Atkins Academic & Technology High School

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends4 main ways you and your family may keep from getting sick with the flu atschool and at home:

1. Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
2. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  If you dont have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder; not into your hands.
3. Stay home if you or your child is sick for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others.
4. Get your family vaccinated for seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu when vaccines are available.

ONLY IF flu conditions become MORE severe, parents shouldconsider the following steps:

·      Extend the time sick children stay home for at least 7 days,even if they feel better sooner. People who are still sick after 7 days shouldcontinue to stay home until at least 24 hours after symptoms have completelygone away.

·      If a household member is sick, keep any school-aged brothers orsisters home for 5 days from the time the household member became sick. Parentsshould monitor their health and the health of other school-aged children forfever and other symptoms of the flu.

For more information:

Visit: www.flu.gov

Contact CDC 24Hours/Every Day

1-800-CDC-INFO(232-4636)     TTY:(888)232-6348     cdcinfo@cdc.gov