The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the state Education Department (NYSED) have jointly released an update for their guidance document from May 2009.
Excerpts from the cover memo and document are posted below to provide an overview of the content. You may download the entire document here (PDF, 15 pages, 235K).
TO:
- District Superintendents of Schools
- Superintendents of Public and Nonpublic Schools
- Administrators of Charter Schools
- School Principals
- Directors of School-Based Health Clinics
- Local Health Department Officials
DATE: August 31, 2009
Please distribute to all appropriate staff.
Download the entire document here (PDF, 15 pages, 235K).
Introduction
This document is an important update to the joint New York State Department of (NYSDOH) and New York State Education Department (NYSED) guidance distributed May 12, 2009 regarding the response to human infections with novel H1N1 flu virus in educational facilities outside of New York City.
The NYSDOH and the NYSED are providing this guidance to suggest ways for reducing exposure of students and staff to flu during the 2009-10 school year. The guidance expands and modifies previous guidance and focuses on numerous layered non-pharmaceutical, community-based measures that might be useful during this outbreak of novel H1N1 flu virus to reduce disease transmission and associated illness. This guidance is based on the severity of novel H1N1 influenza continuing to exhibit severity similar to that observed during the spring of 2009. If novel H1N1 influenza exhibits greater severity, NYSDOH and NYSED may issue additional guidance, which may recommend additional non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated interim guidance regarding schools (K–12), a technical report, and communication tool kit on August 7, 2009. Recommendations contained herein are consistent with the recommendations provided by the CDC.
This document is current as of 2:30 p.m., 08/31/2009 and is subject to change based on ongoing surveillance and continuous risk assessment. Additional guidance about NPIs may be issued if novel H1N1 influenza becomes more severe in comparison with the spring of 2009.
For guidance related to educational institutions in New York City, see the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) website at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cd-h1n1flu.shtml.
Key Points and Changes from May 12, 2009 Update
- The primary means to reduce the spread of flu in schools continues to focus on early identification of ill students and staff that should be excluded from school and all school-related activities when ill, and to encourage good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
- The recommended exclusion period has changed for most situations. People with influenza-like illness (ILI) should stay home for at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8° C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines. This is a change in exclusion guidance from May 12, 2009, which recommended that people with ILI stay home until at least 7 days after the onset of symptoms and fever-free for the past 24 hours. Longer exclusion periods may be appropriate in some situations.
- Decisions related to measures taken in response to novel H1N1 flu virus remain at the discretion of local education and health officials, taking into account the specific needs of the community and the impact of school absenteeism and staffing shortages.
- Schools are strongly urged to closely monitor ILI activity and work with their local health departments to report absenteeism and/or school dismissal on a daily basis.
- Reactive school dismissal is not recommended unless absenteeism of students or staff makes it impossible to maintain a normal functioning or safe environment.
- The selective dismissal of some schools with high numbers of high-risk students or staff may be considered.
- The CDC or NYSDOH may recommend pre-emptive school dismissals in the future, based on changes in virulence, severity, and impact.
Contents
- Goals
- Background
- Illness Reporting and Monitoring
- Recommended Interventions to Implement Now, Assuming Similar Conditions and Severity As in Spring 2009
- Additional Responses if the Severity of Flu Increases
- Tools for Schools
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Acronyms
- Glossary
The NYSDOH will provide updated guidance as additional information and CDC recommendations become available. Frequently updated information is posted on the NYSDOH website at http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/influenza/h1n1/information_for_schools.htm.
The New York State Education Department provides guidance, support, and direction to administrators, faculty, staff, and the school community. A compilation of all H1N1 information provided by NYSDOH and NYSED is posted at http://usny.nysed.gov/swine-flu-info.html.
Download the entire K-12 Updated H1N1 Guidance document here (PDF, 15 pages, 235K).
CDC Guidance for Responses to Influenza for Institutions of Higher Education during the 2009-2010 Academic Year (opens page on CDC Website).
Page updated: September 2, 2009 | Webmaster