Montgomery County Public Schools H1N1 Flu Preparations Association of Independent Schools of Greater

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Montgomery County Public Schools H1N1 Flu
PreparationsAssociation of Independent Schools
of Greater Washington (AISGW)September 29,
2009 Pam Montgomery, DirectorSystemwide Safety
ProgramsDepartment of Facilities Management2096
Gaither Road, Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20850(w)
240-314-1070 (fax) 240-314-1068Email
pamela_montgomery_at_mcpsmd.org
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Challenges that Face MCPS in the Event of a Flu
Pandemic

• To maintain the primary core mission of MCPS
• Uninterrupted education of MCPS students
• To ensure the health, safety, and welfare of
  students, staff, and their families during an
  H1N1 flu pandemic
• To provide security, maintenance and operations
  of the physical and technological infrastructure
  of MCPS using the Continuity of Operations Plan
  (COOP)

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MCPS Preparations in Place Prior to Spring
2009

• MCPS Pandemic Flu Response Plan (PFRP) developed
  in 2006-2007
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and hygiene
  materials deemed necessary and available at the
  MCPS warehouse
• Hand Sanitizers
• Surgical Masks
• Disposable Gloves
• Hand Soap (liquid and/or foam)
• Paper towels

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Current MCPS Preparations

• June 23rd Memorandum to Principals
• Provides guidance to principals for completion of
  H1N1 Flu preparations for the fall 2009 semester
• July 21st Memorandum to Principals
• Follow up to original memorandum with updates to
  communication with parents (sample letters and
  Connect-ED messages in six languages) and
  instructional programs in the event of school
  closings
• 
  
  (continued)

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Current MCPS Preparations(continued)

• Joint DHHS and MCPS Flu Planning Committee meets
  on an ongoing basis
• Discussing possible scenarios for H1N1
  vaccination program
• August 21st E-mail to Administrators
• Top priority is the health and safety of students
  and staff
• Recommendation for all staff to consider
  receiving the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1
  flu vaccine
• General precautions on staying healthy and when
  to stay home if flu-like symptoms develop (fever
  of 100F or greater with cough or sore throat)
  
• 
  (continued)

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Current MCPS Preparations(continued)

• August 26th Memorandum to Principals regarding
  Seasonal Flu Vaccines
• Provides guidance for the free seasonal flu
  vaccination (Flu Mist) program for students at
  all elementary schools and special
  schools
• 131 schools will participate beginning on
  September 23rd and culminating on October 22nd
• Letters translated into six languages, consent
  form, and CDC flyer, What You Need to Know, has
  been distributed to parents/guardians in the
  first week of school
  (continued)

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Current MCPS Preparations(continued)

• Currently working with Montgomery County DHHS on
  H1N1 vaccination (flu mist) program for
  studentsevening clinics in selected high
  schools. More guidance will be available from
  the Maryland Department of Health and Mental
  Hygiene.

• (continued)

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Current MCPS Preparations Free Seasonal
Flu Vaccination Program (continued)

• Elementary School Principals Expectations
• assign school staff to work with DHHS
• communicate vaccination information to
  parents/guardians on the schools website, using
  Connect-Ed messages, and other means
• plan for an appropriate location inside the
  school for the vaccination program
• recruit parent volunteers to assist as logistics
  assistants
• provide class lists to school health room staff
• collect and forward consent forms to the health
  room staff

• (continued)

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Current MCPS Preparations(continued)

• Update Pandemic Flu Response Plan (PFRP) as
  needed
• Plans in place to maintain business operations
• Transportation
• Food Services
• Facilities Management
• Maintenance and Operations
• Human Resources
• Payroll

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CDC Guidance for State and Local Public Health
Officials and School Administrators for Schools
(K-12) Responses to Influenza during the
2009-2010 School Year

• MCPS is following the most recent CDC Guidance
  issued August 31, 2009
• Stay home when sick
• Separate ill students and staff
• Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
• Routine cleaning
• Early treatment of high risk student and staff
• Consideration of selective school dismissal

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Health and Welfare of Students and Staff

• Communication
• Information on MCPS Website, the new myMCPS
  portal, letters sent home to parents/guardians,
  other resources identified (websites of CDC, MC
  Government, DHHS, MCCPTA)
• Instruction to students and staff reminding them
  of the need for good personal hygiene including
• hand washing,
• cough etiquette,
• social distancing

(continued)
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Health and Welfare of Students and Staff
(continued)

• Available Resources
• Cooperation and collaboration with Montgomery
  County DHHS on student vaccination program for
  seasonal flu and H1N1 (Swine) flu
• Seasonal Flu Vaccination Program started on
  September 23rd
• Hand sanitizers, hand soap, and paper towels, PPE
  (disposable gloves, masks, etc.)
• Pilot program currently underway at six schools
  and the Carver Educational Services Center
  (CESC-Central Office) for use of hands-free wall
  mounted hand sanitizers at designated locations
• (continued)
• 
  

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Health and Welfare of Students and Staff
(continued)

• Encourage sick students and staff to stay home
• Refer to CDC recommendations on recognizing
  symptoms that warrant sending home sick students
  or staff
• Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
• Continuity of Human Resources goals i.e.,
  Payroll, benefits, essential Human Resources
  activities continue unabated

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Continuity of Education and Meals

• Schools tasked with developing detailed
  instructional plan to continue education using
  alternative means
• Emergency Instructional Guide for School Closures
• Instruction is to continue if a school is closed
• Lessons provided via Edline, websites, e-mail, or
  information packets
• ITV Channel 34
• Plans prepared for distribution of Free and
  Reduced Meals (FARM) program
• Plan for establishing the locations and
• means of providing FARM and other
• foods to students if schools are closed

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Next Steps

• Monitor student and staff absenteeism
• Continue daily reporting of student absences to
  DHHS school health room nurses
• All students absentee data reported on DHHS
  software program and analyzed daily for spikes
• Staffself reportingworking with IT on school
  staff absentee computer reporting program
• DHHS generates daily reports on schools and
  number of students with flu-like symptoms
• (continued)

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Next Steps(continued)

• Continue communication messages to staff,
  students, and parents/guardians
• Ensure schools have plans in place to communicate
  information to stakeholders
• Continue business operations
• Continue collaboration with DHHS
• Continue to update the MCPS Website with current
  information
• Continue to review and update the MCPS Pandemic
  Flu Response Plan (PFRP) using latest CDC Guidance

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Questions