Know What to Do About the Flu

 

CDC Flu Vaccination Badge

  

Wash your hands. Cover your cough.
Stay home when sick. Get your family vaccinated.

The Eugene School District's school-based health centers have scheduled H1N1 flu vaccine clinics to serve our school community. Clinics will be held each week through the fall as vaccine is available. At this time vaccines are available only to eligible individuals in high-priority categories, including healthy children. Click "Read More" for a schedule of H1N1 flu vaccine clinics and information about keeping your family and school community healthy this flu season.

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinics 
What Schools Are Doing 
What Families Should Do 
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More About the Flu

 

WHAT:

  

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinics

WHEN:

  

•  Wednesday, November 18

2:00–5:00 p.m. or until all vaccine has been used.
As these vaccine clinics are held in schools, there are restrictions on early queuing prior to the clinic start time.
North Eugene High School, 200 Silver Lane, glass lounge at front of school
South Eugene High School, 400 E. 19th Ave., in the health center
Sheldon High School, 2455 Willakenzie Road, in the cafeteria

At the November 18 clinics, there will be no vaccine available for children under 2 years old, or for children under 4 years who have health conditions.

Vaccine will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to persons ages 2 years through 64 years who are in a high-priority group for eligibility (see below). Healthy children 2 years and older can get the intranasal flu mist vaccine. Children 4 years and older with health conditions can get the injectable vaccine.

 

WHO:

  

Vaccine will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to people who meet the eligibility criteria. Children under 15 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

At this time, to be eligible to receive the vaccine, a person must be in one of the following categories:

•  Children and young adults from age 6 months 2 years through 24 years of age

•  Adults ages 26 through 64 who are:
- Pregnant women
- Household members and caregivers of babies under 6 months of age
- Care providers and one-on-one assistants for medically fragile individuals
- Health care workers or school front office staff
- Front-line law enforcement; emergency medical personnel; or public safety workers
- Have certain chronic health care conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or neurological conditions

NOTE: Individuals who are in a high-priority category, between the ages of 2–49, not pregnant, healthy, and do not have certain chronic health conditions such as diabetes or asthma, can receive the nasal spray vaccine. Injectable vaccine will be given to individuals who are in high-priority categories but are not eligible for nasal spray vaccine.

Public health officials say that people in the categories above should receive H1N1 immunization as soon as possible. Anyone who is not sure about whether or not they should get the vaccine should contact their healthcare provider for advice.

At this time, vaccines are reserved for people at highest risk for complications from H1N1 influenza; however, public health officials anticipate that once people in high-priority categories have been vaccinated, immunization will be recommended for the general population. 

 

COST:

   $15
Cash and checks accepted; credit cards also accepted at North Eugene.
Price will be adjusted to the needs of individual families if necessary.
No one will be turned away due to an inability to pay.

FUTURE
CLINICS:

 		  

NOTE: This schedule of upcoming clinics is subject to change based on vaccine availability.

•  Tuesday, November 24, 2:00–5:00 p.m. or until all vaccine has been used
•  Wednesday, December 2, 2:00–5:00 p.m. or until all vaccine has been used
•  Wednesday, December 9, 2:00–5:00 p.m. or until all vaccine has been used
at these three sites:
North Eugene High School, 200 Silver Lane, glass lounge at front of school
South Eugene High School, 400 E. 19th Ave., in the health center
Sheldon High School, 2455 Willakenzie Road, in the cafeteria

•  OTHER LOCATIONS:
4J’s school-based health centers are among the many community partners working with Lane County Public Health to distribute H1N1 vaccine to our community. For information about other providers of H1N1 flu vaccine in Lane County, and for a schedule of upcoming vaccine clinics for the public, please visit
Lane County Public Health

 

Cover Your Cough poster imagePreparing For Flu Season

[Información en Español por el CDC]

At Eugene School District 4J, the health and well-being of our students is our top priority.  With both the novel H1N1 pandemic strain of influenza and the usual strains of seasonal flu viruses circulating in our region, 4J schools are preparing for extra precautions this flu season. We want to keep our schools open and functioning normally during this flu season — but we need your help to do this.

