Precautionary measures at Caye Caulker schools
The normal hustle and bustle in Caye Caulker has ceased. Instead a certain quiet permeates with a threat that the illness affecting school children could be the H1N1 flu. News Five's Delahnie Bain returned to Caye Caulker today and has a report on how the island is coping with the threat.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting
The unidentified illness that swept the Caye Caulker Roman Catholic primary school is now suspected to be the H1N1 Influenza. While testing is still taking place, more schools are closing their doors to be on the safe side. In the island we found a deserted primary school and two high schools operating as usual. The principals told us what the situation is at their schools.

Heidi Curry, Principal, Ocean Academy
"In terms of our school, we have twenty percent of our students who are out sick. We cant be sure what it is. My understanding from them and from a doctor on the island is that there are no confirmed cases; they don't test for the H1N1. They have suspicions and we know that whatever is going around is highly contagious and people are getting sick but it's not as scary as it felt over the last several months watching the news about what the swine flu could be. So that's comforting. But we have to be sure that we're careful not to get our whole island sick."

George Ferrar, Principal, Caye Caulker High School
"I went to the health clinic this morning because I wanted to make sure it was okay for us to continue classes. We only had one student out of fourteen who came down with it over the weekend and it wasn't at school. We did have one boy stay home today just because he had a headache but he already feels better this afternoon. But he's staying home just to be extra cautious. So we went ahead and had class but I went directly to the health clinic to find the nurse and to find out what news we had from the health department. Mr. Flowers was there, the local health inspector and he said that we could continue to have class until further notice."

Although they are not reporting as many cases, both high schools have been taking steps to avoid the spread of the virus.

George Ferrar
"We've been cleaning up the classrooms right after class and a part of that cleanup includes spraying Lysol on the desktop and wiping it down. So we have a very good PE teacher who's very strict about those guidelines because look at the results, only one student sick and it wasn't at school. All the information that the health department gave us, we passed on to the students in case. He did give us H1N1 pamphlets and so we passed that on so they can take those precautions too."

Heidi Curry
"We just met with the health officials today and we're waiting fro news from them. I've told them we are ready and willing to do whatever instructions were given. We are giving information about the swine flu or about the H1N1 virus to the students and about keeping clean and sending home any students who show any signs of being sick. So it's highly possible that we will close but we are doing that in conjunction with the officials."

That was the position at Ocean Academy earlier today. But by this evening, they had decided to voluntarily close their doors. Meanwhile, Caye Caulker High School is closing Thursday to assist those that have already fallen ill.

George Ferrar
"We did decide that we were going to meet tomorrow-the students and the teachers-at eight o'clock because we want to have a little blessing march. Last night when I heard that the two preschools had closed down and the primary school had already closed down and it didn't look like we'd be able to have that much of a parade, I just asked the Lord what am I supposed to do and it came to me, well instead of having a little march where you walk past the houses of people that are ill, why don't you take care packages to them. have a march where they have care packages and you have the students deliver the care packages right to the doorstep."

The island will be quiet for the next few days and all Independence Day events have all been called off. Delahnie Bain for News Five.