Flu Prevention Information
by Brian Rottinghaus
October 28, 2009
Date: October 23, 2009
To: Parents of Axtell School Students
From: Brian Rottinghaus, Axtell School Principal
Subject: Flu Prevention Information
I conducted a student assembly on the morning of October 22 as which time I addressed two key health considerations for school flu prevention: 1) general information about influenza; 2) precautionary measures to prevent spreading the flu.
1) Information About the Flu:
All true influenza strains attack the respiratory system. Most seasonal flu strains are variations of the Influenza Type A; this includes H1N1. H1N1 however is a new strain of Type A that is so different from the regular seasonal flu that anyone born after the mid-1970s has very little immunity to the strain. A vaccine for the H1N1 strain is only now reaching medical clinics. Since it is largely considered too early in the fall for regular seasonal flu to be striking the general public, anyone who tests positive for Influenza Type A is presumed positive for H1N1. Medical clinics will only test for Type A Influenza if patients are running a high fever. The actual test for H1N1 costs several hundred of dollars, can take weeks to produce results, and is administered only to patients who have been hospitalized. The flu virus is typically spread by touching a surface that has been contaminated by someone carrying the flu virus and then touching your hand to your mouth or eyes, or touching food/liquid that enters the body.
2) Precautionary Measures to Prevent Spreading the Flu:
- Stay home for 24 hours after a fever breaks without the aid of medicine (i.e. ibuprophin or acetaminophen)—you can still spread the flu for one full day after your fever breaks.
- Be cautious of “high traffic” touch areas—i.e. doorknobs, desktops, etc.
- Each room has been provided a can of anti-viral/bacterial/fungal spray. Staff members have been encouraged to use this spray on the high traffic touch areas frequently. Additional surface treatment products will be distributed in the near future.
- Restroom doors (except the old girls restroom) have been propped open so that the handles don’t have to be touched to enter/leave the restrooms.
- Do not touch the surface of a water fountain nozzle—germs can spread through the water itself
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Cough into your sleeve.
- Don’t not pass or exchange food in the lunch room—also, use the Kleenexes in the cafeteria to blow your nose, not the paper towels.
- Regular surface cleaning by the custodial staff.
