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South
Orangetown Central School District
160
Van Wyck Road • Blauvelt, NY 10913 • (845)680-1050 • Fax
(845)680-1900
Frequently Asked School and Flu related Questions and Answers
provided by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and
the New York State Education Department (NYSED)
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Are schools required to close if any students or staff
are diagnosed with H1N1?
Any decision on school dismissal or closure is made at the
local level by school and health officials. Factors to
consider include how school absenteeism and staffing
shortages could affect school operations. School closure is
generally not advised unless a large number of staff or
students are absent and their absence interferes with the
school’s ability to function safely.
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How long should students or staff diagnosed with flu stay
out of school?
Students or staff with flu-like illness symptoms and a fever
of 100° F (37.8° C) should stay home. They should not attend
school or go into the community, except to seek medical
care, until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever,
or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing
medication. In some cases, local officials may determine
that the exclusion period should be longer.
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What if someone comes to school and then begins to show
flu-like symptoms?
Students and staff who appear to have an flu-like illness
when they come to school—or who become ill during the school
day—should be isolated in a room separate from other people
if possible, or kept a minimum of 6 feet away from others
while wearing a surgical mask until then can be sent home in
accordance with district procedures.
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What is the best way to be sure individuals who have the
flu do not go to school?
Parents and guardians should monitor their school-aged
children and, every morning, staff should check themselves
for flu-like symptoms. Ill persons should stay home.
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If my child shows flu-like symptoms, should he or she
still attend day care or other after-school activities?
Ill students should stay home. They should not attend
alternative childcare, after-school activities, or other
group activities.
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When school administrators learn of students who have been
infected with novel H1N1 flu, who should those
administrators contact?
School administrators should communicate regularly with
local public health officials to obtain up-to-date guidance
about the reporting of influenza-like illnesses in the
school.
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What can school administrators do to control the spread
of any influenza virus in their schools?
Schools can help reduce the spread of any flu - whether it
is the novel H1N1 flu virus or seasonal flu - by promoting
good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
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What should students and school staff do to follow “good
hand hygiene” and “good respiratory etiquette”?
Students and staff should frequently wash their hands with
soap and water, or if hand washing with soap and water is
not possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. If
alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not allowed in the school,
other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be
useful for killing flu germs on hands. They should carefully
cover their mouth or nose with a tissue when coughing or
sneezing. (If a tissue is not available, they should cough
or sneeze into their sleeves).
Information on this subject is updated regularly. Here
are some places where you can get additional in depth
information as needed:
The NYSDOH Novel H1N1 Flu Telephone Hotline: 1-800-808-1987
(New York City residents call 311)
The NYSDOH will provide updated guidance as additional
information and CDC recommendations become available. Frequently
updated information is posted on the NYSDOH website at
http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/influenza/h1n1/information_for_schools.htm
Frequently updated information is available on the CDC website
at
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/general_info.htm or
www.flu.gov
The New York State Education Department provides guidance,
support, and direction to administrators, faculty, staff, and
the school community. A compilation of all H1N1 information
provided by NYSDOH and NYSED is posted at
http://usny.nysed.gov/swine-flu-info.html
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