Secondary: Rapid Response Assemblies


Swine flu
By Ronni Lamont

If necessary, please update this rapid response assembly when you use it.

Check your school policy before advocating disinfectant gel.

Suitable for Whole School

Aim

To inform students about swine flu without causing panic.

Preparation and materials

• You need three students to be the ‘sneezers’.
• A box of tissues.
• A bowl of water, soap and a towel.
• A bottle of disinfectant hand gel.

Assembly

1. There has been a lot of publicity over the last week about a type of flu, called swine flu, which was first seen in Mexico.
   
   

   Student 1 (interrupting): Miss/Sir, I’m going to sneeze, can I have a tissue? (Takes tissue, enormous mock sneeze, and puts the tissue in their pocket.)

   As I was saying, the flu, which has caused deaths in Mexico but not anywhere else, it’s been found . . .

   Student 2 (interrupting): Miss/Sir, I’m going to sneeze, can I have a tissue? (Takes tissue, enormous mock sneeze, and puts the tissue in the bin.)

    

   As I was saying (pause) swine flu is now the centre of world-wide concern, with the World Health Organization . . .

   Student 3 (interrupting): Miss/Sir, I’m going to sneeze, can I have a tissue? (Takes tissue, enormous mock sneeze, and puts the tissue in the bin, then proceeds to wash their hands thoroughly.)
   

2. OK, one of the first symptoms of swine flu is sneezing, so let’s deal with that first. If you sneeze, what should you do to prevent others catching the virus?
   
   

   (Use a tissue, dispose of the tissue, and wash hands with soap and water.)
   

   Washing is a new instruction – not convenient in double maths, so what else could you do?
   

   
   (Bring out disinfectant) You could use some of this, which is available through supermarkets and chemists, and only costs about £1.
   

3. So, apart from sneezing, what other symptoms do you get with flu – and I imagine lots of you have had flu?
   
   

   (Shivering, aching joints, etc.)
   

4. If you think you’ve got any type of flu, you shouldn’t come to school, or go to the doctor’s, as it’s very contagious.
   
5. Ring your local health centre, who will let you have antiviral drugs, which work very well. Stay at home, where you’ll probably want to stay in bed, as flu makes you feel pretty ill for a couple of days.
   
6. Most importantly, don’t panic. Flu happens every year, There’s a lot of publicity about this version as it’s a new strain of flu, and it has killed people in Mexico, but only Mexico, with the exception of a young Mexican child visiting relatives in Texas. So far, it seems to be like other strains of flu, and responds well to the drugs that we already have.
   
7. The tricky thing about flu is that it’s likely to hang around until the autumn. Flu viruses don’t like the summer weather, and in summer you don’t hear much of them, but you get flu once again in autumn.
   
8. So when you sneeze (and lots of things other than flu make you sneeze),
   
   Use a tissue.
   Dispose of the tissue.
   Wash your hands.
   
   That way we’ll contain the illness more effectively.

Time for reflection

Reflection

Light a candle and wait for the students to settle.

Light a candle. Ask the children to settle and concentrate on the flame.

These words were written by someone who had been through a very difficult time in his life. When he looked aback, he saw how God had looked after him. The writer is likening God to a shepherd who cares for the sheep, and uses a rod and a staff to protect the sheep.

Read these words from Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters. 

He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, Lord, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff – they comfort me.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, when we go through dark and difficult times,

help us to do all that we can to care for one another,

and support one  another.

We think of all those who are ill at the moment,

those we know and those we don’t.

Help them to get better quickly.

And be with all those who work in hospitals, health centres and in the community, helping us to be healthy and well.

We also remember all those working to overcome illness and diseases in the world,

Amen.

Song suggestion

'The King of Love' (Come and Praise, 54)

'Father, hear the prayer we offer' (Come and Praise, 48)