Update from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Update on School (K – 12) and Childcare Facilities:
Interim CDC Guidance in Response to Human Infections with the Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus
May 5, 2009, 2:00 PM EDT
Recommendations
- School closure is not advised for a suspected or confirmed case of novel influenza A (H1N1) and, in general, is not advised unless there is a magnitude of faculty or student absenteeism that interferes with the school’s ability to function.
- Schools that were closed based on previous interim CDC guidance related to this outbreak may reopen.
- Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness (fever with a cough or sore throat) should stay home and not attend school or go into the community except to seek medical care for at least 7 days even if symptoms resolve sooner.
- Students, faculty and staff who are still sick 7 days after they become ill should continue to stay home from school until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.
- Students, faculty and staff who appear to have an influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill during the school day should be isolated promptly in a room separate from other students and sent home.
- Parents and guardians should monitor their school-aged children, and faculty and staff should self-monitor every morning for symptoms of influenza-like illness.
- Ill students should not attend alternative child care or congregate in settings other than school.
- School administrators should communicate regularly with local public health officials to obtain guidance about reporting of influenza-like illnesses in the school.
- Schools can help serve as a focus for educational activities aimed at promoting ways to reduce the spread of influenza, including hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
- Students, faculty and staff should stringently follow sanitary measures to reduce the spread of influenza, including covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or coughing or sneezing into their sleeve if a tissue isn’t available), frequently washing hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if hand washing with soap and water is not possible.
School nurses promote prevention to deter swine flu
While there are no confirmed cases of swine flu in Springfield, Springfield Public Schools is carefully monitoring students for any flu-like symptoms and educating students and staff about preventive measures.
“Prevention is always the best course of action in a situation like this,” explained Jean Grabeel, coordinator of student health services. “Our school nurses will be reviewing good hand-washing techniques with both students and staff.”
School nurses will also monitor for signs and symptoms of illness including:
- Fever greater than 100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C;
- Body aches, chills, headache, fatigue;
- Stuffy nose, cough, sore throat; and
- Possible nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Students who exhibit flu-like symptoms and have traveled within the last seven days to areas with confirmed cases, or have had close personal contact in the last seven days with someone believed to have swine flu should contact their health care provider, according to the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.
To help prevent the spread of disease, the health department encourages individuals to practice proven disease-prevention methods such as effective hand washing, keeping a distance of at least six feet from someone who is ill, using respiratory etiquette and avoiding touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
People who have a flu-like illness should stay home to protect others from contracting it.
Parents, click here for more information on how to talk to your children about swine flu.
Protect yourself against the flu
The following documents share tips to prevent spread of the flu:
- Fight the Flu!- Explanations of different types of the flu, comparison of cold vs. flu symptoms, and a checklist of how to protect yourself against the flu.
- Fight the Flu! - List of ways to protect yourself from the flu.
- Cover your Cough, Clean your Hands
Helpful Web sites
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Springfield-Greene County Health Department