501 Kern Street
P.O. Box 129
Tupman, California 93276
661-765-7431
Fax 661-765-4583
Elk Hills School District Health & Safety Information
New 7th & 8th Shot Flyer
Parent Letter-New 7th & 8th Required DTAP
County Public Health Information
San Joaquin Comm. Hospital Immunization Clinic Information
Annual Head Lice Check-Please see parent letter attachment
Parent Notification-Head Lice
"School Health & Safety for H1N1 Flu"
Elk Hills School District has been proactive since the first day of school in August and will continue to fully compile with the recommended practices from the Kern County Dept. of Health as related to H1N1 flu. The school is implementing the following practices updated on October 2, 2009 by KCDPH:
1. Stay
Home when Sick:
CDC, CDPH and KCDPH recommend that individuals with influenza-like illness (ILI) remain
at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100°F or greater), or signs of a fever, without the use of
fever-reducing medications. It
will be common for students to require more than 3 days to recover. Once they are recovered from ILI, it is
recommended that students be allowed to return to school without requiring a medical note. This will facilitate persons staying out of school for an
adequate amount of time to get well and prevent the medical system from being
overburdened with �well� people who have recovered. The majority of persons who contract influenza will recover
with proper rest, nutrition, fluids and medication for fever and pain control.
-Schools should implement a process to ask students/employees when calling in ill whether they have Influenza-like symptoms (Fever, Sore throat, Cough, Nausea/Vomiting or Diarrhea, Body Aches, Headache, Chills, or Fatigue)
-Schools should implement a process to notify school
administration if the absenteeism for influenza increases above normal trends.
-Schools should implement
a process to track students calling in with Influenza- like symptoms and fever
to make sure they do not return to school until 24 hours after the fever has
subsided with fever reducing medication.
2.
Separate ill students and staff:
CDC, CDPH and KCDPH recommend that students and staff who appear to have an
influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill during the day be promptly
separated from other students and staff and sent home.
-Students/staff reporting
to the office ill with influenza-like symptoms should be sent home immediately.
-Schools need to
make sure they have on file reliable parent contact information on each student
so parents can be contacted quickly to pick up students.
-Recognizing that space on
school sites are often in short supply, early planning on the location for a
�sick room� is essential. This
room should not be one commonly used for other purposes, for example, the lunchroom
during non-meal times. Nor should
it be a space through which others regularly pass. It is not
necessary for this room to have a separate air supply (HVAC) system. The sick room should be placed in areas
where at least 6 feet of distance can be maintained between the ill person and
others.
-KCDPH would caution against attempting to set up an �infirmary� with
cots. A minimum amount of
furniture (i.e., Chair) should be placed in the room so that this furniture can
be easily cleaned after the student leaves.
-The school should have the ability to measure the temperature of
students indicating they are ill.
-A limited number of staff should be designated to care for ill persons
until they can be sent home. These should be people with limited interactions
with other students and staff and therefore decreased risk of spreading
influenza. These persons should not be at increased risk of influenza
complications (for example, pregnant women).They should be familiar with
infection control recommendations to prevent the spread of influenza. Schools
should identify and train as many persons as possible to maximize the chances
of having staff for the sick room when needed.
-Staff who provide care for persons with known,
probable or suspected influenza or influenza-like illness should use
appropriate personal protective equipment; fit tested N95 respirators are
demonstrated to prevent infection to care providers.
-When possible and if the sick person can tolerate it, he or she should
wear a surgical mask when near other persons.
3. Hand Hygiene:
CDC, CDPH and KCDPH recommend
that students and staff be encouraged to wash their hands often with soap and
water, especially after coughing or sneezing.
Elk Hills School is implementing these recommended practices:
-School administration and staff should be encouraging students to wash
their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or
sneezing and before eating meals.
-Alcohol-based
hand cleaners are also effective at killing influenza viruses. The use of
alcohol-based hand sanitizers (gels, foams, or wipes) containing at least 60%
alcohol should be promoted in the schools.
