IHAM
Influenza
Epidemic/Pandemic Prevention and Response Plan
Two issues
related to influenza are currently of public health concern. The regular influenza, also known as flu, for
which there is currently a preventive vaccine, and the potential for Avian Flu,
also known as bird flu, for which there is no vaccine at this time.
Regular
Influenza Information from the CDC
What is
influenza (flu)?
Influenza,
commonly called “the flu,” is caused by the influenza virus, which infects the
respiratory tract (nose, throat, lungs).
It can cause mild to severe illness and at times can lead to death.
How does the
flu spread?
The main
way that influenza viruses are spread is from person to person in respiratory
droplets of coughs and sneezes. (This is
called “droplet spread.”) This can
happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person are propelled
(generally up to 3 feet) through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of
people nearby. Though much less
frequent, the viruses also can be spread when a person touches respiratory
droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or
nose (or someone else’s mouth or nose) before washing their hands.
What are the
symptoms of the flu?
Influenza
is a respiratory illness. Symptoms of
flu include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny
or stuffy nose, and muscle aches.
Children can have additional gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea,
vomiting, and diarrhea, but these symptoms are uncommon in adults. Although the term “stomach flu” is sometimes
used to describe vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea, these illnesses are caused by
certain other viruses, bacteria, or possibly parasites, and are rarely related
to influenza.
How long is
a person with flu virus contagious?
The period
when an infected person is contagious depends on the age and health of the
person. Studies show that most healthy
adults may be able to infect others from 2 days prior to becoming sick and for
5 days after they first develop symptoms.
Some young children and people with weakened immune systems may be
contagious for longer than a week.
APPROVED: June,
2006
What is the
difference between a cold and the flu?
The flu and
the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different
viruses. Because these two types of
illnesses have similar flu-like symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the
difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common
cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough
are more common and intense. Colds are
usually milder than the flu. People with
colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious
health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.
What are
influenza antiviral medications?
Influenza
antiviral medications are drugs that suppress the ability of influenza viruses
to reproduce. When used correctly, they
can reduce the duration of symptoms and some complications from influenza virus
infection.
At what age
should a child be vaccinated?
To protect
their health, all children 6 months to 23 months old should be vaccinated
against the flu. Children 2 years old or
older who have an underlying, long-term illness [such as heart or lung disease
(like asthma), metabolic disease (like diabetes), kidney disease, a blood
disorder, or a weakened immune system] should get a flu shot. The flu shot is not approved for use in
children less than 6 months old.
What can I
do to protect myself against the flu?
`By far,
the single best way to prevent the flu is for individuals, especially people at
high risk for serious complications from the flu, to get a vaccination each
fall. However, there are other good
health habits that can help prevent the flu.
These are:
·
Avoid close
contact with people who are sick. When
you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick
too.
·
If possible, stay
home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching
your illness.
·
Cover your mouth
and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting
sick.
·
Washing your
hands often will help protect you from germs.
·
Avoid touching
your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are
often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs
and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
The school nurse will:
·
Provide education
about symptoms, mode of transmission and prevention to parents, students and
staff.
·
Post CDC FLU FACT
SHEET on schools websites with a link to the CDC website.
·
Provide education
to students and staff including posters promoting hand washing, cough
protection, and use of tissues.
·
Promote flu shots
for all adults and children, especially those at high risk for complications.
·
Maintain a list
of all staff who has received their flu shots.
·
Organize and
conduct a staff flu shot clinic in every school if possible.
·
Publicize
community clinics.
·
Monitor known
cases of flu in the state and in school, collaborating with public health
officials when appropriate.
·
Wear a mask when
assessing ill students to protect self from exposure.
·
Encourage staff
or students with fevers greater than 100 degrees and a cough to stay home from
school and exclude those with symptoms until fever free without medication for
24 hours.
·
Consult with
local and state public health officials at DHHS in order to advise the
superintendent regarding possible need to cancel school and/or events such as
sporting/school events.
·
In the event of
an outbreak of flu, monitor students/staff absences.
·
In the event of
an outbreak of flu – have student with a new cough and a temperature over
100-degrees wear a mask while waiting for dismissal.
·
In the event of a
severe outbreak, a private room will be available for isolation.
Classroom teachers will:
·
Encourage
hand-washing, use of tissues to cover coughs and sneezes, and the use of hand
sanitizer rubs in the classroom.
·
Reinforce and
remind children not to touch eyes, nose, or mouth without first washing their
hands.
·
Take steps to
clean and disinfect surfaces in the classroom; doorknobs, desks, keyboards.
Custodians should take extra special care to clean and
disinfect bathrooms, water fountains, doorknobs and sinks.
AVIAN FLU
(aka BIRD FLU)
Avian Flu
is currently not spread human-to-human.
It is a flu spread among birds. A
few cases of bird to human transmission have occurred in
In addition
to the above steps outline for regular flu, in the event of an outbreak of
Avian Flu anywhere in the northeast –
The school nurse will:
·
Monitor alerts
for DHHS.
·
Isolate any
students or staff with symptoms and exclude them from school with care
guidelines as soon as possible.
·
Keep records
regarding those with symptoms and exclusion.
·
Report confirmed
cases to DHHS according to their guidelines.
·
Wear a mask when
assessing ill students to protect self from exposure.
·
Triage students
with minor complaints to another location and designee in order to avoid close
proximity exposure in the nurses’ office of infected students to potentially
infected students.
·
Monitor students
and staff returning from travel to areas where Avian Flu is present.
·
Encourage parents
picking up children with suspected cases to call the MD or Emergency Room prior
to arrival to allow them to maintain proper infection control.
·
Consult with
local and state public health officials at DHHS in order to advise the
superintendent regarding possible need to close school in the event of clusters
of cases.
The school district will:
·
Close school for
DHHS – recommended number of days if there are any known or suspected cases of
Avian flu in the school population.