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Nuño Mayer: No Justification to Close Schools for Influenza

The News

60226047. México, 26 Feb. 2016 (Notimex-Javier Lira).- El titular de la SEP, Aurelio Nuño Mayer, manifestó el compromiso del gobierno federal de pagar de manera oportuna a los constructores que intervengan en el Programa Escuelas al Cien, al firmar como testigo de honor el convenio entre Héctor Gutiérrez de la Garza, director general del Instituto Nacional de Infraestructura Física Educativa, y Gustavo Arballo Luján, presidente nacional de la Cámara de la Industria de la Construcción NOTIMEX/FOTO/JAVIER LIRA OTERO/JLO/EDU/

The installation of sanitary filters in schools is sufficient enough to prevent the spread of influenza, and there is no need to close schools because we are not facing an epidemic, said Secretary of Public Education Aurelio Nuño Mayer.

He explained that, with the mechanism, “a teacher checks a child that arrives whether he is sick or not, if it is detected the child has the flu or something similar, they are asked to go home. This filter has been instructed to be implemented in all schools in the country.”

Nuño Mayer said that the SEP will verify and ask the local authorities to follow the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health and the SEP to prevent further spread of infection, since it is them who are responsible for the implementation.

He insisted that both the SEP and the Ministry of Health have concluded that there are no conditions or justification for the closure of schools at this moment.

Both federal agencies request schools abide by these preventive actions:

1. Organize school admission filters for the purpose of detecting students who have fever and symptoms of respiratory disease, in order to send them home to receive medical care.

2. The school principal will be responsible for organizing the school admission filter, and should include the strengthening of hygiene and sanitation on campus alongside the inspection of students, as well as the promoting messages of good hygiene.

3. To emphasize the following recommendations to parents:

               a. Consult medical attention for their sick children and avoid self-medication

               b. Avoid exposing sick children to sudden temperature changes or crowded places.

               c. Make sure children are eating fruits and vegetables and drinking plenty of liquids.

               d. Do not expose children to tobacco smoke, and ensure other family members are healthy, without symptoms.

4. At this moment, do not suspend school or school activities as a closure is not yet justified.

 

 

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