Schools may be told to stop gatherings

With schools reporting most indigenous cases of H1N1 in the country,the Health Ministry plans to change the flu-alert guidelines for schools which could possibly include minimising....

With schools reporting most indigenous cases of H1N1 in the country,the Health Ministry plans to change the flu-alert guidelines for schools which could possibly include minimising,if not doing away temporarily,gatherings such as the morning assembly.

While most experts still believe closing schools to check the spread of flu is not such a good option,the Central government plans to advise schools to avoid any kind of gathering where transmission from one student to another is possible. The gatherings,according to sources in the Health Ministry,could range from a morning assembly to a football match in the playground.

We dont want to say assemblies per se. We are not saying stop praying. But may be they can find proper ways of disseminating messages given during the morning assemblies, said an official who did not wish to be named.

The final draft is not yet out and Ministry sources declined to say there would be a ban on morning assemblies in schools.

But Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad,in a meeting with editors,said that the guidelines would be out anytime. He confirmed that schools would be advised against gatherings in the present context. A decision on closing a school if it continues to report H1N1 cases would be left to local authorities.

Schools will be asked to guide class teachers to check each student for flu-like symptoms before classes begin in the morning. In case a student is found with symptoms like cough,cold or fever,the teacher will be required to send the child home and advise parents to monitor the childs condition.

Teachers would also be told to ensure students maintain basic hygiene like frequent washing of hands,using tissues and handkerchiefs in case of sneezing and coughing,not sharing water bottles and proper disposal of used material.

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These guidelines were debated when the Ministry held a meeting with 40 experts from the Central government and private sector. The details will be finalised soon.

These are guidelines that people are following across the world,what the CDC and WHO have recommended. We are trying to finetune them to suit our country needs, said Dr V M Katoch,Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research and Secretary,Health Research.