MESSAGE TO PARENTS REGARDING FLU SEASON
by Cindy Akers
September 15, 2009
As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu throughout the Vermilion Local School District. 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.
We are working closely with the Erie County General Health District, the Ohio Department of Education, and the Centers for Disease Control to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning schools. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.
For now, we are doing everything we can to keep our school functioning as usual. 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, such as drinks, food or unwashed utensils.
- TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO COVER THEIR COUGHS AND SNEEZES. It is best to use a tissue, if available. Avoid using hands to cover coughs and sneezes. It is best to use the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is not available.
- KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF FLU. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
- PLEASE 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.
- PLEASE 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.
If the flu becomes more severe, we may take additional steps to prevent the spread such as:
- Conducting active fever and flu symptom screenings of students and staff as they arrive at school;
- Making changes to increase the space between people, such as moving desks farther apart and postponing class trips;
Based on current recommendations from county and state health officials, school closing or dismissal would be a rare event, but may be recommended in the future if severity increases. School closure is not being recommended at this time because it is not likely to have a significant effect on community-wide transmission.
For more information about flu in our community, you can contact any of the following for the most current information about the flu:
Lorain County General Health District: www.loraincountyhealth.com or call 1-440-329-7926
Erie County General Health District: http://eriecohealthohio.org or call 1-419-626-5623
Center for Disease Control: www.flu.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
We will notify you of any additional changes to our school’s strategy to prevent the spread of flu.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF FLU
