 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
||||||||||||
Parents
Flu Facts for Parents
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
As you may be aware, there are two types of influenza (flu) to be concerned about this year, seasonal influenza, and the H1N1 influenza. Influenza can cause mild to severe illness in adults and children. The H1N1 virus seems to affect younger people at a higher rate, sometimes leading to severe illness and hospitalization. Children are one of the groups that have been most affected by this virus and are considered at high risk of complications that can occur with influenza. Children with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and suppressed immune systems are at highest risk.
The following are things we can do to keep our schools, communities, and our homes flu-free:
- Get your child and yourself vaccinated against both seasonal and H1N1 flu. Vaccination is the single best way to protect your child and family from flu.
- Keep your child home if he/she is sick. Flu viruses spread easily. Keep your child home from school for at least 24 hours after the fever has stopped (without the help of fever-reducing medication).
- Teach your child to wash their hands often with soap and water. Hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol are effective if soap and water is not available. The amount of hand sanitizer needed to be effective is about the size of a dime. Rub it in until completely dry.
- Teach children to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their sleeve-not their hands! They should cover coughs and sneezes by coughing into the insides of their elbows.
- Teach children to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread easily this way.
YOUR SCHOOL NEEDS:
- Current emergency contact information for your child.
- Alternate emergency contact information (grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.).
- Current telephone numbers of all emergency contacts
PLAN AHEAD:
Identify a caregiver available to care for your child in the
event school is closed due to illness.
STOPPING THE SPREAD OF GERMS:
A surgical facemask may be given to ill children who are waiting in the
school office to be picked up. The use of a mask may help to stop the
spread of germs from coughing/sneezing students.
FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON INFLUENZA:
- Contact the Saginaw Health Department at
(989) 758-3828 - Visit the Saginaw Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org
We want to assure you that Saginaw Public Schools is committed to the health and well being of all our students and staff. Therefore, please find the enclosed comparison fact sheet from the Saginaw Health Department. This document will help you recognize common signs and symptoms. Please assist us in keeping your child(ren) and your school healthy and flu-free.
To find out if Saginaw Schools are closed due to weather conditions, watch or listen to the local media. Click here to find a list: school closing media list
Parents will also receive school closing notifications by 6:30am from our Instant Notification and Communications System. The notification service allows the district to send messages via landline phone, cell phone and pager within minutes to everyone .