Action Steps for Parents to Protect Your Child and Family from the Flu this School Year

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends four main ways you and your family may keep from getting sick with the flu at school 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 COUGH OR SNEEZE. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder; not into your hands.
3. KEEP A SICK CHILD AT HOME.  A sick child may not return to school until 24 hours after there is no longer a fever (100 or higher) or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). An example:  If your child has a fever on Tuesday, he MAY NOT come to school on Wednesday, even if the fever is gone Wednesday morning.  Thursday would be your child's day to return to school, provided he had no fever all day Wednesday. 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.  Speak with your health care provider about obtaining the flu vaccines.

Visit: http://www.flu.gov/

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