Keeping "the swine" out Thursday, October 29, 2009 By Tevin Green [ArticleImageHyperLink] Advertising As flu season approaches, concerns about swine flu, officially known as the H1N1 virus, is on the rise, and school districts are setting up plans for prevention.   The school's plan consists of three parts, prevention/education, identification and appropriate response to the severity of the flu.                      Identification involves being on the lookout for symptoms. Appropriate response to the severity of the flu outlines scenarios based on whether the outbreak is the same or worse than spring 2009. Prevention/education tells how to prevent getting or spreading the virus. Students feel that the plan is a good idea. "It's good because it is all the school can do," said junior Steven Sanchez.   Although the school has a plan, some students expressed that they didn't know about plan. "I haven't heard about the plan and I doubt other students have," said Hineef Adams.     According to Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, the plan follows protocols set up by the Center of Disease, New Jersey Department of Education, Hudson Regional Health Commission, state and federal partners to monitor the situation and take appropriate steps based on conditions as they develop. The school worked with NJCU to get information on how to prevent the spread of H1N1. "The university has provided hand sanitizing stations in the school." said assistant dean Sean Sawyer   According to the plan, even if the severity of the flu increases, the school will remain open and teachers and staff will come to school, but all students will be dismissed. Lugo sent home consent forms to distribute the H1N1 vaccine to students. "I think it's a wonderful service provided by the Board of Education to help protect the kids from H1N1 at no cost to them."said school nurse Alice Scotten. According to Scotten, most students have not returned their forms.   "I think some people are taking care of it on their own and some may feel they don't want it yet, I'm not even sure that they were taken home to be signed," said Scotten. Even thought students have not returned the forms, the school is still taking precautions.   "If [sick students] aren't in school, that's good. If it does get to this, we will monitor them, and check the students at the door, but we expect you to stay home if you're sick," said Lugo. Along with the precautions, both Lugo and Sawyer feel the plan will be effective. "I think it's a great plan, because education will continue even though the students aren't in the building," said Lugo.

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