HEALTH SERVICES August 31, 2009 Dear Parent,             As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu in our school. We want to keep the school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. But we need your help to do this.             We are working closely with the Alabama State Department of Education and the Marion County Health Department to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning schools. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.             Here are a few things you can do to help: Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub.  You can set a good example by doing this yourself. Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable. Know the signs and symptoms of the flu.  Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees F., 37.8 degrees C. or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea. Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs.  Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected. 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. For more information, you may visit www.flu.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu.  You may also check our school website www.winfield.k12.al.us for any updates or additional changes to our school’s strategy to prevent the spread of flu.                         Cindy Sager, RN Winfield City Schools Holly Gruwell, RN Winfield City Schools Cindy Sager, RN School Nurse csager@winfield.k12.al.us Holly Gruwell, RN School Nurse hgruwell@winfield.k12.al.us Medication Administration Policy February Heart Health Month How to Survive Halloween with Diabetes Preventing Colds and Flu Grades K-3 | Grades 4-6 | Junior High School | Individuals and Families