Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools: United Church Preschool and Swine Flu Precautions

With H1N1 (the swine flu) scaring everyone, schools in particular need to be extra careful to take precautions. In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, our daughter's preschool is taking the same precautions as Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools. Her preschool, United Church Preschool, has always been careful to avoid illness among the preschoolers. However, this year they are taking even more precautions than usual to prepare for the swine flu pandemic.

Last year, the school implemented a procedure by which every child must wash their hands immediately prior to entering the classroom. They would also wash their hands as a class after playing and before meals, but the hand washing prior to class start time was a new procedure. As a result, the preschool saw a decreased number of illnesses spreading among this group of children who are at an age where contagious diseases spread like wildfire. This year, in preparation for the swine flu pandemic, they have asked again that all students wash hands before entering the classroom. In addition, they are washing hands more often while in the classroom.

Like many schools, United Church Preschool does not permit students who have a fever or have had a fever in the last 24 hours to go to school. In response to the swine flu pandemic, the school has requested that students not attend school if they have had any of a number of symptoms within the last 24 hours. These include the most common signs of swine flu. Since several daycares and preschools in the Wake and Orange County areas of North Carolina saw swine flu breakouts in the summer of 2009, United Church Preschool is being extra cautious of contamination. If a student has a runny nose or a cough, they are asked not to come to school. If a child appears ill while in the classroom, parents are called and child removed from the classroom immediately to avoid spread of contagious diseases, especially the swine flu.

Children who have allergies are obviously an area of concern, since the allergy symptoms can mimic H1N1 and United Church Preschool does not wish to send students home without just reason. Therefore, notes from doctors are being used to verify presence of allergies.

H1N1 has the potential to sweep through preschools with rapid speed. Obviously no school can avoid some contamination between students, but washing hands and being aware of symptoms can help cut down on the risk of spread of the swine flu.