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Novel H1N1 Flu

Letter Sent to LPS Staff

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Date: August 10, 2009
To: Lincoln Public Schools Employees
From: Nancy G. Biggs, Ph.D., Associate Superintendent for Human Resources
Re: H1N1 Influenza

As Lincoln Public Schools prepares for the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, we want to assure our staff that we are taking necessary steps and precautions to deal with the H1N1 influenza.

To provide a safe and healthy environment for students and staff, please note the following:

• Staff who are ill with influenza-like symptoms (fever [temperature of 100° or greater], sore throat, cough, headache, body aches) – should stay home until at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine).
• The Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department has asked that we collect information on staff and students who are reporting flu-like symptoms. We ask staff who are calling in sick to please report what specific symptoms they are exhibiting. This information will help us assist the Health Department in monitoring influenza activity in the community.
• When at work, please monitor the students in your classrooms for influenza-like symptoms and send them to the health office for evaluation. If you become ill during the day you should also report to the health office. Anyone with fever and other influenza-like symptoms will be sent home. All attempts will be made to safely isolate ill students until they leave the school building.

To help prevent your students and yourself from becoming sick, the CDC recommends that staff members take the following steps ALL the time and not only during a flu pandemic.

• Encourage students to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze. Also, provide them with easy access to tissues. Remind them to cover coughs or sneezes using their elbow instead of their hand when a tissue is not available. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth so remind your students to avoid touching his or her eyes, nose or mouth.
• Remind students to practice good hand hygiene and provide the time and supplies (easy access to running water and soap or alcohol-based hand cleaners) for them to wash their hands as often as necessary.
• Be a good role model by practicing good hand hygiene and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
• Monitor your class for sick students and send them to the school health office for further evaluation.
• Clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact such as desks, door knobs, keyboards, or pens, with cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Speak with your doctor as soon as possible if you develop symptoms of flu-like illness, if you are pregnant, have asthma, diabetes, or other conditions that put you at higher risk for complications from the flu. Those conditions but you at a high risk of flu complications and can benefit from early treatment with antiviral medicines.
• Plan ahead for child care (if you have children) in case your child gets sick or his or her school is dismissed.
• Practice other good health habits:
  • Get plenty of sleep
  • Be physically active
  • Manage your stress
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Eat nutritious food

Thank you for your attention to this international health issue.