H1N1 Flu Updates

San Juan Unified School District

Health Services

Telephone (916) 979-8281; FAX (916) 971- 8282

Internet Web Site: www.sanjuan.edu

September 15, 2009

Dear San Juan Unified Families;

The health and safety of students and staff is a top priority in San Juan Unified School District.

It’s important for our families and community to know that H1N1 and other flu viruses are present throughout Sacramento County. Local health officials are no longer testing for H1N1 unless a patient has a preexisting condition or develops a serious problem from being ill. Schools will not close unless a large number of students or staff are ill and impact the school’s ability to operate.

The following are a few of the steps we need to take together, to help prevent the spread of the H1N1 influenza as well as other viruses. With your help, these efforts can be highly effective at combating the spread of illness within our community.

1. Those who are ill should stay home for at least 24 hours:

Those who have been ill with flu-like symptoms including a fever of 100 degrees or more should not return to school until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of any medicines to reduce the fever.

2. Report when a student is absent due to illness with flu-like symptoms:

In partnership with the Sacramento County Department of Health & Human Services, San Juan Unified will monitor the absence rates at each school to watch for sudden increases in the number of students who are ill due to the flu. This information will be very important in monitoring our community. When clearing your student’s absence, you may be asked if he or she had any flu symptoms.

3. There are new procedures to follow if your student begins to feel sick at school:

If your student begins to not feel well at school, that student will be sent to the office. If this student has any flu-like symptoms including muscle aches, a fever, coughing, or a runny nose, he or she will be provided with a surgical mask to wear while waiting to be picked up in the office by the parent, guardian or emergency contact. School staff will also wear masks when caring for students who are ill with flu-like symptoms.

4. Practice good everyday hygiene:

The simplest method for preventing the spread of H1N1 and other viruses is proper hand washing. Using soap and water, hands should be rubbed together and scrubbed for at least 20 seconds when being washed. That’s about the length of time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. A tissue should be used to cover the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. Teach children to sneeze or cough into their inner elbow or upper arm when a tissue is not available. Hand sanitizers have also been made available in school cafeterias or multipurpose rooms, for voluntary student use and use during community functions.

If you would like to find out more about H1N1, please visit our Web site at www.sanjuan.edu/flu. If you do not have Internet access, you can visit San Juan Central, our family resource center located at 3738 Walnut Avenue in Carmichael, and use a computer there. Your local school office can also provide you with a brochure on H1N1 that will answer many questions.

Please know that we will continue to do everything possible to protect the health and safety of our students and staff. We want every healthy child in class each and every day possible.

Thank you,

Cindy Dodge

Cindy Dodge Program Manager for Health Services