Planning for Pandemic Flu: Checklists for Schools

As part of the President’s National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the US Department of Education have developed checklists that can assist childcare and preschools; school districts; and colleges and universities in developing and/or improving plans to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic. The checklists identify key tasks for schools and districts to address, including:

Planning and Coordination;

Continuity of Student Learning and Core Operations;

Infection Control Policies and Procedures; and,

Communications Planning.

While directed to school districts, the School District (K-12) Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist is also a valuable resource for private elementary and secondary schools as they develop plans for preparing and responding to an influenza pandemic. We encourage private schools to examine this checklist and to collaborate with public school counterparts and state and health officials in the development of their plans. In fact, the checklist includes a recommendation that school districts share what they have learned from developing their preparedness and response plans with private schools in order to improve community response efforts.

To access the checklists for planning for pandemic flu, go to: www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab5.html.

For more information on pandemic flu readiness, click on: www.pandemicflu.gov.