“As schools grapple with a resurgence of swine flu, many districts have few or no nurses to prevent or respond to outbreaks, leaving students more vulnerable to a virus that spreads easily in classrooms and takes a heavier toll on children and young adults.”
A 2008 survey by the National Association of school of nurses found that only 45% percent of public schools have full-time nurses, 30% have part-time nurses and 25% have none at all! Only in the states of California, in 2008, there was one nurse for every 2,240 students. About 500 districts in the state of California have no nurses. Because of swine flu many districts are depending on teachers, principles and secretaries who have little medical training to identify ill children and send them home. Many teachers like Robert Ellis, a first grade teacher at Washington Elementary school in Richmond, California are unsure of what symptoms to look for and are worried about the swine flu spreading in the classroom and on the impact it will have on their children and their education as well. The District is also encouraging parents that if their child is sick to not report them to school. The swine flue is being taken like the regular season flu but many are afraid that it can become deadlier because it is more contagious. The vaccine for H1N1 is said to be ready by October, but until then school nurses are planning to teach children proper classroom hygiene. This is an issue that should really be addressed it is unjust that many districts have no school nurses, and children are put at risk. I believe that every school should have at least one nurse especially when there is an illness that is really contagious and there is no vaccine ready.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090925/ap_on_re_us/us_swine_flu_school_nurses
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