THERE ARE no plans to close schools due to H1N1 even though half the children in a class in two Limassol schools have contracted the virus, the Health and Education Ministries said yesterday.
Both ministers confirmed there had been a small rise in cases, but assured the public that the situation was completely under control and there was at present no need to close schools down.
Education Minister Andreas Demetriou confirmed that new cases had appeared at Asgata Primary School in Limassol and a school in Agios Athanasios.
“Approximately half a class at both schools have become ill,” said the minister. “We are in cooperation with the Health Ministry, we are closely observing the matter and we are dealing with it very carefully so as to avoid panic.
We will make decisions depending on how the situation develops.”
Demetriou added that closing schools down was not an option for the time being. “And we won’t need to in the future either.”
Health Minister Christos Patsalides added: “All cases are of a very mild form, they didn’t have intense symptoms and the decision is that there is daily observation. Affected children will remain at their homes and wherever an additional intervention is needed, we will be ready, as we are observing the situation on a daily basis.”
He said the possibility of closing schools down was a matter that is constantly under evaluation by the EU. But there were reservations.
Regarding vaccinations, Patsalides explained that these would start once they have been clinically proven to be safe. “We have enough vaccinations to start the programme, but if we don’t have the safety green light from the EU, we will not rush into administering them. Especially as this has to do with children and no one is truly aware of the side effects.”
Dr Chrystalla Hadjianastasiou, the ministry official in charge of H1N1-related matters, told the Cyprus Mail that the issue was being closely observed and there was so far no call for concern.
“Seeing that the virus exists in the EU, it is natural that children will be among those affected,” she said. “We are closely observing the matter, we are in close cooperation with the Education Ministry and paediatricians visit the schools on a daily basis, while schools have intensified their hygiene regulations.
We are closely observing the cases and they are not of concern or serious.”
Commenting on a story by Phileleftheros newspaper yesterday, which claimed 55 per cent of a school in Limassol was absent due to the virus, Hadjianastasiou said: “When we are talking about a school of 36 children, the numbers aren’t as high as they may seem. We shouldn’t cause panic or sensationalise the matter unnecessarily.
The current cases aren’t serious, the virus is in its mildest form, so there’s need to make a big issue over this.”
If a child starts showing flu symptoms, Hadjianastasiou urges parents to take them straight to the doctor and seek the necessary treatment and keep them at home until the flu has subsided.
According to Phileleftheros, there is a school in the Limassol district of 36 children, of whom 10 have been confirmed to be infected with the flu and 10 are absent as a precautionary measure. Health and Education Ministry officials visited the school and deemed it unnecessary to stop its operation, for the time being at least.
The same was decided about another school of 16 children, again in Limassol, where only six pupils were present at the beginning of the week due to the virus.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has clarified its stance on school excursions and Christmas festivities, sending a circular to all schools to inform teachers that all will go ahead as normal.