Closing schools most effective against swine flu: WHO

Closing schools most effective against swine flu: WHO
Friday, September 11 04:25 pm

The World Health Organisation said on Friday that studies indicate school closures show the "greatest benefits" against the spread of the swine flu virus when implemented early in the outbreak.

While the UN health agency would not issue a definitive guidance on whether or not school closures should be implemented, it said the measure could cut health care demand by up to 50 percent at the peak of the pandemic.

"The timing of school closure is critically important," said the WHO in a note detailing measures that can be taken in schools to reduce the impact of the A(H1N1) pandemic.

"Modelling studies suggest that school closure has its greatest benefits when schools are closed very early in an outbreak, ideally before one percent of the population falls ill," it added.

Its main benefit lies in slowing the spread of the virus. This is most important when the number of people requiring medical care "threatens to saturate or overwhelm health care capacity," said the WHO.

The measure can also buy some time for countries to secure provisions of vaccines and drugs to fight the A(H1N1) virus, from which at least 2,837 people have died since it was uncovered in April.

However, if schools are closed too late into the outbreak, there would be little effect in limiting the spread of the flu, added the WHO.

As schools and health ministries weigh up the benefits of school closure in case of an outbreak, the UN health agency also pointed out that potentially high economic and social costs are tied to such a measure.

Studies show that school closures can lead to the absence of 16 percent of the workforce as parents stay home to take care of their children, it said.

These parents could include doctors and nurses, and this measure could therefore inadvertently bring about a disruption in health care provision at a time when such care is most needed, said the WHO.