4.
Respiratory etiquette:
CDC, CDPH and KCDPH recommend covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when
coughing or sneezing and throwing the tissue in the trash after use. If a tissue is not immediately
available, coughing or sneezing into one�s arm or sleeve is an effective means
of reducing exposure to others.
Elk Hills School is implementing these recommended practices:
-Students and
staff should have access to tissues and must be educated about the importance
of respiratory etiquette, including cleaning hands prior to touching their face
(especially the eyes, nose and mouth).
-Signage should be
posted in classrooms reminding students and staff about proper respiratory
etiquette. Material is available from KCDPH for posting in the schools.
5.
Routine cleaning:
CDC, CDPH and KCDPH recommend that schools should regularly clean all areas and items
that are in frequent contact with hands such as door knobs, hand railings,
table tops and keyboards.
Elk Hills School is implementing these recommended practices:
-Studies have shown
that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a
person for 2 to 8 hours after being deposited on the surface
-Schools should
use the cleaning agents that are usually used for cleaning in the schools.
-Ensure that
custodial staff and others (such as classroom teachers) who use cleaners or
disinfectants read and understand all instruction labels and understand safe
and appropriate use.
-Routine
cleaning practices should be observed consistently, there is no need to start
any extraordinary cleaning procedures , However, Elk Hills School has been daily disinfecting restrooms, sinks, drinking fountains, all door knobs, cafeteria tables and all student desks & tables every other day. The Bus seats & windows are also being disinfected.
-The EPA
provides a list of EPA-registered products effective against influenza at http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/influenza-disinfectants.html.
6. Early
treatment of high-risk students and staff:
CDC, CDPH and KCDPH recommend that schools encourage ill staff and
parents of ill students at higher risk of complications from influenza to seek
early treatment
Elk Hills School is implementing these recommended practices:
-Early treatment
with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk for
complications with influenza because it can prevent hospitalizations and
deaths.
-School
administration should become familiar with which students/staff on their school
campus who may be at higher risk for developing complications from influenza.
Students/staff who may fall into this high risk group include: pregnant students/staff, high risk
medical conditions (ie., heart disease, lung disease, asthma, diabetes, immune
compromised, cancer) Students receiving medications regularly at school may
also fit into this category.
-School staff
should encourage people at high risk for influenza complications to speak with
their health care provider as soon as possible, if they become ill with
influenza-like illness. High-risk
students and staff who have had close contact with others who are sick with an
influenza-like illness should also contact their health care provider to
discuss whether they may need to take influenza antiviral medications. This could be accomplished by sending a
letter home to the parents of these students with this recommendation.
What Can Parents Do To Help?
As you may know, Influenza-Like-Illness/Flu (H1N1 included) can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu in our school district. We want to keep our school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season, but we need your help to do this. Here are a few things that we will be encouraging and that you can do to help:
� Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Most classrooms have soap and water, however if they do not, we will be using hand sanitizers as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Please contact the school if you do not wish for your child to use hand sanitizers in the absence of soap and water.
� Teach your children not to share personal items such as drinks, food, or unwashed utensils.
� Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue. If a tissue is not available, we encourage you to have them sneeze into the elbow, arm, or sleeve areas. Make sure your children wash their hands after sneezing to remove germs.
� Know the Signs and Symptoms of Influenza-Like-Illness/Flu. Symptoms include fever (100.0 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or higher) AND a cough OR sore throat.
� Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever and have stopped taking medication to reduce fever or Influenza-Like- Illness/Flu symptoms.
� Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.
Informational Links:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention California Website: http://www.flu.gov/professional/states/california.html
3.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Video & Audio information for kids & parents: http://www2c.cdc.gov/podcasts/browse.asp?topic=swine%20flu
4. http://www.guidetohealthcareschools.com/tips-and-tools/h1n1-guide
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