May 21, 2009 - Even though swine flu has largely receded from view in the media, it remains a concern. Even though warmer summer weather is coming, the spread of the new H1N1 influenza virus is not diminishing; instead, it is showing the potential to cause large-scale school outbreaks. Public Health is focused on keeping all students with symptoms of influenza out of school during their period of illness and recuperation, when they are potentially infectious to others, and needs the help of parents to do so.
The most important action for parents is to check their student for symptoms each day and to keep children who are ill at home.
Public Health is requesting that parents check their children every day before sending them to school or daycare:
- If your child has both a fever (100° F) AND sore throat or cough then you must keep your child home for seven days. If after seven days they still have symptoms, keep them home until symptoms are gone for 24 hours.
- If your child only has a fever alone OR vomiting or diarrhea OR sore throat or new cough with no fever, then you must keep your child home from school or child care until symptoms are gone for 24 hours.
Go to the Public Health swine flu page to get more information on when to keep children home from school; how to care for someone with influenza; and swine flu facts.