A Message from Moorestown Friends School Regarding Flu Preparedness

September 4, 2009

Dear Parent,

We are sharing these guidelines because the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) is encouraging schools to be proactive in flu prevention and infection control in anticipation of the expected resurgence of the H1N1 virus in the coming flu season.

As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Faculty and staff are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu at Moorestown Friends School. We will review hygiene procedures with students and staff including proper hand washing and proper covering of coughs and sneezes. We want to keep the school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. But, we need your help to do this.

In accordance with guidelines from the CDC, here are a few things you can do to help:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Cover up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
• Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.
• Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

If the flu becomes more severe, we may take additional steps, in consultation with public health authorities, to prevent the spread such as:

• Conducting active fever and flu symptom screening of students and staff as they arrive at school;
• Making changes to increase the space between people such as moving desks farther apart and postponing class trips; and
• Dismissing students from school for at least seven days if they become sick.

For more information, visit www.flu.gov, or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu. For more information about flu in our local community, visit the Burlington County Health Department Flu Pandemic Website or call 609-265-5548.

We are working closely with the Burlington County and the New Jersey health departments to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning school. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.

If necessary, we will notify you of any additional changes to our school’s strategy to prevent the spread of flu as well as policies and procedures if we must close the school.

Sincerely,

Larry Van Meter
Head of School

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