Saint Bernard School

401 Washington Road

Pittsburgh, PA  15216

Office: 412.341.5444   Fax: 412.341.2044

www.stbschool.com

October 12, 2009

Dear Saint Bernard School Parent:

This letter is to inform you that our first case of the H1N1 influenza virus has been confirmed at the school. We are working in consultation with the Allegheny County Health Department to manage this flu season with the least disruption for our students and staff while maintaining a healthy school environment. We will continue to monitor the situation, and at this time, school will remain open and operating normally.

Please continue to follow the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control by keeping your child home from school if he or she shows any flu symptoms including fever (100° and above) severe cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, and/or vomiting. Students who come to school with flu symptoms will be evaluated by our staff or school nurse, and in some cases, you may be called to pick your child up from school. Students with the flu should stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.

Children experiencing flu symptoms who have chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart problems or who have immune systems that are compromised or suppressed should contact their family doctor for advice. These conditions can result in more severe illness from influenza, including the new H1N1 virus.

The best way to reduce the spread of H1N1 or any other virus is to maintain good hygiene practices. I encourage you to teach your children to wash their hands often, keep their hands away from their eyes, nose, and mouth, and cover coughs and sneezes with their sleeve or a tissue. I have directed our staff to reinforce these skills with all of our students. For more prevention tips, see the back of this letter.

For more information about H1N1 and seasonal flu viruses, visit www.dsf.health.state.pa.us and www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.  Also, our school web-site www.stbschool.com has copies of past letters and helpful links under Health News-H1N1 Update.

Let me assure you that the health and well being of our students is our top priority. We will inform you of any changes to our school’s strategy to prevent or reduce the spread of the flu. 

Please contact your family health care provider if you have any questions or concerns.

God Bless+

Daniel J. Wagner

Saint Bernard Principal

What are the symptoms of H1N1?

The flu comes on much more quickly than the common cold, has more sever symptoms, and typically lasts 3-5 days.  Symptoms of the H1N1 flu can include any of the following:  fever (100 and above) sever cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea and or vomiting.

What should I do to protect from getting sick?

• Wash your hands often with soap and water.  Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Cough or sneeze into your upper arm if you do not have a tissue.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth; avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated with the flue virus, e.g., doorknobs, desk, computers, keyboards and faucets.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay in good general health by getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating nutritious food.
• Get a seasonal flu vaccine to protect yourself against seasonal flu viruses.
• Get an H1N1 flu vaccine when this vaccine becomes available.

What should I do if I get sick?

• Stay home for at least 24 hours after you are fever-free without fever-reducing medication.
• If you suspect you have the flu, contact your health care provider and the school immediately.

How long will I be infectious?

The virus can spread from 1 day before getting sick to 5-7 days after getting sick.

Call or take your child to a doctor if your child has:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing.
• Bluish or gray skin color.
• Not drinking enough fluids.
• Severe or persistent vomiting.
• Not waking up or not interacting.
• Being so irritable that your child does not want to be held.
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough.
• Chronic health condition (like heart disease, asthma, diabetes, immune compromised) and develops flu-like symptoms.

Is there medicine to treat the flu?

Antiviral medication is used to treat the seasonal and H1N1 flu.  Your doctor must prescribe it within the first 2 days of the illness.  The priority use for these medications is for people who are seriously ill or are at risk for serious flue complications.