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The flu has always been around but in the past few years we have become more concerned with different types of flu and how it is spread.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is making recommendations to help schools deal with the upcoming flu season. Please follow the rules for your children and family to keep everyone as healthy as possible. Talk to your doctor about getting flu shots. The seasonal flu shots are available now & H1N1 (swine flu) shots will be available soon. Usual recommendations are for both shots for children 6 months to 24 years, pregnant women, healthcare workers, and anyone with increased risk because of existing health issues. Wash your hands. Be sure your children know how to properly wash their hands and they do whenever they cough or sneeze into their hands or a tissue,or blow their nose.
Use hand sanitizer when needed. Handwashing is best but use sanitizer when you cannot get to a sink.
Cough and sneeze into your elbow.
Avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes. Germs can spread quickly so it is best to teach children to keep their hands away from their face.
All individuals with flu-like symptoms should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without using fever-reducing medicines. These medicines include Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen), Tylenol (acetaminophen) or a store brand. Keeping children with a fever at home will keep them from getting other people sick. For most people, this will be about 4 days.
Schools are NOT allowed to accept a doctor’s note recommending a child with flu-like symptoms return to school before the time period described above. Check the attachments below for additional information from the CDC & a flu symptom checklist for parents. |