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu virus in the Greenwich Public Schools. Please note that, per the Greenwich Department of Health’s May 26, 2009 release, there were 16 confirmed cases in Greenwich residents – only 11 of those 16 were from the Greenwich Public Schools.
* Activities/Sports - Regarding interschool activities and sports: Generally, if students and staff are not exhibiting symptoms and are in school – then activities and sports will continue as scheduled. There may be exceptions made on a case-by-case basis.
* On May 25, 2009 - The following are exceptions that have been made primarily due to the fact that either the teacher running the program and/or a number of students participating are ill and are at home:
- 5th grade Orientation at Western Middle School for New Lebanon School, Glenville School, Parkway School and Hamilton Avenue School students has been postponed
- Glenville’s Spring Concert at Western Middle School has been postponed.
- Adventure Racing for Western Middle School and Eastern Middle School students scheduled for 5/27/09 has been canceled.
* On May 23, 2009: 8th Grade Washington D.C. trip canceled - After consultation with and as recommended by State and Local Departments of Health and physicians, Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Betty J. Sternberg, canceled the Western Middle School 8th Grade trip to Washington, D.C planned for May 26-29, 2009. Dr. Sternberg said, “While this was a very difficult decision, after a thorough review of all of the facts, consultation with several health professionals at the State and local level, and two meetings with Western Middle School parents, we have decided that it is in the best interest of our students to cancel the trip.”
* Given the information available by May 23, 2009, regarding the rate and severity of student illnesses, the school medical advisor and Greenwich Hospital infectious disease physician recommended that the district cancel or postpone the Washington trip.
* By May 23, 2009, Nineteen (19), 6th grade, WMS students had experienced flu-like symptoms, were tested by a healthcare provider using the quick flu test and received negative results – these students are sick but not with a flu.
* By May 23, 2009, Fourteen (14), 6th grade, WMS students have experienced flu-like symptoms, were tested by a healthcare provider using the quick flu test and received positive results – these students are sick with a flu but at this time we do not know if it is H1N1 – the State Department of Health is conducting additional tests to determine if their flu is the H1N1 flu virus.
* On By May 23, 2009, The District did not expect to have the results of these H1N1 tests until mid to late week the following week.
* By May 23, 2009, additional cases of students with flu like symptoms at WMS have not been reported to the school or Town Dept of Health.
* On May 22, 2009, there were an uncommonly high number of absences at WMS, however, most did not appear to be due to student illnesses.
* By Wednesday, May 20, 2009, approximately 55 students had been to the infirmary at Nature’s Classroom and 19 were sick enough (multiple symptoms, fever) to send home, the other students were experiencing a range of symptoms but were not sick enough to have parents called to pick them up.
* On Monday, May 18, 2009, 130, WMS 6th graders went to Nature’s Classroom – Although it was unknown to the school at the time, one of the students had been diagnosed (using the quick test) with a “flu” and was placed on a short course of anti-viral medication. The student then reported to the school on Monday, not exhibiting any symptoms and boarded the bus for the trip. The District was unaware of any of the student’s status until Thursday, May 21, 2009.
* The decision to cancel the remainder of the Nature’s Classroom trip was made using the following considerations:
- distance from home if more students became ill
- the severity of illness in some of the sick students
- the higher probability of infection given the living situations (multiple students in bed/bunk rooms)
- amount of activity required of students
- ability to dedicate staff to students who were ill
- national attention about the spread of H1N1
For more information contact:
Caroline Calderone Baisley, MPH, RS:
Town of Greenwich, Director of Health at Tel [203] 622-7836
Betty J. Sternberg: Superintendent of Schools at Tel [203] 625-7425
State of Connecticut at Tel [860] 509-7729
For more information on H1N1 flu:
* Greenwich Department of Health: http://www.greenwichct.org/
* Connecticut Flu Watch: www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch/swineflu
* Connecticut Department of Public Health: www.ct.gov/health
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention School Guidance: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/k12_dismissal.htm
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www.greenwichschools.org
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GREENWICH HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE
Caroline Calderone Baisley, MPH, RS
Tom Mahoney, MS
Public Information Officer
Tel [203] 622-7836
Tel [203] 622-6460
UPDATE ON H1N1 INFLUENZA
16 New Cases
Today the State of Connecticut announced that Greenwich has 16 new confirmed cases of H1N1 (swine flu). A total of 32 confirmed cases have now been identified among Greenwich residents. Fifteen of the new cases involve school age children from Western Middle School. All of the students have recovered or are recovering. None required hospitalization. Director of Health Caroline Baisley said, “We anticipated there would be additional cases of H1N1 since it had been established that the virus was circulating in the community.” The Department of Health expects there will be additional cases of H1N1 in Greenwich as the virus remains at elevated levels in the northeast United States.
Like other flu viruses, novel H1N1 flu spreads from an infected person to others primarily from coughing or sneezing. Sometimes people become infected by touching a surface with the virus on it and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Because people with novel H1N1 are thought to be infectious from one day before showing symptoms up to seven days after becoming ill, anyone who experiences influenza-like-illness (ILI) should:
Stay home and not attend school or work for a minimum of 7 days even if symptoms resolve sooner
Stay home from school or work until at least 24 hours after all symptoms have resolved
Symptoms of Influenza-like illness
Fever (100°F or 37.7°C) with cough or sore throat
Other symptoms may include – headache, runny or stuffy nose,
body aches or chills, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Residents are reminded to utilize stringent infection control measures to reduce the spread of influenza, including but not limited to:
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or the crook of your elbow
Wash your hands often with soap and water; use alcohol based hand sanitizer if water is not available
Try not to touch your mouth, nose or eyes
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Stay home from school, work and other group activities if you are sick
For more information on H1N1 (swine flu):
Greenwich Website: www.greewichct.org
Connecticut Flu Watch: www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch/swineflu
Connecticut Department of Public Health: www.ct.gov/dph
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov
PLEASE SEE:
05/28/09 Greenwich Roundup Exclusive: Reader Submitted Comments About A Second Swine Flu Outbreak At Gateway Preschool
You Wont Read This In The Greenwich Time ......
Dear Greenwich Roundup,
Do you know that at least 7 staff members and some students of Gateway Preschool are confirmed with H1N1 flu?
The school has been shut down since Monday and nothing in the news? Why?
I know, I’m a parent and I have it to. I was in the ER on Monday for 4 hours......
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