Schools working to minimize the impact of flu on education

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Wash your hands.

Cough and sneeze into tissues or your elbow area instead of your hands.

Stay at home if you are sick.

It seems simple, but the school system's efforts to prevent the spread of germs is a daily struggle, and one that takes on added importance as superbugs and flu bugs creep into our classrooms.

We are practical in our efforts to "prevent the spread." There are a number of flu-busting activities that occur every day, and the effort starts with education. We teach children proper respiratory etiquette, which encourages covering coughs and sneezes, but not with hands that are used to touch other objects. Employees monitor hand washing, particularly among our youngest students, and do a lot of gentle reminding to children who forget.

School nurses teach healthy habits and are available to check children who become ill at school. We recognize the immediate threat of diseases and infections like the H1N1 influenza virus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus — known better as MRSA — and the potential they have to spread quickly in the close confines of schools. We take great care in keeping children healthy and in school, but we also do not hesitate to send sick children home. Our nurses and the Centers for Disease Control recommend that everyone — student or staff member — with a flu-like illness stay home and not return to school until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medicines like Tylenol.

Our building service workers are on the front line and clean daily with hospital-grade disinfectants, especially in high-touch areas like desks and doorknobs. They also make extra efforts to check soap dispensers and to provide hand sanitizers.

School administrators are doing daily checks of school attendance and nurse visits. We are working with the health department to help track and curb the impact of both seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus threat. We meet regularly to adjust plans that help reduce the spread of infection while providing support for students and teachers who may become ill.

In the coming months, health department nurses will be giving seasonal flu mist and H1N1 virus flu mist to elementary school children whose parents provide consent. The CDC is recommending anyone older than 6 months and up to 24 years old receive vaccination for H1N1. That includes all of our students and some of our new teachers and staff too. The health department has scheduled a number of vaccination clinics throughout the county for older students and adults.

Sometimes it is tough to know if your child has a cold, seasonal flu or H1N1. We know parents are looking for answers when determining if they should keep their child home from school. Fever is one sign of the flu, but not always present. What our nurses recommend, and they are our experts, is that anyone with flu-like illnesses should stay home.

Seasonal flu takes its toll on the community and our schools every year. The school system does all it can to minimize the impact on education, and we appreciate our partnerships with the health department and parents in these efforts. Together we can keep schools open and students and staff healthy.

Donald B. Wade, La Plata

The writer is the chairman of the Charles County Board of Education.