CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Some Kanawha elementary principals have called school health officials about banning water fountain use as a way to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus.

"I do tell them to clean the water fountains frequently," said Brenda Isaac, lead nurse for the Kanawha school system. "In elementary in particular, it's just too hard to remind the kids to not put their mouth on the water fountain."

At Weberwood Elementary in Charleston, Principal Mary Lou Munoz has asked parents to send their children to school with a thermos of water or prepackaged water bottle. She asked parents to write the child's name on the bottle with a permanent marker. The bottles will be sent home daily for washing.

"Basically, as I watched children drink from the water fountains, I observed that not only did some of the students touch the spout with their mouth as they drank, but they also had to touch the 'button' in order to get the water to raise for drinking," Munoz wrote in an e-mail message.

"So there were possibly two touches with the fountain that contributed to the spreading of germs."

The effort prevents at least one way to spread germs, she wrote.

"The custodians also are more diligent in cleaning the desks and other areas where children are sitting more often," Munoz wrote.

At Piedmont Elementary on the East End, where the county's first documented student case of swine flu appeared this summer, Principal Steve Knighton said the fountains spray a strong stream of water, so he has not put them off limits.

"I do tell them to clean the water fountains frequently," said Brenda Isaac, lead nurse for the Kanawha school system. "In elementary in particular, it's just too hard to remind the kids to not put their mouth on the water fountain."

At Weberwood Elementary in Charleston, Principal Mary Lou Munoz has asked parents to send their children to school with a thermos of water or prepackaged water bottle. She asked parents to write the child's name on the bottle with a permanent marker. The bottles will be sent home daily for washing.

"Basically, as I watched children drink from the water fountains, I observed that not only did some of the students touch the spout with their mouth as they drank, but they also had to touch the 'button' in order to get the water to raise for drinking," Munoz wrote in an e-mail message.

"So there were possibly two touches with the fountain that contributed to the spreading of germs."

The effort prevents at least one way to spread germs, she wrote.

"The custodians also are more diligent in cleaning the desks and other areas where children are sitting more often," Munoz wrote.

At Piedmont Elementary on the East End, where the county's first documented student case of swine flu appeared this summer, Principal Steve Knighton said the fountains spray a strong stream of water, so he has not put them off limits.

"Kids would have to deliberately put their mouths on that," he said.

Isaac understands that H1N1 virus can live outside the body for four to eight hours, which is why custodians have been extra vigilant about cleaning and sanitizing seats and other areas in the schools. Students did not attend Kanawha schools Monday, although teachers and staff held meetings.

Students at Piedmont also are being told to wash their hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds, cough into their elbow, along with other hygiene tips, Knighton said.

With very young children, teachers and staff look to see that they don't have fingers in their mouths or eyes, he said.

At Ruffner Elementary in Charleston, Principal Steve Foster said the water fountains are not off limits. Still, parents read about swine-flu prevention tips in the school newsletter, children go home when they have a 100-degree temperature or a 99-degree temperature with flulike symptoms, workers clean surfaces regularly and teachers dispense hand sanitizers in the absence of soap and water.

Three children at Ruffner have had confirmed cases of H1N1, while some others have caught the more basic seasonal flu, Foster said.

"We're lucky so far," he said.         

Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.