Prevention and Spread of the Flu:
· Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly · Flu viruses can survive 2 hours or longer on surfaces · Remind your students frequently to "cover" when they cough or sneeze · The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s website (www.cdc.gov) has a Flu Prevention Podcast that schools can show to their students: "All you have to do is wash your hands."
Symptoms:
H1N1 Flu symptoms usually develop 3-5 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms continue for approximately 7-8 days from first sign of illness.
· Fever · Cough · Sore Throat · Body aches · Headaches · Chills · Fatigue · Diarrhea · Vomiting |
H1N1 Protocol for Newport City School System In an effort to reduce the spread of flu within the Newport City School System and in our community, Director of Schools Steve Thompson has activated the following protocol.
Parents will need to notify the school nurse in the event their child contracts the H1N1 (swine flu) virus outside of school so verification of days absent from school can be processed appropriately within the school system. School custodians will continue to make sure that hard surfaces in classrooms and in high use areas of school buildings are wiped down regularly. Good health habits like routine hand washing, covering the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, and staying home when sick will be emphasized to all students and staff members. Parents with questions or concerns about this matter should contact their child's principal or Mischelle Black, Health Coordinator at 423-623-3811.
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Q & A’s
1. How many confirmed cases of the H1Ni Flu are in the (school)/ (district)? 0/0 2. How long does my child have to stay out of school? Students should be kept at home an additional 24hrs after symptoms and fever have subsided. 3. How long does it take for symptoms to develop? What are the symptoms of Swine/H1N1 Flu that I should watch for in my child? Symptoms usually develop 3-5 days after exposure to the flu virus. Symptoms will continue for approximately 8 days. Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting are the primary symptoms of the H1N1 Flu. See your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms, especially after travel and exposure. 4. If my child comes home ill from school, how do I prevent other members of my family from contracting the H1N1 Flu? If students become ill, keep them home. Wash hands frequently and thoroughly. Flu virus can survive 2hrs or longer on surfaces. Avoid crowds. To reduce exposure within a family designate one person to care for the one that is sick. A person who becomes ill with H1N1 Flu is contagious from 24hrs before symptoms develop and until all symptoms subside - approximately 7-8 days. 5. What are the treatments / home remedies for caring for a child with the H1N1 Flu virus? See your doctor immediately if your child develops symptoms, especially after travel and exposure. Children should be encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, get plenty of rest / sleep, take pain relievers upon advice of their personal physician (such as Tylenol or Advil). Do not give children aspirin. 6. If my child becomes ill during the school day how will he/she be cared for until they can be sent home? Does the school have resources to care for multiple ill students? School officials will isolate all ill students in the Health Center until they can be retrieved by a parent or authorized person. Every effort will be made to make them as comfortable as possible until they can go home. Each school within the District has a designated Health professional who is available to see that ill students are isolated and cared for until they can be picked up. 7. Will schools be dismissed because of confirmed cases of the H1N1 Flu? What is the official process for dismissing school? How will parents be informed? If the District determines it is necessary to close one or more schools, flyers will be sent home with the students. All dismissal information will also be placed on the school and district websites [www. schooldistrict.org] where parents can keep up-to-date with the latest information on dismissals and school re-openings. In addition, the media will be informed of all school closings. 8. If the schools are closed, how will we know when they are scheduled to re-open? How will parents & the community be kept informed? All information concerning closing and re-opening of schools will be kept current on the district and school websites. 9. Will homework be sent home with my ill child, if school is dismissed? Whether school work will be sent home or not will be determined by School and District Administrators based on the extent and length of the school closures. 10. If school is dismissed for an extended period of time, what are the plans for students to “make-up” missed schoolwork and assure educational progress for the school year? Is there a course of action planned? The School District does not anticipate school closures. If, in the unfortunate circumstances that dismissals become necessary because of the H1N1 Flu, school administrators, along with state education department authorities will determine the best course of action to assure that our students are not missing essential elements for their educational progress for the 2009/2010 School Year. 11. What information is being collected and shared on our children in relation to the H1N1 Flu Pandemic? Decision-makers and stakeholders, such as school district officials, state and local health officials, state education officials, health care providers, teachers, parents, community businesses and organizations are working together to assure that a course of action is being put in place that will result in the best health strategy for our students and staff. The District already has privacy requirements in place. All data that is collected on district students and employees who have been affected by the H1N1 Flu virus is collected and shared as a group and not on an individual basis. This information is only shared with local and state authorities and health officials with a need to know and with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as requested. |
Where to find reliable up-to-date information on the Swine / H1N1 Flu
1. Mayo Clinic – H1N1 Flu www.mayoclinic.com/health/swine-flu/ “Flu school closing: Any benefit? What’s the benefit of school closing when there’s a flu outbreak?” Mayo Clinic Staff www.mayoclinic.com/health/school-closing A printable copy of this article can be accessed at: www.mayoclinic.com/health/school-closing/AN02001 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) www.cdc.gov/flu/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Seasonal Flu www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Swine Influenza (Flu) www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: K-12 Dismissal Form www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/K12_dismissal.htm Additional reports are available from CDC. Links are located on the website. www.cdc.gov “Technical Report for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators on CDC Guidance for School (K-12) Responses to Influenza during the 2009-2010 School Year” “Update on School (K — 12) and Childcare Facilities: Interim CDC Guidance in Response to Human Infections with the Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus 3. World Health Organization (WHO) www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/faq/en/index.html www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_pandemic... www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_question... What does pandemic mean, and how severe? Statement explaining swine flu pandemic Swine influenza frequently asked questions 4. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/Flu/default.... 5. American Lung Association: Flu Clinic Locator http://flucliniclocator.org/ 6. PandemicFlu.gov www.pandemicflu.gov |