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2007-9-4 12:37:54 |
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Schools in Coventry, Warwick and West Warwick school districts will reopen on Monday, The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) announced today January 6, 2007. Schools in these districts were closed last Thursday and Friday as the health officials were investigating one case of meningitis and three cases of encephalitis. The announcement came after the state health agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reviewed the information collected over the past several days as a result of three encephalitis cases in the three school districts and concluded that there is no reason to keep schools closed at this time. "We appreciate the cooperation and support that we have received from the Rhode Island community throughout this investigation, and at this time we feel confident that the schools in all three communities can reopen on Monday," David R. Gifford, MD, MPH, Director of HEALTH. "The investigation by HEALTH and the CDC show that there are no new cases of encephalitis in children, no increased levels of Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated illness, and no concentration of that illness in any community," Dr, Gifford said. In addition, the test results received today January 6 from the student at Hopkins Hill Elementary School in Coventry who contracted meningitis, which was discovered Wednesday, showed no connection to the illnesses in Warwick and West Warwick. Last week, health investigators were trying to determine whether the meningitis case was connected to mycoplasma, or "walking pneumonia," fearing that a more dangerous strain of the mycoplasma bacteria may be developing. Mycoplasma rarely causes any serious illness. The Department of Health along with the CDC will continue monitoring neurological cases and look into the apparent increase in pneumonia back in November and early December, the state agency says in a statement released on its web site this afternoon. On Friday, Governor Donald L. Carcieri issued an Executive Order requiring hand sanitization stations be installed at all Rhode Island schools, effective January 8, according to HEALTH. ¡°As part of the Executive Order, HEALTH and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued advisories on hand sanitization and when to keep students with respiratory illnesses home from school,¡± Gifford said in today¡¯s press release. "Hand sanitizing gels have been ordered by the state Emergency Management Agency and will be delivered tomorrow, and procedures are in place for school districts to take delivery of the gels and dispensers beginning Sunday and continuing through Tuesday." The advisory on hand sanitation stresses that keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. It says that it is best to wash hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds. In the case that no soap is available, an alcohol-based product can be used. The advisory details hand-cleaning procedures cited in verbatim. When washing hands with soap and water: • Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available. • Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces, including the fingers. • Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing "Happy Birthday" twice through to a friend! • Rinse hands well under running water • Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet Remember: If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based gel to clean hands. When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer: • Apply product to the palm of one hand • Rub hands together • Rub the product over all surfaces of hands and fingers until hands are dry. When should you wash your hands? • Before preparing or eating food • After going to the bathroom • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom • Before and after tending to someone who is sick • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing • After handling an animal or animal waste • After handling garbage • Before and after treating a cut or wound The HEALTH Director of the Commissioner of Education mandate that hand-sanitizing gel and appropriate dispensers be placed as soon as possible in every classroom and all other rooms in which students may congregate, such as libraries and lunchrooms, in all public and nonpublic schools in Rhode Island, according to the advisory. HEALTH also issued an advisory on Friday to help parents decide whether their children should stay home from school and daycare when they have a respiratory infection. The advisory says children with most illnesses do not need to stay home, but those with respiratory illnesses should stay home until the fever is gone. Children should stay home when they are too sick to participate in school activities or they have fever (higher than 101 degrees orally), excessive sleepiness, difficulty breathing, persistent cough or other signs suggesting severe illness. If parents do not know how to determine the severity of their child's illness, make sure to contact the child's physician. |
