Swine flu confirmed at Southampton school (From Daily Echo)

Swine flu confirmed at Southampton school

1:10pm Friday 26th June 2009 in

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HEALTH chiefs have defended the decision not to close a Hampshire school where a case of swine flu has today been confirmed.

Concerned parents at Tanners Brook Junior School in Southampton have today been meeting with staff after a Year 6 pupil was diagnosed with the potentially lethal disease.

The Daily Echo understands that all children in the year group have been issued with the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, and many pupils have been withdrawn from lessons by parents as a precaution.

The child with swine flu was last week on a five-day residential trip to Devon with the school, and it is believed another pupil is awaiting test results after also displaying symptoms.

While parents were at the school this morning, another four youngsters were put in face masks and taken for examination after displaying flu-like symptoms.

Anxious parents are now faced with a decision over whether or not to keep their children in lessons, but are confused about why the school has not shut.

Earlier this week, Verwood CE First school, on the edge of the New Forest, closed after a Year 4 pupil was diagnosed with the potentially fatal A/H1N1 strain of the disease.

Health chiefs today insisted the decision not to close Tanners Brook had been taken following a thorough assessment of the school, which concluded it would be “inappropriate” to shut.

Southampton’s director of public health, Dr Andrew Mortimore said: “I would like to reassure parents of pupils at the school that the local NHS has robust plans in place to manage this outbreak.

“The relevant year group is being treated with anti-viral medication as a precaution to prevent the spread of the virus, and the Health Protection Agency has advised that the school remains open.

“We have been liaising with the Health Protection Agency, the school and the Local Education Authority to ensure that parents’ concerns are being addressed.”

Parents received letters home yesterday saying there was a “probable” case at Tanners Brook, on Elmes Drive, Millbrook, and hours later all those with children in Year 6 were called at home to tell them it was confirmed.

But mums and dads with youngsters in other year groups arrived at the school gates this morning unaware of the latest development.

“There were whispers in the playground, but if we hadn’t asked we wouldn’t have known until another letter came home at the end of the day,” one mother, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Echo.

"All the parents are absolutely fuming that this is going on - we're really cross that we don't know what's going on.

"Do we go in and take our kids out, or do we wait to see if this second case is confirmed.

"If there is a second case, are they going to shut the school then? They jolly well should do.

"They've given Tamiflu to Year 6 kids, but what about the others?

"My daughter has friends in that year, and they all play together closely in the playground, they share the same toilets, they eat lunch together.”

Another parent with a child in Year 6, who also asked for her name to be withheld, said this morning’s meeting had been reassuring, but she still has major concerns about the situation.

“They haven’t shut the school, but I’m keeping my son home because his brother has a low immune system so I don’t want to take the risk,” she said.

“The mood among parents is of concern I think, more than anything. It’s quite a shock – the last thing you expect to happen really.

“I think they should close the school, but as they’re not I’m just trying to eliminate the risk of my kids getting it.”

The school said it is unable to comment on the situation, and Southampton City Council, which runs the school, said only that it is taking advice from the relevant health authorities.