The Ministry of Health has advised that one case of Influenza A/H1N1 (swine flu) has been confirmed at the St Theresa’s Girls’ RC school in Woodbrook, while another suspected case has been reported at the school.

In light of this development, the Ministry of Health has advised the Ministry of Education to close down the school for the rest of the week.

The Ministry is urging parents to keep children with flu-like symptoms at home and seek medical advice as needed. All parents, teachers and students are urged to follow the established protocols from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, available at www.health.gov.tt and through the Ministry’s 800-WELL (9355) hotline.

Meanwhile, teachers at the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School, San Fernando, stayed away for a second day yesterday, demanding that the building ordered closed by the Health Ministry be sanitised.

Three cases of the Influenza A/ H1N1 virus were confirmed at the school last week and the building that houses the classrooms of the three children who tested positive for the virus were ordered closed.

Over the weekend the Ministry of Education, acting on the advice of the Ministry of Health, announced that Block One, which houses more than 50 per cent of the school’s 1,100 enrolment, was to remain closed until September 21 as a precautionary measure.

Peter Wilson, general secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), yesterday said, ’What the teachers are saying is that there were promises to sanitise that block and that has not been done although the toilets are also in that block.

’So they won’t be going back until the block is sanitised or reopened.’

He also said that there was a need for clearer communication between the Ministry of Education and the schools on the exact guidelines that they are to use in dealing with the Influenza A/ H1N1 virus in schools.

But president of the National Parent Teachers Association (NPTA), Zena Ramatali, yesterday said she was concerned over the boycotting of classes by teachers at the school.

Ramatali said teachers should not be taking such drastic measures when the Ministry of Health has not advised that they do because it would only lead to unnecessary panic.

’The Ministry of Health are the experts on this and they have things under control. They (the ministry) will not put the lives of the people at risk but when teachers take this type of action it will encourage parents and the children to also panic,’ she said.