Flu Season

FLU SEASON:

When flu season arrives, we want to keep the school open and functioning as normal for as long as possible. We need your help to do this.

The School Nurse conducts active fever and symptom screening and will monitor students for symptoms of a respiratory infection such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches and fatigue. Any student who has at least 2 of these symptoms will be separated from others and sent home as soon as possible. 

We ask that students with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. They should stay home even if they are using antiviral drugs.  If your child has developed severe respiratory symptoms as a part of the flu, we ask that they stay home until the coughing, sneezing and nasal drainage have subsided to a point where they are not actively passing the influenza virus to others.  The CDC has indicated that young children can be contagious for up to 10 days after they get the flu, especially young children who do not practice good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene without constant adult supervision.

From the CDC:  Many people with influenza illness will continue shedding influenza virus 24 hours after their fevers go away, but at lower levels than during their fever. Shedding of influenza virus, can be detected for 10 days or more in some cases. Therefore, when people who have had influenza-like illness return to work, school, or other community settings they should continue to practice good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene and avoid close contact with people they know to be at increased risk of influenza-related complications. Because some people may shed influenza virus before they feel ill, and because some people with influenza will not have a fever, it is important that all people cover their cough and wash hands often. To lessen the chance of spreading influenza viruses that are resistant to antiviral medications, adherence to good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene is as important for people taking antiviral medications as it is for others. 

What Can You As A Parent Do?

Here are a few things you can do to help since flu conditions are now more severe.

·           Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.    Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice) is the best way to keep your hands from spreading the virus. 

·           Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues.  If they don't have a tissue, they should cough or sneeze into their upper sleeve, not their hands. 

·           Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired.  Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

·           Extend the time sick children stay home for at least 7 days, even if they feel better sooner. People who are still sick after 7 days should continue to stay home until at least 24 hours after symptoms have gone away.

·           If a household member is sick, keep any school-aged brothers or sisters home for 5 days from the time the household member became sick. Parents should monitor their health and the health of other school-aged children for fever and other symptoms of the flu.

·           Don't send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are sick at school will be sent home. Staying home when sick will allow your children to rest and allows you to monitor their health closely. Keeping your sick child home is the responsible thing to do. It protects fellow students and school staff, especially those who are at higher risk of severe illness from the flu.