Dear Parent or Carer

In common with other schools and following advice from Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust and the Health Protection Agency, the school will remain open and operate as usual. This is in line with updated national guidance, which also recommends that preventative antiviral drugs are no longer routinely offered to large groups of school pupils. This approach has been adopted because as swine flu starts to circulate more freely in the local community, people may be exposed to the virus outside school, or as soon as they have finished a courseof drugs.

The most important advice we have been given is that children who have symptoms of flu-like illness should stay away from the school until they have recovered and are free of symptoms. This is to avoid spreading the infection as much as possible.

You can check any symptoms online at www.nhs.uk or call the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513. If you are still concerned, stay at home and call your GP, who may suggest a course of antiviral drug treatment. This is designed to reduce the symptoms and help a quicker recovery.

If your doctor does advise antiviral treatment for a child, please let the school know as soon as possible. It’s important to point out that the vast majority of people who have swine flu make a quick recovery at home. However, you should do what you can to prevent the infection from being spread to others by ensuring your family take some simple precautions:

• Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible.
• Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
• Washing your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to your face or to other people.
• Cleaning hard surfaces (such as door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
• Making sure your children follow this advice.

We will keep you updated on the school website.

Yours sincerely

Ben Baxter

Headteacher