Updated 05/26/2009 03:31 PM
Two Dozen Schools Reopen After Flu Scare
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After more than two dozen schools closed as a precaution because of the H1N1 virus reopen today, city health officials are updating residents on the current status of the virus.
Among those schools reopening is I.S. 238 in Hollis, Queens, where Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener died last week of complications from the virus.
He had been at the school for more than 30 years and has been described as the heart and soul of the school.
"Right now we are all very saddened by the loss, but we have to get back to our education," said one teacher.
I.S. 238 was the only school in the recent spate of closings with confirmed cases of the virus.
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said officials are keeping parents aware of the flu situation, and have sent a letter home with students (see below) explaining what they should be looking out for.
"It's a day-by-day process, what information we have we'll give to the parents and the families, and the schools," said Klein. "We're in touch with them, we sent out letters again to principals, yesterday and today, make sure everybody is up to speed."
Parents said that they were a little apprehensive about bringing their kids back to school.
"I'm scared to even bring them back to school in here, that's why I wanted to come back and find out the procedures that they did while the school was closed, just to make sure its safe for them to go back in," said one mother.
At P.S. 19 in Corona, some teachers told NY1 this morning that they were excited to be back at work.
"It's good to be back. We don't know what to expect when we come in, but we're happy to be back and get started with the children again," said teacher Nancy Schleyer.
"It's probably going to be difficult," said teacher Christian Anderle. "It's always difficult whenever we come back from any vacation. It's hard to get back into the swing for anybody. This was kind of unexpected, a little surreal at first. We didn't really think we were going to be closed, but we're glad that we were because we really did have a lot of absentees. It's nice to come back into a school that we assume is going to be clean and germ-free."
Second-grader Ariel Rivera said he, too, was glad to be back.
"I want to hug my teacher and say, 'welcome back!'" he said.
The decision to close P.S. 19 and others was based on the number of students showing symptoms of H1N1. Although medical experts say the virus is fragile and cannot survive on surfaces for more than a few days, P.S.19 was scrubbed and scoured after being shut down last week.
The schools chancellor stressed that there have been no cases of H1N1 at P.S. 19; the decision to close last week was made because about 30 students had symptoms of the virus.
"There was a relatively-low absenteeism rate," said Klein. "We were really just trying to contain the spread and make sure those with underlying illnesses are not exposed."
Meanwhile, according to the Centers for Disease Control, while H1N1 levels are decreasing in most of the country, returning to below "base line" activity, New York, New Jersey and New England continue to be above "base line" activity.
The United Federation of Teachers has set up 11 hotlines in the five boroughs to gather information on school flu outbreaks and school closings.
The Department of Education is now posting daily attendance rates for every public school in New York City.
May 26, 2009
Dear Parent or Guardian:
As H1N1 (swine) flu becomes more common in New York City, many schools are reporting high absenteeism rates and more students with flu-like illness.
H1N1 is a lot like regular (seasonal) flu. Most people who get it have only a mild illness, and most get better on their own without medicine. But some people are more likely to get seriously ill if they come down with the flu. Those at high risk of complications include children under 2, adults over 65, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes or asthma. Flu also poses special dangers for people with heart, liver, kidney or blood disorders, and for people with neurological problems that can interfere with breathing.
If we see evidence that flu is spreading rapidly in a school, we may temporarily close it to reduce the risk to vulnerable people. If a school’s medical office reports an increase in the number of students developing fever with cough or sore throat, the Health Department monitors the school closely from day to day to see if the problem continues. We pay special attention to a school if the number of children sent home with fevers on a given day reaches 1% to 2% of the student body. In deciding whether to close a school, we also weigh special circumstances, such as the presence of children with special needs.
You and your family can help reduce the spread of flu in our schools by following some simple guidelines.
Watch your child closely for signs of flu-like illness. Any child with fever and a cough or sore throat should stay home until he or she has been completely well for 24 hours.
Remember to cover coughs and sneezes and wash hands frequently with soap and water.
If a child with asthma or another chronic condition develops flu-like illness, call your doctor right away to discuss the need for medication.
Unless your child is severely ill, please do not seek care at a hospital. There is no need to go to an emergency department, and no benefit for the child.
The attached fact sheet has important information for parents. It explains how you can protect against the flu, what to do if your child has flu-like symptoms, when to call a doctor, when to take your child to the hospital, and how the City decides whether to close a school. It also offers tips and resources for coping with the stress of caused by this situation. For more information, you can always visit www.nyc.gov/health or www.nyc.gov/schools.
Sincerely,
Joel I. Klein and Thomas R. Frieden