200 hit by ‘flu
at one school
by John Hendon
AN outbreak of influenza resulted in more than 200 pupils from one Warrington being off school.
Virtually a whole year was missing at William Beamont High School, in Long Lane.
Tests for ?flu on the youngsters at first proved negative. But further laboratory testing has confirmed that seven pupils who became ill at the school were suffering from Influenza B virus, indicating that other pupils who were off school with similar symptoms were also suffering from that type of ?flu.
Influenza B is a milder form of ?flu but one which, like all forms of ?flu, can in rare cases lead to serious complications.
Influenza B is a less common form of ?flu that is more likely to affect children and younger adults than older people who may have come across the strain previously and developed immunity to it.
Symptoms in the current outbreak are fever, headache, cough and sore throat.
Outbreaks with similar symptoms have been reported in schools in Yorkshire and the North of Scotland.
Education chiefs in Warrington say absence through sickness levels at other schools across the borough have been no more than usual for this time of year.
But information received by Warrington-Worldwide suggests that significant numbers of pupils with similar symptoms have had time off at numerous other schools across the borough.
Dr Nick Phin, consultant in health protection with the Health Protection Agency’s Cheshire and Merseyside Unit, said: “There are normally very low levels of influenza B circulating in the community, which is why many youngsters have no immunity to it. When it gets into tight-knit communities such as schools it can therefore spread rapidly. Fortunately, in most cases the symptoms are generally milder than those of the more common Influenza A virus.”
Although attendances at William Beamont High School are returning to normal following the outbreak, letters are being sent to all parents to advise them of the situation. The letter also contains information on influenza, its symptoms and how to avoid ?flu.
Parents are advised to keep sick children off school for five days from the on-set of illness to avoid spreading the infection to classmates. The leaflet states that the best way to treat flu is to:
Stay at home, keep warm and rest as this will speed up recovery.
Drink plenty non-alcoholic liquids to replace fluid lost in sweating.
Eat what you can.
A health spokesman said: ?The key to avoiding ?flu is careful hand-washing and the careful disposal of tissues. People with ?flu are advised to stay away from work or school to avoid infecting others and they should cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing.
?Paracetamol can be used to relieve pain, but aspirin should not be given to children under 16 years old. There is generally no need to consult a doctor if you have flu unless you are frail or elderly, your temperature doesn?t settle after four or five days or you symptoms are getting worse.
?It is best to discuss symptoms over the phone so that you do not take infection into your doctor’s surgery or to an Accident and Emergency Department.?
Urgent advice or treatment can be obtained from the Warrington Out-of-Hours Healthcare Service on 01925-650999.
Advice is also available 24-hours-a-day from NHS Direct on 0845-4647.
Protestors pack
public meeting
by Gary Skentelbery
HUNDREDS of protestors packed into a public meeting when proposals to rebuild Stockton Heath Primary School were outlined by the borough council’s interim operational director of education Tim Warren.
Mr Warren was given a tough ride by those opposing the scheme to demolish the school as part of a ?4m re-development.
More than 5,000 people have now signed a petition calling for the existing school to be refurbished, rather than demolished and replaced.
Mr Warren told the packed meeting that demolition of the existing school would cost less than refurbishment, would cause less disruption to pupils and provide better facilities.
Stockton Heath Parish Council has voted 7-5 in favour of demolition, which led to the resignation of local councillor Patrick Mullee, who is one of the leading light sin the campaign to save the school.
Nearly everyone who attended the meeting at Bridgewater High School opposed demolition, especially after Mr Warren revealed that the structure of the existing main building was basically sound and had many more years use available in it.
But Mr Warren says the new build option meets all of the reasonable aspirations of the staff, governors and partners, whereas the remodelled option could not because of restrictions imposed by the existing building.
He added that the governing body unanimously supported the new build option which could be achieved from the available resoucres – whereas the remodelled version would cost ?500,000 more.
The remodelling would also take longer to implement with greater disruption to children.
