Health Friendly Air Blog

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises the following: Stay home when sick: Students should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, even if they are using antiviral drugs. » Student or staff who appear to have a flulike illness should be sent to a separate room until they can be sent home. » Wash hands frequently with soap and water. » Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Use a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available. » Schools should routinely clean areas that are used frequently.

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With the current swine flu pandemic, it is especially important that a child's asthma is well controlled before returning to school, according to the Asthma Society of Ireland. The Society says that although people with asthma are no more likely to catch swine flu than anyone else, if they do catch a respiratory infection like swine flu it could add to any breathing difficulties they already have due to asthma. The Asthma Society, in a publicity campaign with Manchester United footballer John O'Shea, is urging parents of children with asthma to visit their GP to ensure their child's condition is controlled before returning to school next week. Children's asthma can worsen as the school term begins due to exposure to colds and viruses, excitement or stress and managing their own medication for the first time.

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Along with the risk of a breakdown in essential business operations due to high sickness absence from the swine flu this winter it seems employers may also face the possibility of legal action from employees. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 states that employers have a responsibility to protect their employees as much as is reasonably possible. If an employer breaches that in any respect, they may be liable to claims for personal injuries. Employment law experts are advising that extra precautions should, therefore, be taken during the swine flu pandemic. Employers need to be fully aware of how they can protect employees from swine flu while at work. Measures include hygiene and cleaning measures, when to send employees home and staff awareness training on the facts and the risks of swine flu www.healthfriendlyair/swineflu

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Ireland, Dublin: The health friendly air division of Allergy Standards Group, an international healthcare testing and certification company based in Dublin has developed a unique 3 step approach to manage the spread of Swine flu (H1N1) within the workplace.

Swine flu (H1N1) is currently at pandemic level in Ireland and The Department of Health has warned that up to 1m people could become infected with swine flu in Ireland over this autumn and winter.

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