As the weather turns cooler and we move into flu season, runny noses, sneezing and coughing will unavoidably start increasing among our students. There are some very easy steps that parents can take to help keep their families healthy and to prevent the spread of cold viruses and influenza at our school community.
The first and most important step in protecting against the flu is getting vaccinated. Flu shots are widely available this time of year and parents should talk to their healthcare provider about getting their children the flu vaccine.
Other simple measures that can help keep your family and other families in our community healthy include:
- The main way that the flu spreads from person to person is by coughs and sneezes, so it’s important to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice) is the best way to keep your hands from spreading the virus.
- Remind children to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Germs spread this way.
- Teach your children to stay at least six feet away from people who are sick. They should avoid shaking hands, kissing, hugging or sharing cups and eating utensils with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially when someone is ill.
These suggestions may seem obvious but failure to heed them is at the heart of many unnecessary, low-grade illnesses that regularly afflict our students, faculty, and staff.
It is important that parents keep sick children at home. While we definitely don’t want your child missing a lot of school, we also do not want them spreading sickness to their classmates, their teacher, and around the school. Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others.
People infected with flu may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick. That means you may be able to spread the flu to someone else before you know you are sick as well as while you are sick.
Just a reminder that a sick student may return to school only after 24 hours have passed with a normal temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius) without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Thank you for helping to slow the spread of the virus by practicing these steps to keep from getting sick and protecting others during the flu season.