Small Town News

Norwalk Schools Flu Information Update

---

As you may know, flu can spread easily from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to minimize the spread of the flu and keep the school fuctioning in a normal manner during this flu season. We are working closely with Warren County Department of Public Health regarding the best steps to take concerning the school. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.

Listed below are some things parents can do to help reduce the spread of illness.

Please remind your child to wash his/her hands often, especially before and after eating, using the bathroom and when arriving at home after school.

Teach your child to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their inner elbow. Remind them not to share personal items, food or drinks.

Please do not send your child to school if he/she is sick. If your child has symptoms of the flu (fever of 100 or higher, cough, sore throat, body aches), you must keep your child home until he/she does not have a fever for 24 hours without the use of medicine (such as Tylenol or Advil).

Keep your child home except to go to the doctor while he/she is sick. While your child is sick, he/she should not hang out with friends, participate in school or other social activities, or be sent to a daycare.

When calling in to report your child's illness, report the symptoms such as fever, cough, vomiting, etc. If your doctor does a test for flu and it is positive, please report it to the school nurse. This information is used to watch for how much flu is in the school. Your child's name will not be used when reporting numbers of children having the flu.

Have your entire family vaccinated with the seasonal flu vaccine or flu mist. The Department of Public Health, along with Norwalk Schools is offering a flu vaccine/mist clinic in October. An informational letter will be sent home with your student soon.

We do not know what the flu season will be like, but we will continue to be proactive by moitoring illness and following all instructions from the Department of Public Health. If you would like to read more about H1N1, go to www.flu.gov.

If you have questions or concerns, please call the nurse at your child's building:

/s/Leigh VanderHolt, Oviatt Nurse; Shawna Neifert, Lakewood & Middle School Nurse; Diana Duffy, High School Nurse



Copyright 2009 N. Warren Town & County News, Norwalk, Iowa. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2009 N. Warren Town & County News Norwalk, Iowa. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

More from N. Warren Town & County News