District

Flu Season Information

November 6, 2009

Dear Parents, Guardians, & Community Members:

We are writing to update you on the flu situation in New Hampshire and in our schools of the district.

For several weeks, NH has been among the states where the Centers for Disease Control is reporting widespread influenza-like illness. In addition, the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is tracking school absences around the state. We know that absences due to flu-like symptoms are increasing and that health care providers’ offices are becoming much busier. In short, it is clear that the flu is in our communities, that it is spreading, and that more people will probably be affected before it peaks.

School administrators and nurses continue to be in close touch with the NH DHHS in relation to appropriate policies regarding prevention and management of illness in our schools. Public health officials continue to stress the importance of personal hygiene, including frequent hand-washing, coughing into your sleeve, not sharing food or eating utensils, etcetera.

There are currently no routine recommendations to close schools in NH because of illness or to keep healthy children home from school. However, it is important for children and staff who are sick to stay home from school, as well as from special events such as dances, birthday parties, family events and other public gatherings. Children should stay home unless seeking medical care until they have no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine. If family members who are pregnant, have asthma or any other underlying health condition become sick with flu like symptoms, they are advised to contact a health care provider at the onset of these symptoms.

Sick students will not be penalized for staying home. All of the principals in our school district will make sure that students have ample opportunity to make up missed work. Students do not need to provide a doctor’s note to explain their absence, but we do ask that parents contact their children’s school to let us know that they are out because of illness and to report whether they have flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, body aches, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea).

We also encourage all students and staff to get both the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines, if possible. This is especially important for children with chronic illnesses such as asthma and other underlying health conditions, as well as for pregnant women. Unfortunately, vaccine supplies all over the country are limited due to manufacturing delays. We understand that many families have been frustrated by their inability to obtain vaccines for their children after being told how important it is. Vaccine availability in NH changes on a daily basis. Please contact your health care provider’s office to find out if your child can be immunized there.

For more information: The NH DHHS has set up a special flu “hot-line” – just call 2-1-1 (8AM – 5PM) to talk to someone. There is also a lot of reliable information on the CDC and NH DHHS websites: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu and http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/DHHS_SITE/swineflu.htm. Please contact your family health care provider or school nurse if you have specific questions about your own children.

Thank you for working with us to keep everyone in our schools as healthy as possible during this flu season.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Lou Lafasciano,

Superintendent of Schools

__________________________________________________________________________________

September 2009

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu in the White Mountains Regional School District. As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. We want to keep the school open during this flu season, but we need your help to do this.

We are working closely with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Communicable Disease Control Section to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning schools. We will keep you updated with new information when it becomes available.

For now we are doing everything we can to keep our school functioning as usual. Here are a few procedures you can do to help.

Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or hand-sanitizer. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.

Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or utensils.

Teach your children to cover up their coughs or sneezes using their elbow, instead of their hand when a tissue is unavailable.

Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a 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. Any child determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

Please note that free student seasonal flu clinics will be available at all our in-district schools (please see school web site for dates). Permission slips are required. You may also call your child’s school for information and scheduled dates.

For more information, visit www.flu.gov, or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu. You may also call the Communicable Disease Control Section at the Division of Public Health Services (603) 271-4496 and speak to the Public Health Professional on call if you have specific influenza related questions. We will notify you of any additional changes to our school’s strategy to prevent the spread of flu.

Sincerely,

Dr. Louis L. Lafasciano

Superintendent of Schools

SAU #36

For health information during this flu season please visit:

New Hampshire Health and Human Services-
http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/DHHS_SITE/default.htm

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention -
http://www.cdc.gov/

Flu Shot Information Staff and Students (pdf file - 4 KB)

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