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 Free lunch service may be provided during School Closures Related to H1N1 Flu
Specific Guidance for:
Administrators
Principals and Teachers
School Nurses
Flu guidance for school superintendents from Missouri’s top health and education executives
Additional Guidance
Schools should increase instruction on respiratory hygiene and monitor students for acute respiratory illness.
Staff and children should all be taught (as developmentally appropriate) and asked to follow these steps that limit the transmission of infections such as influenza:
- Cover your coughs and sneezes into a tissue or the inside of your elbow, not your bare hands.
- Wash hands frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. The virus can remain on frequently touched objects such as doorknobs after an infected person touches it. Others can become infected by touching the doorknob, then rubbing their eyes.
- Stay home if you’re sick, especially if you have a fever.
- Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. They should stay home even if they are using antiviral drugs. If influenza severity increases, people with flu-like illness should stay home for at least 7 days, even if they have no more symptoms. If people are still sick, they should stay home until 24 hours after they have no symptoms.
Disease Reporting and Consultation
School nurses and student health centers should report higher than normal absenteeism to their local health department.
At this time, CDC recommends the primary means to reduce spread of influenza in schools focus on early identification of ill students and staff, staying home when ill, and good cough and hand hygiene etiquette. Decisions about school closure should be at the discretion of local authorities based on local considerations, including public concern and the impact of school absenteeism and staffing shortages.
Recommendations
- School closure is not advised for a suspected or confirmed case of novel influenza A (H1N1) and, in general, is not advised unless there is a magnitude of faculty or student absenteeism that interferes with the school’s ability to function.
- Schools that were closed based on previous interim CDC guidance related to this outbreak may reopen.
- Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. They should stay home even if they are using antiviral drugs. If influenza severity increases, people with flu-like illness should stay home for at least 7 days, even if they have no more symptoms. If people are still sick, they should stay home until 24 hours after they have no symptoms.
- Students, faculty and staff who appear to have an influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill during the school day should be isolated promptly in a room separate from other students and sent home.
- Parents and guardians should monitor their school-aged children, and faculty and staff should self-monitor every morning for symptoms of influenza-like illness.
- Ill students should not attend alternative child care or congregate in settings other than school.
- School administrators should communicate regularly with local public health officials to obtain guidance about reporting of influenza-like illnesses in the school.
- Schools can help serve as a focus for educational activities aimed at promoting ways to reduce the spread of influenza, including hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
Students, faculty and staff should stringently 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.
Definitions of Respiratory Illness
- Acute respiratory illness is defined as a recent onset of at least two of the following:
- Runny nose or nasal congestion
Sore throat
Cough
Fever or feverishness
- Influenza-like illness is a fever greater than 100 degrees F, accompanied by cough or sore throat
- The current situation does not warrant child care center closures. However, if H1N1 flu continues to spread and Missouri children become ill, it may become necessary for health officials to close child care facilities temporarily.
Schools can call their local health department for the most up-to-date information or visit www.dhss.mo.gov.
CDC Guidance for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators
Technical Report for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators on CDC Guidance |
