SSISD Student Confirmed
With Swine Flu

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Sulphur Springs ISD has reported its first case of confirmed H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu), when they learned on Tuesday, that a 3 1/2 year old student at the Early Childhood Learning Center had been reported with the disease, by a private reporting lab. "I was in contact with the doctor, who is treating the child, and he confirmed that the student had the disease," reported SSISD Superintendent Patsy Bolton. "We talked at length and went into a cautionary mode, to make certain that we minimize exposure to other students. However, I'm advising everyone to remain calm and to go about business as usual. It's not a time to panic!"

Bolton advised that they had instructed Faulk Company, the cleaning service for the district, to wipe-down the area at ECLC, in which the student had been in contact, on Tuesday night, with disinfectant. Then, they have provided classrooms in the SSISD with "Germex," a disinfectant, to use at anytime that a teacher detects any cause for prevention.

 

 

The student with the H1NI infection, also has an older sibling in the Sulphur Springs ISD, and that child attends Austin Elementary School. "The sibling tested negative for the virus, but we went ahead and had the cleaning service to use the same procedures in that school, as well," advised Bolton. "We just wanted to minimize any possiblity of spreading the disease and we're going to treat this like any other case of flu, and ask our parents, teachers, and students to act responsibly."

Bolton also indicated that parents could go to the SSISD website and find additional information, that might aid them in learning more about the disease and treatments.

"We don't feel that this is a major threat to our school system, but we want to take the cautionary measures to make certain that we minimize the effects that it can have toward our children," stated Bolton. "It is something else we just have to deal with and we're going to treat it with respect and make certain that our children are protected as much as we can provide them! We ask that parents not send students to school with the symptoms and to consult their doctors for treatment and necessary instructions. We'll be working closely with our health care professionals in making certain that we are doing things right!"

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