Influenza Information

August 28, 2009

Dear Sierra Canyon Community,

As summer moves closer to fall and the new academic year, we are writing to bring you up to date with regard to the latest news about the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus, and measures that we are taking at our school to head off any outbreaks in our immediate community. Nurse Holly Calig, RN, BSN, PHN and Sierra Canyon’s Health Office staff are closely following guidelines issued by federal authorities. You can do your part by knowing the facts about this highly contagious, airborne disease and taking preventive measures to help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.

We highly recommend that you consult this web page throughout the flu season. This page will be updated as needed with news about the flu relevant to our community, as well as self-care strategies and information about what to do if a member of your family has flu-like symptoms. A link to the Centers for Disease Control’s Know What to Do About the Flu website is provided for your convenience, or you may wish to contact the Centers for Disease Control at 1-800-CDC-INFO or visit their website.

Outbreaks of H1N1 illness have continued during the summer throughout the country. Authorities predict that the numbers are likely to increase this fall, during what is commonly “flu season.” Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Department of Homeland Security have declared the H1N1 virus to be a public health emergency.

The Swine Flu epidemic has the potential to rapidly escalate and has particular implications for school-aged children and schools. At this time, we recommend the following actions:

1. Keep students at home – Do not send your child to school if she/he has flu-like symptoms, particularly oral temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, vomiting, diarrhea, or a sore throat. (Students must be fever free for 24 hours without the aid of fever reducing medication before returning to school.)
2. Do not medicate your child with fever-reducing remedies such as Tylenol or ibuprofen, and send your child to school. Such oral medication might mask influenza or other contagious diseases. Aspirin should not be given to children or teenagers as it is associated with a rare and serious illness called Reyes Syndrome.
3. If anyone in your home is sick with symptoms of the flu, be sure that they receive medical care. Persons diagnosed with any flu-like symptoms are instructed to stay home for at least 24 hours after all symptoms, including fever, have ended. If flu symptoms become more severe, the CDC recommends that a sick person stay home for 7 days.
4. Practice good hand hygiene. Wash your hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and when around a sick child. Keep sick children separate from healthy members of your family. Encourage everyone to cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing.
5. Alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol are also effective. Please note that these products may be too harsh for young children.
6. Keep surfaces such as counters, keyboards, toys, phones, and door knobs clean with disinfecting wipes.
7. Check with your healthcare provider for the seasonal flu vaccine, as well as the H1N1 vaccine when available (www.CDC.gov/flu/).

On Sierra Canyon’s Lower and Upper Campuses, we will be implementing the following preventive measures:

1. Antibacterial hand sanitizer dispenses will be installed in classrooms throughout the School. Students will be encouraged to use hand sanitizer as they enter and exit classrooms.
2. Our cleaning crew will wipe down desktops with sanitizing products on a regular basis.
3. Nurse Holly and her team will be visiting classrooms to teach children how to cough or sneeze into the fold of their arms and to underscore the importance of hand washing.
4. We will keep you posted via e-mail with any updates about the H1N1 flu virus that may be relevant to the Sierra Canyon community.

Lastly, we understand the challenge that many of our families face in balancing childcare needs with the demands of the work place. Should you have a sick child and a work emergency, you may be interested to know that Northridge Hospital Medical Center offers emergency drop-off care for mildly ill children through their “Kids Care” program. Telephone (818) 885-5437 for details about this service.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact either of us at (818) 881-8121. THANK YOU for your help in keeping our students, faculty, and families safe and well during flu season.

Here’s to our health and well-being!

Sincerely,