Students to undergo daily fever checkups
Published: 27 Aug. 2009, 00:48
Korea’s education authorities, scrambling to prevent the further spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus ahead of the fall semester, announced yesterday that schools will have to conduct mandatory fever checkups daily.
The Education and Health ministries said in a joint press briefing that all elementary, middle and high schools nationwide will be required to check the body temperatures of all students in front of the school gates every morning.
Schools will be required to report students with flu symptoms to a local public health center, where they will be isolated. Absences due to flu won’t be recorded.
“Parents’ concern over the new influenza is growing, and students in circumstances that facilitate infection are the most likely ones to contract the disease,” said Lee Ju-ho, vice minister of education.
The ministries also advised schools to sterilize their classrooms once a day, provide sanitary products such as soap and hand sterilizer and teach students the right way to wash and clean their hands.
Students with asthma, congenital heart disease and diabetes will be classified under the category of “high risk,” which means they’ll get special care. If these students show flu symptoms, for instance, they will receive anti-viral medicine sooner than others.
The Education Ministry recommended that schools refrain from holding events where a large number of students participate, such as excursions and outdoor sports activities.
Those schools that have already shut down will send required curriculum materials via their respective Web sites and encourage students to learn through EBS, a state-run broadcasting station specializing in education.
The ministries said they plan to inject 7.5 million students with A(H1N1) flu vaccines starting in November and then offer it to people in other age groups.
Meanwhile, the Korea Food and Drug Administration said yesterday that there are no safety concerns surrounding its decision earlier this week to extend the validity of the Tamiflu it has distributed to hospitals nationwide to 72 months.
By Seo Ji-eun [[email protected]]
The Education and Health ministries said in a joint press briefing that all elementary, middle and high schools nationwide will be required to check the body temperatures of all students in front of the school gates every morning.
Schools will be required to report students with flu symptoms to a local public health center, where they will be isolated. Absences due to flu won’t be recorded.
“Parents’ concern over the new influenza is growing, and students in circumstances that facilitate infection are the most likely ones to contract the disease,” said Lee Ju-ho, vice minister of education.
The ministries also advised schools to sterilize their classrooms once a day, provide sanitary products such as soap and hand sterilizer and teach students the right way to wash and clean their hands.
Students with asthma, congenital heart disease and diabetes will be classified under the category of “high risk,” which means they’ll get special care. If these students show flu symptoms, for instance, they will receive anti-viral medicine sooner than others.
The Education Ministry recommended that schools refrain from holding events where a large number of students participate, such as excursions and outdoor sports activities.
Those schools that have already shut down will send required curriculum materials via their respective Web sites and encourage students to learn through EBS, a state-run broadcasting station specializing in education.
The ministries said they plan to inject 7.5 million students with A(H1N1) flu vaccines starting in November and then offer it to people in other age groups.
Meanwhile, the Korea Food and Drug Administration said yesterday that there are no safety concerns surrounding its decision earlier this week to extend the validity of the Tamiflu it has distributed to hospitals nationwide to 72 months.
By Seo Ji-eun [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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