Halifax school board readies flu pandemic plan

Nova Scotia's largest school board is preparing a swine flu pandemic plan that calls forschools to stay open but extra-curricular activities to be scaled back.

The Halifax Regional School Board has drafted a 13-page plan for dealing with the virus, also known as H1N1, this fall.

Board spokesman Doug Hadley said the plan is to restrict non-essential services such as school trips and facility rentals. Schools could be closed, butthat wouldbea last resort.

Hadley told CBC News that provincial public health officials recommend that schools remain open. If not, he said, officials wouldn't be able to track how many students were sick.

"We know sending students home, especially when they get a little bit older, they're not as likely to stay at home. They're still likely to get out into the community and to congregate, and then there's just no way of knowing truly how much this pandemic could be affecting us," said Hadley.

Hadley said the school board would draw from a pool of 1,000 substitutes to maintain staffing levels, should teachers fall sick.

Board officials plan to work closely with the Nova Scotia Department of Education and the Capital District Health Authority to finalize a pandemic plan for September.

Parents can expect to find the final document on the school board's website before Sept. 2.

Four students at King's-Edgehill private school in Windsor became ill with the swine flu in April. They were amongthe firstconfirmed cases of the virus in Canada.

As of Monday,the number of confirmed cases in the province had climbed to 282. Eight people have been hospitalized.

Health officials said there have been more severe cases in Nova Scotia, though most continue to be like the typical flu.

Peopleare urged to protect themselves by:

• Washing hands thoroughly.
• Coughing, sneezing into sleeves.
• Avoiding public areas if sick.
• Disinfecting doorknobs and counters frequently.