Pandemic Influenza Psychosocial Impact in Schools

Schoolhouse Pandemic All students with “flu-like” symptoms please report to the Health Office at this time.

Pandemic Alert Periods Prepare and distribute educational materials to support psychological & social (psychosocial) reaction to a pandemic event Prepare and distribute educational materials to support psychological & social (psychosocial) reaction to a pandemic event Support workforce resilience and personal resilience through information and expertise Support workforce resilience and personal resilience through information and expertise Reinforce self-care strategies Reinforce self-care strategies

Pandemic Period Deliver psychosocial support services to staff and families Deliver psychosocial support services to staff and families Provide staff with up-to-date information on local, regional, and national status Provide staff with up-to-date information on local, regional, and national status Provide guidance on anticipated reactions and potential health care matters such as quarantine Provide guidance on anticipated reactions and potential health care matters such as quarantine

Psychosocial Issues for School Personnel Concern about children and family Concern about children and family Constant pressure to keep performing Constant pressure to keep performing Domestic pressures caused by school closures Domestic pressures caused by school closures Stress of working with symptomatic others Stress of working with symptomatic others Difficulty maintaining self-care Difficulty maintaining self-care Fear of contagion & transmitting to others Fear of contagion & transmitting to others

Exacerbated by… Lack of information or misinformation Lack of information or misinformation Loss of faith in health institutions Loss of faith in health institutions Mass casualties and death among children Mass casualties and death among children Belief that resources are not available Belief that resources are not available Personal resiliency to stressors Personal resiliency to stressors

Psychosocial Issues for Families of School Personnel Staff may be tired, worried, irritable, etc. Staff may be tired, worried, irritable, etc. Staff may be less optimistic and understanding Staff may be less optimistic and understanding Increased emergency workload may complicate communication with family Increased emergency workload may complicate communication with family Family members may be at risk of contagion Family members may be at risk of contagion

Impact on School Personnel Increased risk of exposure Increased risk of exposure Illness & death among children and staff Illness & death among children and staff Ethical dilemmas – DSW status Ethical dilemmas – DSW status Frustration with “business as usual” Frustration with “business as usual” Physical isolation associated with Physical isolation associated with infection control

Lessons Learned from Tsunami Relief Effort Even seasoned care-givers may experience uneasiness Even seasoned care-givers may experience uneasiness Working outside of area of expertise Working outside of area of expertise Timely, accurate, and candid information should be shared Timely, accurate, and candid information should be shared Self-help activities are essential Self-help activities are essential Resiliency diminishes with death of children Resiliency diminishes with death of children

Psychosocial Remedy? Prepare Prepare Inform Inform Update Update Continuity Continuity