Minister: Parents first defense against swine flu
Officials unveil strategy to fight virus
The Health and Education ministries stressed on Monday the “pivotal” role of parents in combating the spread of the A(H1N1) virus, adding that the both ministries will publish a detailed pamphlet on the virus.
“A big responsibility lies on the parents because they are the ones to judge if their children are infected on not,” caretaker Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh told reporters during a news conference to reveal a nationwide strategy to combat the spread of the virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, in Lebanese schools.
Khalifeh said his ministry, in association with the Education Ministry, will issue a pamphlet containing general information about the virus, including symptoms. He added that the pamphlet will “detail the role of each component of the society” in avoiding the spread of the virus.
“More than one million copies of the pamphlet will be distributed all across Lebanon,” Khalifeh said.
The health minister said parents who notice the symptoms of swine flu in their children” are strongly urged “not to send them to school.”
In addition to Khalifeh, the news conference was attended by caretaker Education Minister Bahia Hariri, Director General of the Health Ministry Walid Ammar, Director General of the Education Ministry Fadi Yarak, head of the Order of Physicians Sleiman Haroun, and representative of the World Health Organization Elisar Radi, in addition to representatives from the Teachers Union, public and private schools, and the secretary general of Catholic Schools, Father Fadi Tabet.
Both Khalifeh and Hariri stressed the need to embrace precautionary measures, “but without panicking.”
Khalifeh said avoiding the spread of the virus demanded team work. “The parents, the school, and the authorities should join forces,” he said.
He added that hand-washing was the first step toward curbing the spread of swine flu, “because studies have showed that the virus spreads through contact before the breath.”
Khalifeh said his ministry would not adopt a swine flu vaccination, “before clinical tests prove its effectiveness.”
On Sunday, Hariri said there would be no delays in starting the 2009-10 academic year, and stressed that there was no need to panic. Catholic Schools meanwhile will start the school year on October 1, according to Father Tabet.
Tabet urged all private schools to start on October 1, “to allow ample time for the administration and teachers to receive training on how to avoid the spread of the A(H1N1) virus.”
Public schools are due to kick off the school year on October 8.
Over half of all swine flu fatalities worldwide have been among young adults, a survey published by Eurosurveillance, the monitoring arm of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, found in late August. The study of 574 virus deaths in 28 countries also deduced that obesity or diabetes further increased likelihood of death.
Also on Monday, the Social Affairs Ministry distributed to all Service Centers affiliated with the ministry across Lebanon detailed information concerning the virus A(H1N1), including symptoms and prevention.
The ministry also urged centers to “help the society counter the virus.”