Half-day summit will focus on how schools can handle a
pandemic
San Benito County is taking the threat of a pandemic flu
seriously. The county Office of Education and the Health and Human
Services Agency, Public Health Division, have teamed up to offer a
summit for school administrators in October.
Half-day summit will focus on how schools can handle a pandemic
San Benito County is taking the threat of a pandemic flu seriously. The county Office of Education and the Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Division, have teamed up to offer a summit for school administrators in October.
The workshop comes on the heels of a push by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction for schools to prepare for a possible pandemic. Pandemic influenza has spread across the world three times in the last century, including the devastating 1918 Spanish flu. Health agencies warn that a mutation of the avian influenza virus (H5N1), or bird flu, could cause such a pandemic.
In cases where the virus has jumped from birds – primarily poultry – to humans, the fatality rate has been higher than 50 percent. “While we hope a pandemic never occurs, schools must be prepared to help protect the health and safety of staff and students,” said Jack O’Connell, state superintendent.
His office sent out checklists to county offices that have tips for everything from prevention to recovery. Schools are one place where germs and illness can spread quickly. Limiting the spread of a pandemic is a key strategy in lowering the rate of illness and death.
“Schools are an important focus for public health, not only because they contain our most cherished resource, but because they are at the center of any epidemic,” said Howard Backer, a director of the immunization branch of the California Department of Health Services. “Past experience and studies show that children in school spread infection because of hygiene, close contact and their susceptibility to infection.”
The workshop will be Oct. 12 at the Hollister School District office. It includes a lecture on pandemic influenza, a talk about San Benito’s preparation and practice scenarios. Though the focus will be on schools with K-12 students, the information will be valuable to preschool and college level as well. Those encouraged to attend include school nurses, business office representatives, human resource staff and district-level staff.
Contact the Public Health Division at 831-637-5367 or the County Office of Education at 831-637-5393 for more information. Registration is open until Oct. 6 and spots are limited.
