Nurse Gloria Doran with the Las Virgenes School District has released the following information concerning the coming fall flu season including the new flu virus called the H1N1 virus, previously called swine flu. We hope the flu season will be mild, but it is important to be prepared with information about how to avoid becoming ill or spreading illness to others.
Flu-like symptoms include:
Fever (over 100 degrees), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, feeling very tired, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend that all individuals with influenza-like illness should remain home until at least 24 hours after they are fever-free without the use of fever reducers such as acetominophen or ibuprofen. Additionally, ill people should avoid contact with others.
It is important to teach your children how to reduce their risk of getting the flu and how to protect others from becoming infected. If we all practice the ABC’s of good hygiene, health officials believe we can limit the spread of flu viruses and many other contagious diseases in our schools and communities.
- A – Avoid touching your hands to your eyes, nose and mouth. Do not share drinking cups or eating utensils.
- B – Be sure and wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds – about as long as it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice. Alcohol-based sanitizers are also effective in reducing the spread of the flu virus.
- C – Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of your elbow. Wash hands after blowing nose or coughing into a tissue and properly disposing of used tissues.
- D – Don’t send a sick child to school. Stay home when sick with fever and cough. Maintain a distance of at least three feet from other people to prevent the spread of illness.
- E – Ensure your child is immunized for both seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu when the vaccine is available.
We encourage you to check the LVUSD website periodically for updated information.
