Infection control in church

Hi Ben


We observed that a number of our children in church falling ill (fever, flu, respiratory problems) & we thought we should encourage church members to be socially responsible.

We've already asked the cleaning lady to use dettol when cleaning the rooms and also thinking of placing face-mask & alcohol hand-rub at the entrance. We'll also ventilate the fellowship hall often. Are there anything else we can do? Posters, advisory?

Thanks.



Hi


Answers from http://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/qa.htm are quotes in blue

How does the flu spread?
Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

Flu spreads mainly person to person via air particles from coughing and running nose. So the most important is someone with fever + cough + running nose should avoid contact with others. Just fever alone should not be highly contagious.

Having face mask + alcohol hand rub is useful. But only if the sick knows how to use the mask and hand rub.

If someone is having fever + cough + running nose & still wants to come to church, he should put on a mask, sit outside alone in the fellowship hall during service. He can listen to the service on the TV. After service, probably after the message is over,  he should clean the table & then go home before everyone else comes out.

Studies have shown that human influenza viruses generally can survive on surfaces between 2 and 8 hours.

Cleaning tables before service is useless. Any virus from last week or from Sat fellowship service are  already dead on the table. Cleaning after everyone has left home is also useless in the same context.

How long is a person with flu virus contagious?The period when an infected person is contagious depends on the age and health of the person. Studies show that most healthy adults may be able to infect others from 1 day prior to becoming sick and for 5 days after they first develop symptoms. Some young children with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer than a week.

People with fever + cough + running nose should be isolated or not come to church / work / school. If it is only fever or just cough + running nose, the change of a highly infectious flu or the flu infectivity is much less but not 0%. Therefore for practical reasons drs tend to give mc only for the fever period. If dr gave 5 day mc for every flu attack or every cough or running nose,  our sick leave wont' be enough, and students will miss too many days of school. 

Occasionaly getting infected is good for the immune system. Like going some trials is good for the Christian soul. But saying this in public is politically incorrect.

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In my opinion

The best measure is education

1. Occasional announcements for people who are having fever + cough + running nose that they can stay outside in the fellowship hall for service. And don't mix around.

2. Forget the posters. They are distracting. Keep posters to the minimal like church camps posters, evangelism event posters. Too many posters are like too many advertisements.

3. Have face mask on demand or readily available. Don't enforce use

4. Have alcohol rubs readily available. Don't enforce use

5. Don't need extra cleaning. Dont' stress the cleaning lady unless she needs OT money.

6. With 300+ people every sunday, there will be at least 1 person who is having flu, or going to have flu. And it could be you or me. Don't go witch hunting or finger pointing. Keeping sick people out of church is incorrect. Jesus has a healing ministry. He is constantly surrounded by sick people. Most people don't understand disease processes. It is not their fault they are sick, it is not their desire to spread the virus.



Ben