June, 2009

Greetings from the Health Office.

Because of the recent WHO reports regarding H1N1 influenza outbreaks around the world and news stories about H1N1 influenza cases in the Kobe and Osaka area, the Health Office wants to reassure parents, faculty and staff that we are in daily contact with Higashinada Ward Public Health officials monitoring the situation. We receive continual updates on what is happening not only in the Kobe area but in and around Japan and the world. Since students returned to CA from the Golden Week holiday we have been monitoring students who have been absent to check on how they are doing. During that time we also sent ill children home who had fever with understanding from parents, faculty and administrators that student work can be made up. We have followed up on all of these students as well.

If you have any other questions, please check the information regarding CA's Pandemic Response on the website set up for this. You can also phone us at any time in the Health Office at 078 857 1698.

As always, parents, should your child wake up not feeling well it is truly best for them to be at home. They cannot learn if they do not feel well. Should your child wake up with fever, severe sore throat, severe diarrhea, severe nausea, vomiting, red, itching and draining eyes or any other symptom that would impair their learning keep them at home. Also, please be aware that children need to be fever free for 24 hours before they can return to school. If your child is diagnosed with a communicable illness you must phone us in the Health Office at 078 857 1698 to make us aware of the situation. It is imperative that we know this information so we can inform the child's teacher and the parents of other students in the class. This is especially important as we monitor students for symptoms of the H1N1 influenza.

TB testing at Canadian Academy was completed on May 12. Parents will be notified by the Ministry of Health of the outcome of your child's testing in approximately 2-3 weeks. If you have any questions, please feel free to phone us in the Health Office at 078 857 1698 anytime between 8:00am-4:00pm.

In addition, regarding the regular yearly ongoing TB testing at Canadian Academy, by Japanese law, under the auspices of the Japanese Ministry of Education, a TB questionnaire for all CA students MUST be completed on a yearly basis. Once completed by parents and returned to the CA Health Office, all pertinent information is compiled and sent to Kobe City Health Department officials. It is always possible that students may need to have periodic chest x-rays done. Should you receive notification from the Kobe Health Department that your child needs to have a chest x-ray and you have questions about it, please feel free to phone us at 078 857 1698. We are happy to answer any questions for you.

At CA we have an ongoing list of students who are still in need of required vaccines. As you know, vaccines are given at staggered times over the course of a young child's age. When it is time for your child to receive another vaccine you will receive a reminder letter from the Health Office. Please obtain the vaccine for your child as soon as possible and stop by the Health Office with a record of when the vaccine was given. Any questions, call us.

As stated in earlier correspondences, the following requirements are still ongoing at CA:

All incoming Grade 9 students or new students to the high school will need to have a chest x-ray done prior to their beginning school. Written results from a physician must be provided to the CA Health Office. (The TB skin test is now not required for new high school students or incoming Grade 9 students, only the chest x-ray.)

All new non-high school students to CA must have a TB skin test within six months of beginning school with written results documented by a physician and provided to the CA Health Office. (See above.)

A yearly TB questionnaire will be sent to the parents of all students when school begins.

All new students to CA must provide the CA Health Office with a medical history form and a doctor's physical exam form within six months of beginning school. Your child will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities at CA unless we have this form.

Returning students entering Grade 6 and Grade 9 need to provide an up to date history form and a doctor's physical exam form to the CA Health Office when school begins in August. Your child will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities at CA unless we have this form.

The mandatory immunization requirements appropriate to your child's age at the time of admission with official documentation provided by a physician remains the same. (See the list below.) Please remember that many immunizations require multiple vaccines over an extended period of time. Compliance at the proper time for these vaccines is required as well.

Diptheria/Pertussis/Tetanus: 5 doses of DTaP by 6 years of age. Recommended schedule: DTaP at 2,4,and 6 months, between 12-18 months and between 4-6 years.

Measles: 1 dose administered after the child's first birthday(between 12-15 months) and a 2nd dose between 4-6 years of age.

Mumps:1 dose administered after the child's first birthday(between 12-15 months) and 2nd dose between 4-6 years of age.

Rubella:1 dose adminstered after the child's first birthday(between 12-15 months) and 2nd dose between 4-6 years of age.

Poliomyelitis: 4 doses by 6 years of age. Recommended schedule for IPV(Injectable Polio Vaccine) or OPV(Oral Polio Vaccine) at 2 and 4 months, between 6-18 months and between 4-6 years.

Hepatitis B vaccine: Three doses (series) Recommended schedule for infants: Administer betweenbirth-12 months, 1-4 months and 6-18 months. Recommended schedule for adults or older schildren: Administer initial vaccine, the second vaccine one month later, the third vaccine 6 months after initial vaccine.

'Catch-Up' immunization schedules for students who may have missed some earlier vaccines will be adhered to as well.

Should you have any question or concern regarding these changes please stop by or call us in the Health Office. Our direct line is 078 857 1698.

Kind regards,

Teresa Kassamali RN CA Health Office Coordinator