School Absences/Influenza Outbreaks
The H1N1 influenza virus is circulating throughout the San Diego region, and believed present at all school campuses. Some of the absenteeism we are seeing at CVESD schools is likely H1N1 flu. In classes where we experience a number of absences and/or an influenza outbreak, we will step up sanitizing efforts, and student hygiene protocols. Even as we have experienced isolated cases of flu or flu-like illness, please be assured that our overall daily attendance remains high.
We are working closely with the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, to monitor flu conditions and implement practices to protect the health of our students and staff. Children who are healthy should continue to attend school.
Here are a few things you can do to help:
• Teach your children to wash hands often with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food, or unwashed utensils and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Coughs and sneezes may be covered using the elbow, arm, or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
• Do not send children to school if they are sick. This includes children with a fever of 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C) or greater and a cough and/or a sore throat. Children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.
• Also know all the signs and symptoms of the flu. These symptoms may 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, without using fever-reducing medications. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.
• Seek emergency care for your child if he or she has trouble breathing; bluish or gray skin color; severe or persistent vomiting; sudden dizziness or confusion; pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen; or if symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough.
• Parents whose children have a pre-existing health condition should always notify their doctor if their child develops flu symptoms. Some doctors may decide to give children with other ongoing health conditions an anti-viral medicine when they get the flu.
• Check with your doctor about getting yourself and your children vaccinated for seasonal (regular) flu and H1N1 flu. The H1N1 flu vaccine is recommended even for those who have already had suspected H1N1 influenza.
Again, keep kids home when they are sick, get them vaccinated, and send them to school when they're healthy.
For more information, visit www.flu.gov or call 211. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.
Definition of an 'Outbreak'
San Diego County's Public Health Services Division has asked school districts to report all outbreaks of suspected H1N1 influenza virus. As per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an outbreak is defined as 20% or more students in a classroom, or a minimum of 5 students, absent with reported flu-like symptoms. Since H1N1 is the only known strain of flu currently circulating, our schools will have to assume that an individual student presenting flu-like symptoms is likely to be H1N1.
This reporting process is strictly for county statistical tracking purposes, and does not necessarily require a school closure, or even an individual classroom closure. However, school outbreak information (not individual student information) may also be released to the media, and other agencies or the public beyond the impacted school.
Vaccination Information
H1N1 influenza vaccinations are offered by the County’s six Public Health Centers and one Immunization Clinic, private hospitals, and community health-care facilities. For a complete listing of the County’s vaccination clinic locations, visit the County of San Diego’s website at www.sdcounty.ca.gov and click on the link for “Vaccine Information.” School-Located Vaccination Clinics are planned in CVESD, but are entirely dependent upon the supply of the H1N1 vaccine provided through the County of San Diego from the federal government. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
Students At-Risk of Complications
Certain people are more likely to develop complications if they get the flu. This includes pregnant women, children under two years of age, and children with certain underlying health conditions.
People with asthma, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions, heart disease, lowered immune system, neurologic, and neuromuscular disorders (like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy) are at risk for severe complications. If you are not sure if your child is at higher risk for flu complications, check with a doctor. If a physician recommends any precautions, please share this information with your school nurse.
Additional Resources
U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention*
www.cdc.gov
CDC recommends 3 steps to fight the flu:
1. Take time to get vaccinated (urges yearly vaccination and
lists the people for whom vaccination is recommended)
2. Take everyday preventive actions (includes information on
cough etiquette, handwashing, and staying away from others
when sick)
3. Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them
(explains what antivirals are and how to get and use them)
Flu Wiki*
www.fluwiki.info
Get Pandemic Ready
www.getpandemicready.org
U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services*
http://www.pandemicflu.gov
Good Home Treatment of Influenza
www.birdflumanual.com
*Information in English and in Spanish
To view Frequently Asked Questions about the flu, please click on the PDF file below: