North Somerset schools to open despite swine flu outbreaks
North Somerset Council says schools across the district will return on September 3, unless the Health Protection Agency tells them otherwise.
Prior to the end of the summer term, several schools were suffering from outbreaks of swine flu.
These included Priory Community School in Worle and Kings of Wessex in Cheddar.
Letters were sent home informing them of the situation but many decided to stay open.
North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said: "Schools will go back on Thursday, September 3, unless the Health Protection Agency advises them differently."
Schools are not the only premises which have suffered with swine flu, many businesses across North Somerset have also been affected.
The first outbreak came at Clerical Medical in Clevedon. North Somerset Council is also still experiencing staff off with the bug.
A total of 47 of its employees have now been affected and 33 remain off work because of either suspected or confirmed cases.
The council says 14 people returned to their offices after recovering, as of Friday last week.
Symptoms are similar to those of regular human seasonal influenza infection and include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing and sore throat. Some people with swine flu have also reported vomiting and diarrhoea.
Swine flu is contagious and it spreads between people, although it is not known how easily.
Testing has shown that the human swine influenza H1N1 can be treated with the antivirals oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).
Most of the previously reported swine influenza cases recovered fully from the disease without requiring medical attention and without antiviral medicines.
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