H1N1 Flu Information
H1N1 Flu Information
9/30/2009
Dear parents,
We wanted to take this opportunity to inform you that Petersburg ISD has had its first confirmed case of H1N1 flu. Nearly every district in Region 17 has reported cases, and so far they have been largely milder than even seasonal flu. We will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation daily. We have taken several steps at school to minimize the risks of exposure to any viruses. We have purchased large amounts of disinfectant and are using it regularly on lockers, desks and doors and our maintenance and custodial are working hard to keep the school environment as safe as possible. We want to minimize the exposure to and spread of the virus as much as possible and we need your help.
We are doing everything we can to keep Petersburg ISD operating as usual. Here are a few things you can do to help:
- Practice good hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners, especially after coughing or sneezing. Disinfect personal and public areas when possible including high-touch surfaces (doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks).
- Practice respiratory etiquette by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius.
- Don’t go to class or work if you have flu or flu-like illness for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever. This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). Avoid public places and limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.
- Consider
vaccinations as they become available.
- Talk with your health care provider about whether you should be vaccinated for seasonal flu. The seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against novel H1N1 influenza.
- An H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and should be ready for the public by mid-October. This vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine – it is intended to be used in conjunction with the seasonal flu vaccine. If you are at higher risk for flu complications from 2009 H1N1 flu, you should consider getting the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. People at higher risk for H1N1 flu complications include individuals from six months through 24 years of age, pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes). For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
- Avoid close contact
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your mouth and nose
- Clean your hands
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Body aches
- Headache
For more answers to questions you may have, please see the CDC Key Facts About H1N1 Influenza.
Thanks for your help,
Joey Nichols
Superintendent, Petersburg ISD
