Flu/Sick Day Guidelines for Students & Staff
This time of year, the peak of the cold and flu season is upon us. To prevent widespread flu in school we recommend that students and employees stay home when they are feeling ill. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines:
Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
- Very stuffy or runny nose and/or cough
- Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
- Headache
- Stomach ache
Please keep your child at home for treatment and observation if he or she has any of these symptoms:
- Fever (Your child should not return to school until (s)he is without fever for a full 24 hours without the use of antipyretics (fever-reducers) such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Chills
- General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches
- Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough
Often when a child awakens with vague complaints (the way colds and flu begin) it is wise to observe your child at home for an hour or two before deciding whether or not to bring them to school. Your child should be physically able to participate in all school activities on return to school. Keeping a sick child at home will minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom.
As a school, we have our custodians and cleaning crews disinfect surfaces, doorknobs, and banisters on a regular basis. We are also ensuring that there is soap and hand sanitizer in all dispensers and encouraging everyone to remind students about the importance of handwashing.
In addition, the Ohio Department of Health is coordinating with the CDC to closely monitor the 2019 novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. If any students and families travel to China between now and the end of the school year, we will ask them to follow the 14-day waiting period, making sure they have been in the USA for 14 or more days without flu-like symptoms. The risk to the general public remains low, and the CDC recommends Americans use typical infectious disease precautions, just as those used to prevent cold or flu:
- Wash hands frequently
- Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
- Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are ill.
Thank you in advance for helping make this year at school as healthy as possible.