Flu Guidelines From Clackamas Health Dept.

Dear Parents,

Now that the local school year has begun we are beginning to see children as well as school staff getting sick with the flu. If your child has flu-like symptoms, care for them as you usually would. If the symptoms worsen, or don’t subside, contact your health care provider.

At this time, county health officials tell us that students who are not ill can safely come to school. While there have not been an unusually high student absences, local school districts have procedures in place to deal with children and staff who become ill with flu. But we do not anticipate that schools will notify parents of individual cases.

We want to remind you about some ways to protect your family from getting sick:

• Be sure that you and your children get both the seasonal influenza and the new H1N1 (swine influenza) vaccines as they become available. Seasonal flu vaccine is available now and a vaccine for H1N1 is expected to be available in October. This the most important action to prevent influenza infection

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself. Hands should always be washed:  

• Before eating or drinking.  
• After using the toilet or changing diapers.
• After coughing, sneezing or using facial tissues
• Before touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• When water and soap are not available, alcohol-based hand cleaners can be used.

• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.

• Teach your children not to share food, drink, or other personal items (such as lipstick) with others.

• Keep sick children home.  Don’t send them to school if they are sick. If they become sick at school you will be called to come pick them up. Make sure your emergency numbers are up to date. Make arrangements now for sick child care.

• People who are sick should stay home from work or school and stay away from other people until they are feeling better and  have not had a fever for 24 hours (without fever reducing medications like acetaminophen and ibuprophen). .

If you have questions please call your school nurse or health care provider.

Many thanks,

Erica Gillespie

Clackamas County Community Health Division