Pandemic Information For OSCAR Programmes

Our country is currently experiencing an Influenza (H1N1) Pandemic on top of our normal flu season. This is a good time to review your policies and procedures around health and hygiene at your OSCAR programme.

OSCAR services are in the same category as schools in terms of their susceptibility to many viruses and influenza, which can be readily spread by children.

Providing A Safe And Clean Environment At OSCAR
To help minimize the risk of a serious outbreak a number of measures can be instigated:

• Encourage children or staff members that are unwell to stay at home,
• Put measures in place so that you have cover for staff if they are unwell and ensure that you have a sick child policy in place,
• Identify the procedures that you will follow if a child becomes sick whilst in your care,
• Discuss where the best place would be to settle the child to minimize their contact with other children while their parent/caregiver is called to collect them,
• Ensure you have up to date parent/caregiver contact details and an emergency contact for each child,
• Check that your First Aid kit is also equipped with protective gear i.e. gloves and face mask for your staff members,

Evidence suggests that some basic measures will slow down the spread of viruses. Therefore it is important that you introduce and promote basic hygiene practices at your programme.

Encouraging Good Hygiene Practices At OSCAR
The single most important measure to reduce the risk of transmitting infection from one person to another is hand washing and drying.

Encourage all children (and staff) to wash their hands:

• Before and after they eat,
• After going to the bathroom,
• After any other activity that involves hand to face contact.

Promote the following good practice for washing hands:

• Wet hands, preferably with warm water and apply liquid soap,
• Rub hands vigorously together and rub all areas,
• Wash for 20 seconds (about the same time as it takes to sing Happy Birthday),
• Rinse well and dry hands thoroughly,
• Ensure you have adequate supplies of soap and anti-bacterial hand sanitizers,
• Provide paper towels (if possible) to dry hands with or if using hand towels ensure these are washed regularly,
• Place hand washing instructions in all toilets,

Additionally, you should also promote the following good practices:

• Encourage children and staff to keep their hands away from their eyes, mouth and nose,
• Provide tissues for use of children and staff,
• Encourage children to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze (then clean their hands),
• Get children to put used tissues in a rubbish bin, preferably with a lid and lined with a plastic bag,
• Ensure all surfaces that are regularly touched with hands are cleaned with disinfectant regularly i.e. benches, door handles, taps,
• Ensure all food preparation areas are cleaned before and after use,
• Develop a roster to ensure that all toys are cleaned on a regular basis,
• Provide staff with disposable gloves to use when cleaning,
• Discourage the sharing of drink bottles, cups, dishes and cutlery.
• Ensure used cups are put into a separate container.
• Ensure used cups are washed with soap and hot water after use. Dishwashers are great if you can afford one.
• Ensure your facilities are adequately ventilated i.e. open windows to ensure fresh air

Plan Of Action
A number of people in New Zealand have now been identified as having H1N1 flu. There are warnings that this number will keep increasing, and in fact climb rapidly. With this in mind it is important for OSCAR programmes to plan their response to the pandemic’s affect on their organisation.

It is important to open up lines of communication within your communities. Keep in contact with your contributing schools and check out the following websites and brochures for more information. They will help you develop a plan of action. It is also important to discuss the effects of a possible closure with your staff and families.

More Information
Ministry of Education information about being prepared for a pandemic
Ministry of Health flu and pandemic information
Work and Income pandemic information
Ministry of Health Getting Ready For A Pandemic (1MB)

Pandemic Cover - Insurance Policy
The OSCAR Cover Policy provides loss of income resulting from an action taken by a lawful authority following an out break of any infectious notifiable disease under the Health Act 1956 and its amendments, resulting in the ordered closure of the premises. Swine Flu was officially added to the list of notifiable diseases on 29 April 2009.

Cover is limited to 25% of the annual turnover with a maximum limit of $250,000 at anyone site or location. The policy excess is 14 days immediately following the ordered closure of the premises.

For more information please contact Gary Thomas at Crombie Lockwood email or freephone 0800 765 429.

Remember that viruses and influenza can be easily spread through contact with infected people but if you introduce good hygiene practices this risk can be minimised.

Help keep the children in your care healthy by practising good hygiene at your OSCAR programme.