Flu Season

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Flu Season is Here! What YOU Need to Know About Preventing the Spread of Flu
As we enter into the traditional flu season, Virginia Beach City Public Schools continues to work in partnership with the Virginia Beach Health Department to monitor and remain current on the status of the H1N1 flu. Please take a few minutes to read about how you, as a staff member, can help us keep the flu out of school.

Follow these steps every time you wash your hands and remind students to do the same:

•	Wet hands with warm water.
•	Lather both hands with soap.
•	Scrub fingertips, wrists and between fingers.
•	Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds.
•	Rinse hands thoroughly under running water.
•	Dry hands on a clean paper towel or let hands air dry if no towel is available.

Help Us Keep the Flu Out of School!
Areas with frequent student and staff contact will be sanitized and disinfected as part of the regular cleaning routine in all schools and buildings. We offer these reminders to you, your family and friends, to help us keep the flu out of school:

•	Encourage all family members to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze.
•	Vaccinate your child for seasonal flu when the vaccine becomes available in the early fall to protect against flu illness.
•	Family members who have flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat and have a chronic medical conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes) should contact their health provider. (Additional symptoms may include headache, chills, fatigue and body aches.)
•	Please watch for any signs of the flu. Any individual with flu-like illness should stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever. This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
•	Students with flu-like symptoms, while at school, should be directed to the school nurse. For the safety of others, should a student display flu-like symptoms, his or her parent/guardian will be contacted.

Should a School Close: The School Division Has a Plan in Place. Do You?
Since the initial outbreak of the H1N1 flu this past spring, the CDC has lifted its recommendation to close schools should there be a probable or confirmed case among students or staff. However, should there be a significant number of students or staff absent due to illness, this could impact the ability to effectively operate a school. The decision to close a school will be made at the recommendation of the Virginia Department of Health. Should this happen, we offer you the following information to prepare and respond for a school closing:

•	Virginia Beach City Public Schools has a comprehensive plan in place that will serve as a guide for staff for an appropriate response and implementation.
•	Parents and staff will be notified of a school closure through the AlertNow notification system. This message will include specific information with regard to the anticipated length of time school will be closed. Updates will be provided via AlertNow and the school division’s Web site, vbschools.com.
•	Parents should prepare ahead of time for a possible school closure by developing a plan for childcare.