Information for Wareham Residents on the H1N1 Flu
The following guidelines prepared by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will be helpful in protecting ourselves and our families during this flu season. The Wareham Board of Health is working with the Wareham School Department and all agencies connected with the education and care of your children and is following these guidelines to prevent the proliferation and spread of this illness.
Robert M. Ethier, Health Agent
Wareham Board of Health
What can I do to keep my family from getting sick?
It is important to teach your family members how to reduce their risk of getting the flu and how to protect others from becoming infected. If we all practice good hygiene, we can limit the spread of flu in our community.
• Get your child both the H1N1 and seasonal flu shots. Vaccination is the best way to keep your child and other family members from getting the flu.
• Teach your children to wash their hands often. Washing with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds is ideal (about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice).
• Use hand sanitizer. Gels, rubs, and hand wipes all work well, as long as they contain at least 60% alcohol. Watch small children using gels so they don’t swallow it.
• Teach your children to cough or sneeze into their elbow—not their hands! Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of their elbow. They should wash their hands after blowing their nose or coughing into a tissue.
• Teach your children to avoid touching their nose, mouth or eyes. They should keep their hands away from their face.
Should my child get the seasonal flu shot?
All children aged 6 months through 18 years should get a flu shot every year. This year it will be available earlier. You should get your children vaccinated as soon as the flu shot becomes available. You can get if from your doctor or nurse, and from some pharmacies. Our community provides flu shots starting in October . See the clinic schedule on the back page.
Who should get the H1N1 flu shot?
H1N1 flu shot should be available in December. The H1N1 flu shot is recommended for everyone, especially:
• pregnant women
• household contacts and caregivers of infants less than 6 months of age
• people aged 6 months to 24 years old
• people 25 to 64 years old who have certain health problems like heart disease, asthma, diabetes, weakened immune systems, and certain muscle or nerve conditions that can lead to breathing or swallowing problems.
•healthcare providers and emergency medical services staff
Can the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 flu shot be given at the same time?
Experts believe that seasonal flu shots and H1N1 flu shots can be given at the same time. However, we expect the seasonal flu shot to be available earlier than the H1N1 flu shot. Because the seasonal flu will still make people sick, people are encouraged to get their seasonal flu shot now.
If there if H1N1 flu in my community, is it safe for my child to go to school?
At this time, state and local public health officials recommend that students can and should continue to go to school, as long as they are not sick and do not have flu symptoms. Flu-like symptoms include: fever (over 100.4 degrees F), with cough and/or sore throat. Additional symptoms of H1N1 flu include: runny nose, stuffy nose, headache, body aches, feeling very tired and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea.
Will my child’s school be closed if there is a case of flu?
School and public health officials will be focused on preventing the spread of the flu in schools so that schools can stay open. These officials will be closely following the situation and will inform you in the unlikely event that your child’s school is closed. However, it is important to plan ahead. Talk to your family now to decide who would care for your child if their school is closed. If school is closed, it is important that students not gather together at another location, but rather stay home to avoid spreading the flu virus to other people.
What should I do if a family member is sick?
Flu spreads easily from person to person. If you think a family member is getting the flu:
• Keep your family member home. It is very important that someone who is ill does not go to school, work or other places where they could spread the flu virus to other people, such as group childcare, after school programs, the mall, the gym, church or sporting events.
• Call your doctor’s office and let them know your family members symptoms and history. Your doctor will advise you whether you should come to the office. It is best to call ahead so that you help prevent spreading illness to others.
• Call your child’s school to notify them that they are sick, and tell the school nurse if your child has flu-like symptoms.
• Keep your school nurse updated on your child’s medical condition.
• Do not give your child or teenager (18 years of age or younger) aspirin or aspirin- containing products due to the rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome.
• All individuals with flu-like symptoms should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without using fever-reducing medicines. These medicines include Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen), Tylenol (acetaminophen) or a store brand. Keeping children with a fever at home will keep them from getting other people sick. For most people, this will be about 4 days. See the “Flu Symptom Checklist “in this brochure for more information.
• Schools are not allowed to accept a doctor’s note recommending a child with flu-like symptoms return to school before the time period described above.
What precautions are being taken at schools?
• Careful hand washing is very important in preventing the spread of disease, including the flu. School nurses and teachers have been and will continue to remind and teach students about hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes.
• All school nurses, food services staff, principals and school faculty staff are working to prevent flu in a number of ways.
• School nurses will keep track of students sick with flu-like symptoms, so that potential outbreaks can be identified quickly.
• School nurses are working closely with local and state public health authorities as questions arise.
Where can I find more information about influenza?
1) Call the Massachusetts Department of Public Health information line: 211
2) Go to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health influenza website: www.mass.gov/flu
4) Go to the Wareham Board of Health section of the Town’s website: www.wareham.ma.us
Wareham Board of Health
Guy Campinha, Chairman Robert Ethier, Health Agent
Charles S. Gleason, M.D. Member
Diane Allen, R.N. Member
Thomas C Gleason, M.D. Associate Member
Thank you for your help and cooperation in keeping everyone, healthy.
| 
