Crawshaw School

Below is the the advice that schools have been given by the NHS and Health Protection Agency about dealing with any cases of swine 'flu we may have in school in the future. 

National guidance has recently been updated so that school closures are only likely now in exceptional circumstances, and preventative antiviral drugs will no longer be routinely offered to large groups of school pupils.  As swine 'flu starts to circulate more freely in the local community, these measures are no longer effective, as people may be exposed to the virus outside school, or as soon as they have finished a course of drugs. 

We have been advised that, in order to avoid spreading the infection as much as possible, children who are displaying symptoms of 'flu-like illness should stay away from school until they have recovered and are free of symptoms. 

You can check any symptoms and find in depth information about swine 'flu by following these links to the appropriate pages of the Direct Gov website, NHS website or by calling the Swine 'Flu Information Line on 0800 1513513.  For your information, we have made available the NHS leaflet for you to download - see the pdf section at the bottom of the page. 

If you are still concerned, stay at home and call your GP, who may suggest a course of antiviral drug treatment.  This is designed to reduce the symptoms and help a quicker recovery.  If your doctor does advise antiviral treatment for a child, please let the student services know as soon as possible. 

It is important to point out that the vast majority of people who have swine 'flu make a quick recovery at home.  However, you should do what you can to prevent the infection from being spread to others by ensuring your family take some simple precautions: 

• Covering your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue when possible. 
• Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully. 
• Washing your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to your face or to other people. 
• Cleaning hard surfaces (such as door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product. 
• Making sure your children follow this advice. 

We will do what we can to keep you up to date with information and developments as much as possible.  In the meantime, please rest assured that we are monitoring this situation very carefully.