Swine Flu Informational Page

 

Message from Superintendent Bernardi

TO: PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF WYOMING AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

   With the onset of the 2009-10 school year, we are faced with the potential public health challenge of a new Flu strain, (known as pandemic influenza A/H1N1 or swine flu), outbreak. 

   H1N1 has been shown to affect school-aged children.  We, as a District, are planning interventions to prevent disease transmission to protect students and staff, as well as our local community, from infection.  The extra precautionary measures that we are taking to reduce the spread of infection, like the flu, is to encourage frequent hand washing and cleaning and disinfecting all hard surfaces frequently touched or handled throughout the buildings.      

  I am asking you to partner with us and share with your children these Top 10 Tips for Preventing the spread of the flu:

  1. Keep your child home from school when he or she is sick;

  2. Allow your child to return to school only when fever-free for at least 24 hours (no longer having a fever without use of fever-reducing medicines -Tylenol, Motrin, etc.)  In most cases, this would be anywhere from three to five days;

  3. Cover your cough.  Cough into your upper sleeve or into a tissue and discard properly.

  4. Properly dispose of used tissues and other soiled items, and wash your hands after doing so.

  5. Wash hands frequently and regularly, or use hand sanitizers when water is not readily available.  Hand sanitizers are available throughout the District;

  6. Regularly clean and disinfect areas and items likely to have frequent hand contact;

  7. Contact your health care provider when your child or other family member is sick with the flu (symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache and body aches);

  8. If you are not able to stay home with your child, plan ahead for how he or she will be taken care of when sick at home of if school is closed;

  9. Have your child vaccinated against seasonal flu every year;

10. Stay informed by clicking on the following hyper-links: www.health.state.pa.us, www.cdc.gov, www.flu.gov, Swine Flu and You, or Swine Flu.

   The State of PA has set up a dedicated website regarding the H1N1 virus. Please follow this link PA H1N1 for information.

   Your child's health and education are very important to us and my hope is, with your cooperation throughout the school year, we will be able to minimize the overall impact of the flu virus, to assure that both are achieved at the highest levels.

   If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Nursing Departments at your child's school.

   Sincerely,

   Raymond J. Bernardi, Superintendent