Chaminade administered the H1N1 vaccine during the week of November 16,2009 to all those students who had turned in their consent forms. This was the last time that Chaminade will be offering the vacine this year.
At Chaminde, we continue to be proactive with preventing the spread of this virus and have had a relatively low percentage of our students affected with it.
Remember, the best way to control the spread of H1N1 and other respiratory illnesses is through good hand and respiratory hygiene. Hands should be washed thoroughly and frequently. Coughs and sneezes need to be covered with tissues or use your sleeve. We have installed hand sanitizers in all of the classrooms and dispensers are also present in the café and hallways. There is a hand washing video on the Health Services page of the portal.
Typical symptoms of the H1N1 virus are similar to Season Flu symptoms, such as sore throat, cough and fever. If your son is sick with a fever, he needs to stay home for a minimum of 24 hours after his fever subsides without the use of an antipyretic such as Tylenol (Acetaminophen) or Motrin/Advil (Ibuprofen). If he becomes sick at school with a fever, he will need to go home. The CDC is recommending that those who are sent home with a fever, wear a surgical mask until they are dismissed from school.
At Chaminade, we are prepared for the unlikely event that school would need to close for serious pandemic illness. Our administration and faculty are capable of continuing education with the use of our advanced technology until school would be able to resume to normal operation.
TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY:
1. Good Hand Washing
2. Good Respiratory Hygiene
3. Eat Healthy
4. Don’t Share Drinks or Foods
5. Eat Healthy
6. Exercise Regularly
7. Stay Home When You Are Sick
Here are a few quick tips from the Red Cross that you can follow today to prepare for pandemic flu:
• Keep your family safe. Review the American Red Cross “Home Care for Pandemic Flu” flyer. Print this out and review it with your family. It’s a great resource.
• Improve your health habits. Sneeze and cough into a tissue or your sleeve and wash your hands with soap and water frequently. Use sanitizing wipes to keep door knobs, surfaces and common areas clean.
• Have a plan. Know what you plan to do if school is dismissed or canceled, if you can’t go to work, or if a member of your family becomes sick and needs care.
• Stock up on food, medicines, and supplies. You should have enough for two weeks. Click here for specific items to include.
• Stay informed. The spread of a disease can change daily. Stay plugged-in to local media reports. Check out the following websites: – The St. Louis Area Chapter offers tips for being prepared at home and work, as well as checklists for supplies to have on hand.
www.redcrossstl.org
www.pandemicprep.org – A St. Louis-based organization committed to helping local businesses, hospitals, governments and community groups work together to plan for pandemic illnesses.
www.pandemicflu.gov – The U.S. Government’s website about pandemic illnesses and how to prevent them.
www.cdc.gov/swineflu – The Centers for Disease Control’s page on the topic of swine flu. Updated with current statistics on the outbreak, as well as general information about the disease.
Now that you’re preparing, do you know if your friends and family are? Help spread the word about pandemic flu preparation. Send this message to your friends and family.