The World Health Organization (WHO) declared H1N1 virus the first influenza pandemic in 41 years. Consequently, the new guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) applies to any flu virus circulating during the 2009-2010 school year, not only 2009 H1N1 flu. We are asking that each member of our Alternatives in Action community join us in taking steps to prevent the spread of the flu.
• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners containing at least 60% alcohol also are effective. The best way to practice good hand hygiene is to wash 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. If soap and water are not available and alcohol-based products are not allowed in the school, other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful for cleaning hands. However, they may not be as effective as alcohol-based sanitizers.
• 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; germs are spread this way.
• 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. Look for possible signs of fever: if the person feels very warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering.
• Stay home if you have flu or flu-like illness for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). Don’t go to class or work.
• Talk with your health care providers about whether you should be vaccinated for seasonal flu. Also 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 2009 H1N1 flu complications include 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.
• Find ways to increase social distances (the space between people) in classrooms such as moving desks farther apart, leaving empty seats between students, holding outdoor classes, using distance learning methods, rotating teachers between classrooms while keeping the same group of students in one classroom, postponing class trips, discouraging use of school buses and public transit, dividing classes into smaller groups, moving classes to larger spaces to allow more space between students, and move students and staff who become sick at school to a separate room until they can be sent home.
• Clean surfaces that viruses can live on: flu viruses may be spread when a person touches droplets left by coughs and sneezes on hard surfaces (such as desks or door knobs) or objects (such as keyboards or pens) and then touches his or her mouth or nose. Clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact with cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas.
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