information about h1n1

when to stay at home

safe in the parking lot

Nurse's corner

Dear Parents,

It is now "flu season" in our community.  This year it is more complicated than most years since we have two types of influenza to be concerned with—Seasonal Flu, and H1N1 Flu.  As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu in our school. We want to keep the school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. But, we need your help to do this.

 Fortunately the precautions you need to take for both types of flu are very similar. Here are a few things you can do to help:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
• 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.
• Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs.  Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.
• Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

For more information, see the attached document and visit Flu.gov for the most current information about the flu.  You may also email me at abaldoz@isgdh.org or call me at 392-1088 ext 106. 

Working together helps protect all of the children, including your own!  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Aveegayle Baldoz
School Nurse