Information Regarding H1N1 and Influenza

The Sioux City Community School District is monitoring the H1NI situation very closely. In our schools we have seasonal influenza A and presumed H1N1, although we have not been told of an official laboratory confirmed case. Please know that the safety of our students and staff members is our top priority. Our district remains in close contact with Siouxland District Health.

The Center for Disease Control recommends that, based on current flu conditions, students and staff with flu-like illness 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).

The United States continues to report the largest number of novel H1N1 cases of any country worldwide, however, most people who have become ill have recovered without requiring medical treatment.
In fact, they have reduced the mandatory reporting to only those instances of hospitalization or death (and they are saying the deaths have occurred where the patients has had an underlying medical condition).

Families should have arrangements made for child care in case their child does get sick from any illness and will need to be home for an extended number of days.

The following information is courtesy of the Center for Disease Control.

What can families, students, and school personnel do to keep from getting sick and spreading flu?

Families, students, and school staff can keep from getting sick with flu in three ways:

Practicing good hand hygiene. Students and staff members should wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Practicing respiratory etiquette. The main way that the flu spreads is from person to person in the droplets produced by coughs and sneezes, so it’s important to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands.
Staying home if you’re sick. Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others.

Phone numbers to call for more information: