Response Plan to Curb the

Spread of Contagious Disease

During an Epidemic
[INFLUENZA A (H1N1) RESPONSE PLAN]

August 2009
Updated November 2015
Parents, students, teachers, administrators and health officials all play a key
part in curbing the spread of infectious disease. Everyone should know
his/her own role. You are an important part of this response plan!

Table of Contents
1. Everyones Role ........................................................................................ 3
2. Parental Role ............................................................................................ 3
3. Students Role .......................................................................................... 4
4. Administrators Role ................................................................................ 4
5. School Nurses Role .................................................................................. 5
6. Teachers Role .......................................................................................... 6
7. Cleaning Staffs Role ................................................................................. 7
8. Transportation Departments Role .......................................................... 7

Strongly recommend diabetic and asthmatic patients receive flu vaccine.

1. Everyone will:
Avoid shaking hands or kissing on the cheeks.
Wash hands frequently with soap especially after using the restroom and before

and after mealtimes.

Create a lather when washing hands and then rub them for 10-15 seconds.
Avoid the sharing of drinking glasses, bottles, other eating utensils or any food
item.
Use and properly dispose of soiled tissues.
Cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Eat a well-balanced diet.
Get plenty of fresh air and physical exercise.
Get plenty of rest.
Disinfect commonly shared surfaces such as desktops, keyboards and gym
equipment as necessary.
Have hand sanitizer available for his/her own use when washing with soap and
water is not possible.
Be well informed so as to be sensibly cautious and concerned without
becoming anxious and fearful.

2. You the parent will:

Discuss the attached bulletin on H1N1 from the Ministry of Health with your
child/children [See Link for Arabic and English versions].
Promote and reinforce hygiene as outlined above.
Promote frequent air exchanges in the home by opening windows if available
and as weather and outdoor temperatures warrant.
Provide children with hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes to take to school.
Assess all family members and especially all school-age children each morning
for influenza-like symptoms including fever, runny/stuffy nose, sore throat,
cough, body aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea,
Keep their child at home if he/she is ill.
Keep the student home from the first day of symptoms for seven (7) days or
until 48 hours after symptoms have resolved whichever is longer.
Keep the student at home if he/she is taking Panadol or Adol, or any other fever
suppressing medicine.

Take the child to a doctor if they have acute symptoms or if he/she is in an at

risk group such as those with diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions, heart
conditions, or any disorder that compromises the immune system.
Inform the principals office in the morning of a student absence.
Pick up your child from school within an hour of being asked to do so by the
school nurse or other school personnel.
Isolate ill family members as appropriate to minimize further spread of infection.
Develop a contingency plan for in-house childcare in the event of an early
dismissal from school or a school closure.

3. Students will:

Practice the hygiene as discussed above.

Contact the school nurse if they are feeling ill while at school.
Remain home from school and from school-related events for at least seven (7) if
they are diagnosed with a possible, probable, or confirmed case of H1N1
influenza infection.

4. Administrators will:

Follow all guidelines handed down by the Ministry.

Communicate openly, quickly, continuously and completely with the school
community about the pandemic as it runs its course.
Promote all aspects of a response plan that minimizes the spread of the virus.
Provide education and information regarding individual hygiene to students and
staff.
Survey all students and staff on opening day (August 30, 2009) to determine preexposure to H1N1.
Direct the students, faculty or staff to move from any room that might have been
contaminated by the influenza virus.
Secure and arrange to disinfect any space that has been compromised.
Close school if directed to do so by the Ministry of Health.
Develop plan for ongoing contact with students in the event of a school closure.

5. The School Nurse will:

Provide education about Influenza A (H1N1) symptoms, its mode of

transmission and prevention to students/parents, and staff.
Monitor daily the numbers of students, faculty and staff absent due to
illness.
Track the students in school that may be at risk from the Influenza A (H1N1)
virus, by completing the H1N1 Influenza Attendance Tracking Form and
reporting them on a regular basis or as required.
Assess students/employees that present to the nurses office and exclude
from the school those who exhibit influenza-like symptoms.
Exclude all students with significantly raised temperatures or those
presenting other symptoms that in the nurses judgment are suspicious.
Isolate students/employees with influenza-like symptoms until they exit the
building.
Find siblings of sick children, check them for symptoms and, at the nurses
discretion, send them home.
Monitor classmates who have been exposed to the sick child by taking their
temperatures.
Inform the parent and request that they pick up their child immediately.
Report students/employees with influenza-like symptoms to school
administration as soon as possible. (At the height of the pandemic aggregate data can be provided

on a daily basis.)

