Steller Families & Staff,<\/p>\n
In the past week or so, we have seen an increase in the number of students going home ill with flu-like symptoms, both here at Steller and across the school district.\u00c2\u00a0 I just received confirmation from ASD Health Services that Alaska is in the early stage of an outbreak of influenza (This “outbreak” occurs every year and indicates the start of Alaska’s flu season).<\/p>\n
According to, Mike Bradley, MPH, DVM, the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium,\u00c2\u00a0 “Most regions of the state are reporting cases ranging from a few to large numbers, especially here in Anchorage.\u00c2\u00a0 In typical years\u00c2\u00a0 outbreaks in a community can involve 10 – 40% of the population and range over a period of 5 – 6 weeks.”<\/p>\n
As a reminder,\u00c2\u00a0 a sick student who appears ill should remain home.\u00c2\u00a0 Please do not send a sick student to school to be examined by the nurse.\u00c2\u00a0 This may expose others to unnecessary illnesses.<\/p>\n
What can families, students, and school personnel do to keep from getting sick and spreading the flu?
\n*\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Get the seasonal FLU Vaccine.\u00c2\u00a0 Everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated against the flu.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2010-2011 flu vaccine protects against an influenza A H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season.
\n*\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Cover your mouth and nose. The main way that the flu spreads is from person to person in the droplets produced by coughs and sneezes, so cover coughs or sneezes with your elbow instead of your hand. If you are wearing short sleeves, use a tissue and wash your hands immediately.
\n*\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Practice good hand hygiene.\u00c2\u00a0 Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Hand sanitizers are also effective.
\n*\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Stay home if you are sick. Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others.\u00c2\u00a0 Sick people should stay at home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine).
\n*\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact such as desks, door knobs, keyboards, phones, or pens, with cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas.
\nOther important illness information:
\n*\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) should not be given to children or teenagers; this can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome.
\n*\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Contact your health care provider if you have an underlying respiratory illness or severe symptoms occur. Severe symptoms include: dehydration, not eating, listless, delusional, or unable to keep down any food or fluids, high fevers despite fever reducers, you have a high fever with rash, getting sick again after getting better, or with questions\/concerns.<\/p>\n