Fans pay tributes
to lifelong fan
by Gary Skentelbery
FOLLOWERS of Warrington Rugby League Club have been paying their last respects to lifelong fan Ernie Day, who passed away recently aged 87.
Ernie was well known in the town for the many years hard work he carried out compiling statistics of every players playing record in the primrose and blue.
In later years he was assisted by Gary Slater from the Daily Telegraph and Stan Lewandowski, treasurer of the Warrington Past Players Association.
Ernie’s statistics have now been passed on to Stan, who has been following Warrington since he was 11 in 1969.
Ernie started his collection of club records when he started to research Brian Bevan’s try scoring record of 740 tries in 620 games for warrington – which is still a world try scoring record which will never be broken.
Ernie started his love affair with Warrington in the 1920’s and spent many hours going over documents in Warrington library to help compile his records, which confirm that warrington are the only club that has played in the top flight of the sport during their 125 years of history.
Those who attended Ernie’s funeral included Club Vice President Clarrie Owen, Head Coach Paul Cullen and Billy Mather who represented Halifax PPA and played in the 1954 Odsal replay when warrington won the Challenge Cup in front of a record breaking crowd exceeding 120,000.
Ernie bravely battled with health problems ever since being a PoW in the Far East during the Second World War.
MP wants increased
rights for mothers
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has called for increased rights for those claiming maternity leave.
The MP was speaking in a House of Commons debate on the Work and Families Bill.
Currently six months is classed as ordinary maternity leave and six months as additional maternity leave. From 2007 three months of the additional maternity leave will be paid.
A mother has the right to her job back if She returns to work after ordinary maternity leave but only ?if reasonably Practical? if she returns after additional maternity leave. In such cases the mother is only entitled to a job which is not ?substantially less favourable?.
Ms Jones said: “Evidence is accumulating that, particularly in the retail trade, women are being offered jobs on very different hours from those that they had previously worked which can cause huge difficulties for them. In Addition those claiming additional maternity leave don’t qualify for tax credits which impacts most on poorer families. I hope the government will look again at these issues as the bill progresses through Parliament.”
In addition the MP tackled the problems faced by fathers who tragically lose their partners in childbirth. Currently a father facing this situation is only entitled to two weeks’ paid paternity leave and four weeks’ unpaid leave.
Ms
Jones said: “I am calling on the government to transfer the mother’s rights to leave to the father in such circumstances. This will help those families at what will be a terribly stressful time and prevent fathers from being forced to leave work to care for their children and possible fall into the poverty trap.”
Practical workshop
on baby massage
by staff reporter
STUDENTS on the BTEC Early Years pathway at Warrington?s Priestley College were given a unique opportunity to aid their studies with a practical workshop.
The group who are all studying the complementary therapies module took part in an interactive session where they were shown the skills of baby massage and discussed the benefits to both child and parents.
The workshop followed on from a previous assignment when they looked at colour, aroma and play therapies with a view to giving the students a thorough understanding of complimentary treatments in childcare which are now encouraged nationally.
Bev Whittaker, curriculum manager for the college’s Early Years, Education and Health & Social Care Department commented saud: “We always encourage professionals to visit us here on campus in order to share their expertise.
“This allows the students to get a more rounded understanding of the subject in question and obviously makes learning much more fun.”
The group are visiting both the Children’s Ward and the Special Baby Unit at Warrington Hospital to deliver presents and a spot of Christmas cheer at what can be a very trying time for those confined to a bed over the festive period.
Christian Aid
moves into town
by staff reporter
CHRISTIAN Aid has opened a new North West office in Warrington.
The charity, which is the official relief and development agency for the churches in the UK and Ireland, decided to move its regional office to Froghall Lane, Warrington.
It was officially opened by Dr Glory Alexander, head of the ASHA Foundation, which works with people living with HIV/AIDS in Bangalore, India.
Christian Aid works on long term development projects where the need is greatest, working with people and communities regardless of race or creed. Today it works in over 50 of the world’s poorest countries. For more information visit www.christianaid.org.uk
The regional office telephone number is 01925 241222.
