austraLasia #2450

"Classes Suspended from June 22 to July 1"

MANDALUYONG: 29th June 2009 -- The notice on the Don Bosco Technical College website on 22nd June was to the point: "This is to inform you that we have decided (albeit on short notice now to you) to suspend classes starting at noon time today. This is in compliance with the Health Advisory given by the Department of Health. With already one confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) case in our community, we have moved to Response Level 3 in the said advisory, which implies precisely the suspension of classes".
    The Rector, Fr Martin Macasaet, explained to austraLasia, that  while it is "nothing at all like in Don Bosco's times (1854 - cholera), or the Middle Ages (Black Death), of course", the College nevertheless felt it needed to take action. "The percentage of those who are fully recovering, in fact, is high: 85%. We are lucky to get only a mild strain of the virus here", he added, indicating that the Church in Manila had given an 'Oratio imperata' of its own, given the general feeling of panic in the city.  At least one other Salesian school, in Pampanga, has taken similar action of suspending classes.
    DBTC Mandaluyong has given lengthy consideration to the necessary steps to be taken in response to the Flu outbreak. The school year only began on 15th June and already they have had to face a major health challenge.
    The Rector wrote to all members of the educative community on 15th June telling them: "Aside from [these] standard procedures to ensure the safety of everyone here in our school and training center, we are organizing a forum with a local expert (as part of a heightened information and awareness campaign). We have invited Dr. Anthony Faraon of the Zuellig Family Foundation to talk to us about the current issues surrounding the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, this coming Friday, June 19, 2009. We are setting this at 2:00 pm, and the venue will be upstairs in the Savio Auditorium".  When students do return on 2nd July they and their parents will receive a third notification which will point out, amongst other things, that "we have carried out the necessary steps for a top-to-bottom clean-up, fumigation, decontamination, disinfection and sanitation of our buildings and facilities. Along with this assurance that we are indeed continuing to be on our toes when it comes to everyone’s health, safety and security, let me take advantage of this chance also to strongly reiterate the need for a renewed and heightened campaign for awareness and behavioral change". The letter will then detail elements of this 'behavioral change' in terms of personal hygiene, stress and lifestyle management and, as can be expected from a Salesian school, "storming heaven" for God's protection through the intercession of MHC, DB and the other Saints of the Salesian Family.
    It is interesting to note that the Influenza A[H1N1] strain is different from most strains in that it affects the young, and particularly young adults, rather than children and the elderly. Hence the closure of schools is seen as one of the more responsible approaches to take to protect wider society from the pandemic.

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Title: australasia 2450
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces FIN Swine Flu
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2450