District Reminds Parents About H1N1 Procedures

With school in session, the school district would like to remind parents and students about the procedures the district has in place concerning the H1N1 virus (previously called Swine Flu).

Through the month of September, Olathe District Schools has had widespread reported cases of influenza, similar to what we would expect during a typical influenza season. Some of these cases have been clinically diagnosed as H1N1. Individual schools are sending alerts to parents as they notice an increase in students being sent to school ill and/or have a sudden surge in number of students out ill with influenza symptoms.

According to the most recent advisory from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a school closure is not advised for a suspected or confirmed case.  In all events, the school district works closely with the Johnson County Health Department.

The Health Department recommends that:

• Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness need to stay home and not attend school or go into the community until fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication. 
• Symptoms most indicative of the flu are fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (or higher) with sore throat and/or cough. 
• The recommendation of being fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to school is the same recommendation given for other communicable illnesses.
• Individuals with flu-like symptoms who are at higher risk of complications from flu need to get a medical evaluation as soon as possible.

What can parents do to assist the schools with this plan? 

• Monitor your school-aged children every morning for symptoms of influenza-like illness.
• Notify the school if a student is home with influenza-like symptoms.
• Update emergency contact information and have a plan for picking up students quickly if they become ill while at school.
• Ill students should not attend alternative child care. 
• Encourage children to follow sanitary measures to reduce the spread of influenza, including covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or coughing or sneezing into their sleeve if a tissue isn't available), frequently washing hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if hand washing with soap and water is not possible. 

The Kansas Department of Health And Environment has dedicated a Web site to providing guidance to parents and schools concerning H1N1.  The site includes a letter written specifically to parents in English and Spanish   http://www.kdheks.gov/H1N1/H1N1_guidance_schools.htm

What is the school district doing to lessen the spread of H1N1?

• We receive continuous updates on the guidance given to schools from the Centers for Disease Control.  These guidelines currently ask schools to isolate ill students and staff until they are picked up from school. The guidelines also ask that we place a mask on an ill person, as tolerated, until they are able to be picked up from school.
• We daily monitor the number of students absent due to illness and any that report to have H1N1 symptoms. 
• We consult with the Johnson County Health Department for guidance on communicating additional information to parents regarding a communicable illness.
• We are reminding staff to reinforce and model hygiene measures that will decrease the potential spread as described above.
• We are cleaning hard surfaces, such as doorknobs, more frequently.
• We are updating this information as needed.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep illness from spreading.