20 November 2009
Parents are being advised that the 48-hour rule currently in place for children returning to Jersey from areas affected by swine flu will end from today (Friday 19 November 2009).
This means children will no longer have to stay off school if they have been away from the Island for school trips or independent travel.
The Medical Officer of Health, Dr Rosemary Geller, said: “I am very grateful to parents for following our advice and observing the 48-hour rule. I think it played a very important role in containing swine flu and delaying large numbers of cases in schools.
“However, now that we have declared an outbreak in Jersey and vaccinated the vast majority of school children, it is no longer appropriate to maintain the 48-hour rule. The original reason for its introduction was to protect children from catching the virus from classmates who caught it outside the Island. Also, children who have been vaccinated will have developed a level of immunity against swine flu by early next week.”
The Education, Sport and Culture Director, Mario Lundy, said: “We have worked very hard with the Health Department to contain swine flu in our schools and to minimise disruption to teaching and learning. Now that most of our students have been vaccinated, we’re pleased that we can end this rule as we realise that it caused some inconvenience to both parents and students.”
There has also been a change in approach to administering tamiflu to contacts. Children who have been in contact with swine flu but who do not have symptoms, whether they are taking tamiflu or not, can now continue at school as normal.
The health team is reviewing the clinical indications daily to best address each stage of the outbreak. This means the advice given and actions taken are being tailored to a rapidly changing situation.
The Health Department is still recommending that anyone believed to have been exposed to swine flu should take tamiflu for their own protection, and to help prevent onward infection to their families and further spread of swine flu in our community.
Tamiflu has no known serious side effects – whereas swine flu carries a low but real risk of serious illness.
You are asked to continue following simple hygiene measures to limit the spread of this virus:
- cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, use a tissue when possible
- dispose of used tissues promptly and carefully
- maintain good basic hygiene, wash hands frequently with soap and water
- clean hard surfaces (eg door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product
- ensure children do the same
You can e-mail any questions you have to publichealth@health.gov.je.
More about swine flu
Health Protection Agency
gov.je