Flu Letter

August 2009

Dear Parents,

As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu at Bishop Alemany High School. Our goal is to keep the school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during the flu season. However, we need your help to do this.

We are working closely with the County of Los Angeles Public Health, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the California State Health Department to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning our school. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.

For now we are doing everything we can to keep our school functioning as usual. Here are a few things you can do to help.

Remind your student to wash their hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially before eating and after using the restroom or to use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Remind your student not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils.

Remind your student to cover coughs and sneezes using the inside elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable. If you use a tissue throw it away immediately after using it.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth since germs spread this way.

Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu 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. Check with your health care provider.

Keep sick students at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.

If you keep your student home be sure they check their teacher’s website for any missed class work or assignments. You may also email the teacher directly.

For more information, see the attached “Frequently asked Questions about H1N1-Swine Influenza” or visit www.flu.gov, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu. For more information about flu in our community and what our school is doing, visit www.alemany.org or call Lori Brown at 818-837-5237. We will notify you of any additional changes to our school’s strategy to prevent the spread of the flu virus.

Sincerely,

Lori Brown

Administrative Assistant

Emergency Coordinator

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is H1N1 (swine) flu?

H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread through coughing or sneezing. You can not catch H1N1(swine) flu from eating pork or pork products.

Do you expect H1N1 flu to it be worse than it has been in the fall of 2009?

We do expect seasonal influenza to return next fall or winter. Every year we see many strains of influenza circulate and the timing of the beginning of illness can vary from early to late fall to winter, depending on the part of the country. So that is a given. We're certain we'll continue to have a seasonal problem with influenza. It is very possible that this virus will continue to circulate and cause much more illness again in the fall or winter. Whether it will cause more illness than it's been causing recently, whether it will dominate among the seasonal flu viruses or whether it will really disappear is not predictable right now.

We can't tell you whether this virus will cause a lot of disease, some disease or no disease here in the northern hemisphere next season. We’re focusing now on being prepared for the possibility that it will be serious. We do think that it is very likely this new influenza strain will be a problem in the fall, based on what we are seeing this summer in the US and in the Southern Hemisphere right now.

How can I get more information on H1N1 flu?

There is lots of helpful information about the H1N1 virus available from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (also know as the CDC). You can access that information at the following Web site: www.cdc.gov/swineflu or www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

How does H1N1 spread?

Spread of novel H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object – with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

What are the sign and symptoms of the flu?

The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

What is the best way to practice good hand hygiene?

Washing 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.

Alcohol-based hand cleaners containing at least 60% alcohol are also effective.

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.

Can the virus live on surfaces, such as computer keyboards?

Yes, 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. However, it is not necessary to disinfect these surfaces beyond routine cleaning.