News

Denise Johnston hopes the American public can spend next summer laughing at the threat that never was.

While not discounting that swine flu has infected roughly 2 million people nationwide and killed more than 500, Johnston said it would be nice if predictions about the impact the virus could turn out to be overblown.

The White House on Monday released a report from a group of presidential advisers that stated the return of the H1N1 flu virus this fall could infect half the U.S. population and kill as many as 90,000 people nationwide.

On Wednesday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told C-SPAN there's no evidence that the impact will be that drastic if the virus doesn't change.

Because they believe the number of swine flu cases will multiply as students return to the classroom, health experts are pressing school officials to address the issue.

The mother of three boys attending Burrell School District schools, Johnston indicated that her main concerns are staying abreast of the latest swine flu developments and not worrying about a pandemic until it presents itself.

"I'm not that excited about it right now," the Bon Air Elementary School PTA president said. "But if something starts to spread through the district, then I will get excited about it."

Johnston said she's using the flu threat to emphasize the importance maintaining good hygiene habits when she talks to her boys.

"I'm just hoping that this is a good opportunity to reiterate to all of our students: 'Wash your hands and do it properly,' " she said.

Officials with Alle-Kiski Valley school districts are working to educate staff, students and parents on how to prevent spreading the flu and respond if someone displays symptoms.

Students in every Alle-Kiski Valley district will be back in the classroom after summer break by Sept. 8.

Without even a suspected case of swine flu in Armstrong County, officials with the Armstrong School District are planning for the worst as they prepare for students to return Monday.

District officials said this week they are "taking steps to prevent and mitigate the spread of H1N1 influenza" by adhering to federal guidelines released this month.

Among the federal governments recommendations are stay home when sick; separate ill students and staff; wash hands; cover coughs; clean surfaces routinely; get vaccinated.

"(Our) district will take precautions for the swine flu as we have in the past for other illnesses, primarily by providing information," Allegheny Valley School District spokeswoman Jan Zastawniak said.

Zastawniak said district officials would offer staff, students and parents printed material from the Allegheny County Health Department about H1N1 and make that information available on the district's Web site.

The county health department's Web site recommends the same actions that the federal government is suggesting.

Officials with districts such as Freeport Area and Franklin Regional said their plans were the same.

"Our plan is to treat this like any other flu and see how we need to respond," Franklin Regional spokeswoman Shelley Shaneyfelt said.

This week's advice from Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was that schools should prepare to offer school lessons — in hard copy or online form — to infected students stuck at home.

Most local districts already have programs in place to educate students facing lengthy absences, said officials with schools across the Valley's four-county area.

"Procedures are in place for students who are off long periods of time," Freeport Area School District spokesman Todd O'Shell said. "We currently have the technological ability to provide students and parents access to assignments and homework if (students) are not able to attend school."

• Most Read
• Most E-mailed
• Latest News