Report to the Ministry immediately any student, faculty or staff member

suspected of having H1N1 in school. (At the height of an outbreak aggregate data can be
relayed to the ministry daily as opposed to notification case by case.)

Release students to parent/guardian or a parent-approved emergency

contact person.
Direct students with elevated temperatures or other suspicious symptoms
to remain at home until they are free of symptoms and inform them that
they must present to the nurse immediately on their return to school.
Request that they see a doctor and direct them to stay home until the illness
has resolved and their doctor releases them for return to school.
Inform them that they must see the school nurse immediately upon arrival to
school and submit a doctors note to the nurses office.
Attend to their own health by taking he preventative measures outlined
above.
Adopt the following regimen in the school clinic.
Avoid sharing desktop surfaces, keyboard, and telephone hand-piece
with others.
Wipe all surfaces that might be infected such as desktop, telephone
hand-pieces, and doorknobs, with disinfectant solutions daily.
Disinfect beds and other shared surfaces after each use.
Dispose of waste materials in a safe and efficient manner.
5

Use protective wear (masks and gloves) where and when appropriate.
Stop working if she shows influenza-like symptoms.
Alert the Ministry of Health if he/she shows influenza-like symptoms.
Provide any new information about H1N1 to the Superintendent.
Display public health materials such as posters or pamphlets in school to
promote personal hygiene.
Identify and inform close contacts of all students sent home with flu-like
symptoms.
S hare recommendations or information as provided by the Ministry of
Health.
Coordinate the administration of any influenza vaccinations or antiviral
medications as directed and made available by the Ministry of Health.
Consult with the local and national public health authorities in order to
advise the school administrators regarding possible need to close school or
cancel school events, such as sporting events and field trips.

6. Teachers will:

Encourage hand-washing, use of tissues to cover sneezes, and the use of hand
sanitizers in the classrooms
Reinforce and remind students not to touch eyes, nose or mouth without first
washing their hands.
Report any signs of illness in the classroom to the school nurse by referring
students to the nurses office for evaluation of illness.
Report the numbers of students who are absent to the principals office as early
as possible every day.
Assess themselves for symptoms of influenza each morning.
Stay home if they have influenza-like symptoms after informing the school.
Promote frequent air exchanges in the classroom.
Pre-arrange lesson plans for substitutes use in event of teacher absence due to
personal or family illness.
Arrange for the daily cleaning of all shared classroom equipment especially
toys and playground equipment used by younger students.

7. School Cleaning Staff will:

Provide cleaning supplies, including bottles of disinfectant and wiping cloths, for
each classroom.
Provide restroom supplies, including soap, paper towels and toilet tissue.
Disinfect daily shared surfaces such as, desktops, counters, railings, doorknobs
and handles. Standard cleaning solutions or products are adequate no
specialized solutions are indicated.
Disinfect rooms vacated as directed by the nurse.
Clean the room with an anti-viral disinfecting solution.
Secure the room for the remainder of the school day.
If the person is confirmed to have the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, the room and
furniture should be disinfected with 70% ethanol and 10% bleach solution for 30
minutes and used after 48 hours.
Ventilate the building following each school day by either opening all doors and
windows or by turning up air conditioning or heating systems to promote air
exchange.

8. The Bus Drivers will:

Clean buses thoroughly by wiping shared surfaces (steering wheel, shift levers, student seats

with an anti-viral cleaner.

Wear protective gear when indicated.
Dispose of waste materials on a regular basis.
Refer any student who is ill on the way to school to the school nurse.
Report the name of any student who is ill on the way home from school to the
school nurse.
Remain at home if not feeling well
Provide hand sanitizers for passengers as required.
Disinfect daily (or more often if possible) common or shared surfaces, such as
bus seats, railings, steering wheels and shift levers. Standard cleaning solutions
or products are adequate no specialized solutions are indicated.
Exchange air in the bus frequently.
Ventilate the bus thoroughly following each school day.
and railings)