A (H1N1) casts pall over RP school opening
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 06/15/2009 12:05 PM
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MANILA - The threat of Influenza A (H1N1) cast a shadow over Monday's opening of classes in all colleges nationwide as school officials conducted information drives about the virus while sending home students exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
In De La Salle University Taft Avenue where the country's first A (H1N1) cases were confirmed, school officials set up help desks and distributed free bottles of alcohol to hundreds of students returning to class.
Jose Mari Magpayo, marketing and communications executive director of DLSU Manila, said the school is conducting a "Be Flu-less, Not Clueless" information drive about A (H1N1).
He said the school conducted complete sanitation of the whole campus while the school was shut down for the last 10 days. "If you have the right information about this sickness, there is no need to panic. It's very safe. as we are told, the virus only lasts for eight minutes once it reaches a surface but we've been closed for the past 10 days so we are really virus-free as far as the environment is concerned," he told ABS-CBN.
In Centro Escolar University in Mendiola, students were made to line up and get their temperatures checked using a digital thermometer. Students who registered temperatures higher than 37 degrees Celsius were advised to report to the school clinic while those with flu-like symptoms, including cough and colds, were sent home.
The Department of Education said Candelaria National High School in Candelaria, Bulacan has suspended classes after 49 high school students fell sick last week.
Kenneth Tirado of the DepEd public information office said the school has suspended classes since Thursday. He said the 49 students are under observation.
The Commission on Higher Education said school officials may declare suspension of classes once it has confirmed a case of Influenza A (H1N1) in the school. "It is the school president or school administration [that will decide]. If it is isolated, it may not affect anyone else," he said.
He also echoed a Department of Health advisory that students with flu-like symptoms should stay at home and get well before going back to school.
The Philippines has 147 confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) as of Sunday, June 14.
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