61 Words: 13 Should i Send my Child to School if there is an H1n1 Outbreak

2521 Words: 469
Should you send your child to school if there is an H1N1 outbreak? This can be a difficult question to answer and there is not necessarily a right and wrong answer. The answer is going to depend upon a variety of factors, and then you will need to make a decision for yourself. The following are some factors you will want to consider when making this decision.
How widespread is it in the school?
You should try to ascertain how many people in the school has it. Just because they are giving numbers of people in general having it does not mean that it is all over the school. If it is, however, and you really think that there is a good chance of him or her catching it, then you could consider taking him or her out. Just think about how long you would need to take them out for. Some schools end up closing when a very high number of students contract the disease. You can see if that may happen, and then they would be able to miss the school without a loss of work. You also may want to consider the rules for missing school and what the penalties of missing school would be. You can think about the importance of missed work. H1N1 can be serious, however, and if it is extremely widespread, it is reasonable to try to see what you can do to avoid exposure.
What protection does your child have?
Did your child get the H1N1 vaccine as was recommended for most people? If so, they he or she will be far more protected, although it is still physically possible for them to contract it. If he or she did have it, then you might feel more comfortable sending him or her in. Also, if your child has a compromised immune system in any other way because of another condition, then you will want to take that into account.
Is your child old enough to avoid those that are sick and take other precautions against catching it?
It can be difficult to avoid catching things in a school environment, even for an older child. However, it is still much easier for an older child to avoid it. They can know to stay a little away from those that are sick. Those sick will hopefully be better about covering their mouths. They won’t be putting things in their mouths like young kids will. An older child might be able to take more precautions against it.
Is the school good about sending sick kids home right away?
The better they are at this, the less likely that child will transmit something. Of course, they could transmit is before their symptoms get bad, so it is not foolproof, but it might make it better.
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