Webmaster

School Information For Parents On Influenza

Please keep your child home with signs of illness.

CDC recommends that individuals with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degree F [37.8degree C] or greater), or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications.

Fever-reducing medications, that is, medications containing acetaminophen or ibuprofen, are appropriate for use in individuals with influenza-like illness. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) should not be given to children or teenagers who have influenza; this can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye's syndrome. The determination of readiness to return to school should be made when at least 24 hours have passed since the ill person's temperature first remained normal without the use of these medications

CDC recommends that students and staff be encouraged to wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.

CDC recommends covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throwing the tissue in the trash after use. Wash hands promptly after coughing or sneezing. If a tissue is not immediately available, coughing or sneezing into one's arm or sleeve (not into one's hand) is recommended.

CDC recommends that schools encourage ill staff and parents of ill students at higher risk of complications from influenza to seek early treatment.

A vaccine for 2009 H1N1 flu will likely become available in fall 2009. For children, at least, protective immunity will require 2 doses of vaccine, separated by at least 3 weeks and an additional 2 weeks for the immune response to develop (that is, approximately 5 weeks after the first vaccination).

Students, staff, and their families must take personal responsibility for staying home when ill, practicing hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and planning in advance for child care in the event of a school dismissal.

About 55 million students and 7 million staff attend the more than 130,000 public and private schools in the United States each day. By implementing these recommendations, schools and health officials can help protect one-fifth of the country's population from flu.

For more information please go the these websites http://www.cdc.gov or www.statehealth.in.gov

Stop the Spread of Germs that Make You and Others Sick!

Serious respiratory illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are spread by:

Coughing or sneezing
Unclean hands

To help stop the spread of germs,

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
Put your used tissue in the waste basket.

Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing

Wash with soap and water.
or
Clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner

When washing hands with soap and water:

Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing "Happy Birthday" twice through to a friend! Rinse hands well under running water
Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet

When should you wash your hands?

Before preparing or eating food
After going to the bathroom
After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom
Before and after tending to someone who is sick
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After handling an animal or animal waste
After handling garbage
Before and after treating a cut or wound

8/09

HOME