H1N1 Flu Information and Guidelines

The Fall flu season is rapidly approaching. To better prepare for a potentially difficult flu season, it is important that parents have the necessary information to identify signs and symptoms and help prevent the spread of the flu in our schools. Pertinent information is now available on our website so parents and staff members can use it to protect against the virus. The experts recommend the following prevention measures:

  • Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough/sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands
  • Stay home if you are sick for at least 24 hours after there is no fever or signs of fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Keeping sick students at home means they can't share the virus with others.
  • Get your family vaccinated for seasonal flu and H1N1 flu when vaccines are available.

The web-links below provide vital information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on flu prevention as well as the specific steps our local, state and federal government is taking to address a possible flu pandemic.

The Saugus Union School District strongly encourages students and staff to stay home when sick. No doctor's note will be required for readmission after a case of the flu. Screening for H1N1 flu and the reporting of individual cases is no longer required so it will be difficult to distinguish between the numbers of H1N1 cases in local schools from the seasonal flu cases. The best thing all of us can do is stay home when we are sick so we don't expose others to the virus.

During the 2009/2010 school year, should your child becomes ill at school (exhibits flu-like symptoms), he/she will be separated from our healthy students until a parent or other responsible adult arrives to pick him/her up. Children will not be permitted to stay in school or be readmitted if their temperature is at or above 100 degrees F. All staff and students are encouraged to wash their hands frequently throughout the school day. Those classrooms without immediate/easy access to soap and water will be provided a non-toxic hand sanitizer so that proper hygiene practices are used while at school.

Please refer to the following links for more information on H1N1 flu prevention:

Official Websites

Flu Information Documents

Feel free to contact Keith Karzin, Director of Safety and Risk Management at 661/294-5300 ext. 194 or by email at kkarzin@saugus.k12.ca.us with any questions or concerns regarding this information.