The first Federal Way Public School has been closed due to a Swine Flu scare.
Dear Federal Way Public Schools Students, Families and Staff:
We have received notification from the King County Health Department that a student at Woodmont Elementary has a highly probable case of H1N1 Influenza (“swine flu”). The Health Department is ordering the building to be closed for seven days beginning tomorrow. Parents have been asked to keep their students home. School will re-open on Friday, May 8, however – because this is a non-student day – students will return to school on Monday, May 11.
Obviously, the H1N1 Flu situation continues to change quickly. It’s not unlikely that we will see more cases of H1N1 Flu and school closures in our district. Federal Way Public Schools staff members are working closely with the local, state, and national health agencies to investigate any illnesses and/or infections. While this is a time to prepare, it’s not time to panic. Local health authorities report that most H1N1 cases in the United States are similar to regular seasonal influenza common each winter. Most people have uncomplicated infections that get better without medical treatment, although some people can have more serious infections.
In 2005, when “bird flu” concerns emerged, the State Department of Health, OSPI, and other state and local agencies created a multi-step plan to deal with a possible pandemic. That plan is helping schools and government agencies decide a course of action as this flu outbreak runs its course.
Read the full letter on Federal Way Public School’s website. What’s missing from this letter is what exactly parents are supposed to do unilt May 11. So, if you’re a Woodmont parent, what will you be doing for the next week?
