Why is This School Sending Out Warnings About Sudden Cardiac Arrests for Students K-12?

Eastport-South Manor Central School District (ESM) in Suffolk County, New York has hired a  new physician in their district and including a warning about Sudden Cardiac Arrest of students Grades K- 12. Isn’t it strange that they would do this for the group that should be considered the least at risk for a heart attack? In their letter to parents, they inform them of a new regulation whereby every nurse and coach can address the immediate care for such a disease.

This has never been done before, so what is different now than at any time since the beginning of public schools? Vaccinations? We do know that some kids and many athletes have been having unusually large numbers of these episodes than ever before.

One parent commented:

“I find it disturbing that they are now bringing on the new medical staff who specialize in sudden cardiac arrest. Considering we are seeing a lot of adolescents and athletes dying days after getting their COVID shots, it seems they are preparing for this.”

Here is an excerpt from the school’s letter:

Dear ESM Community,

The district is very pleased to introduce our new district doctor, Melina Khwaja, MD. Dr. Khwaja is an Emergency Medicine Board Certified Physician with over 10 years’ experience as an attending at University Hospital at Stony Brook treating patients, teaching, and supervising medical students and residents. Currently, Dr. Khwaja is the owner and operator of independent urgent care centers in West Babylon and Manorville, NY. Dr. Khwaja has already spent a great deal of time working with our school nurses to improve our systems, practices and to implement all new required regulations. 

One such effort has to do with new regulations regarding Sudden Cardiac Arrest. All districts are now required to ensure that nurses and coaches can address the treatment and monitoring of students who exhibit signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. In addition, districts are required to make sure that all staff are aware of the warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest and what to do if a person experiences sudden cardiac arrest. Please see the attached information on Sudden Cardiac Arrest. 

The attached health survey is necessary for our medical staff to complete student physicals. To ensure that our medical staff have the necessary cardiac health information for all students, we ask that you please complete the attached student health survey and send it to your child’s school nurse. Even if your child has already had their annual physical, and you have provided the school with that information, please complete the first section of the attached form to provide the school nurse with the additional student health history regarding sudden cardiac arrest.

December 31, 2021, is the deadline for school physicals. If your child has not already had their annual physical, we will be providing student physicals during the week of Jan 10-14.

Interestingly, the school is adamantly opposed to the vaccines of school children. But the new doctor is not unique to the school that opposes them, but for every school in the state.