Public health officials say there are four main ways families can help keep themselves and their school communities healthy: Wash your hands. Cover your cough. Stay home when sick. Get your family vaccinated.

 

What Schools Are Doing

Flu can easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu at 4J schools. Every school in the district will:

  • Teach flu prevention practices. Beginning the first day of school, schools will instruct students on how to prevent the spread of flu and other viruses — proper handwashing protocols, cough and sneeze etiquette, and more.
  • Promote and model good hygiene. School administrators wil ensure flu prevention posters are posted in visible locations, and staff will model flu prevention practices.
  • Separate sick people from others. Students and staff with flu-like illness will be sent home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever.
  • Report unusually high absences due to illness. School administrators will report any high absenteeism or severe flu cases to district administrators, who will consult with public health officials for guidance.
  • Keep the learning going. Schools are working to develop ways to keep kids learning at home and/or able to make up coursework later if illness keeps individual students out of school for extended periods.

Eugene School District 4J will continue to work closely with Lane County Public Health and the Oregon Public Health Division to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning schools. This webpage will be updated with new information as it becomes available. 

 

What Families Should Do

Public health officials recommend four main ways to help keep you and your family from getting sick with the flu at school and at home: 

  • Wash your hands. Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand cleansers also are effective. Avoid other ways viruses can be easily transmitted, such as sharing personal items (e.g. drinks, food, utensils).
  • Cover your cough. Respiratory etiquette means covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands. 
  • Stay home when sick. Keep children and adults at home if they are sick with flu-like illness. Stay home for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen). Symptoms of the flu are a fever (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) along with symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired.
  • Get vaccinated. Public health advice is to get your family vaccinated for both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu as soon as vaccines are available. Seasonal flu vaccines are available now at many locations. H1N1 flu vaccines are being distributed by about 80 public health partners in Lane County, including school health centers, to individuals in certain high-priority categories. Watch for vaccine clinics or availability by appointment at your doctor’s office, clinic, pharmacy or elsewhere. General public health advice is to take advantage of the vaccine as soon as available — if you are not sure about whether or not you should get the vaccine, call your healthcare provider for advice.

Other recommended steps to prepare for the possibility of flu include: update your emergency contact information at your schools; plan for child care at home if your child gets sick or their school is dismissed; and identify if you have family members who are at higher risk of serious disease from the flu and talk to your healthcare provider about a plan to protect them during the flu season.

If you want to learn more about influenza, visit flu.oregon.gov or www.flu.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is H1N1 flu? 

H1N1 influenza is a respiratory illness related to seasonal influenza. The symptoms of H1N1 flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Intestinal symptoms are less commonly associated with this H1N1 influenza.

Is there a vaccine for H1N1 flu? 

Yes. Regular seasonal flu vaccines do not protect against the H1N1 strain, but a separate vaccine is available.  See above.

Who is most at risk from flu?

Anyone can get the flu, even healthy people, and problems from the flu can happen at any age. However, children under the age of 5 years, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as heart disease, pulmonary disease including asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders), and people age 65 and older are more likely to get complications from the flu and should contact their healthcare provider for advice.

What should families do to stay healthy?

Public health officials say families should get the vaccines for seasonal flu and H1N1 flu as early as possible. Families should continue to emphasize good health habits: staying home when ill, washing hands frequently, and covering coughs and sneezes.

When should someone stay home?

A little sniffle is not a reason to stay home, but influenza is! Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others. If a student or staff member has flu-like illness — fever (greater than 100°F or 37.8°C) along with symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired — he or she must stay home until at least 24 hours after the fever is gone (determined without the use of fever-reducing medicine).

People with flu also should not go anywhere else (such as childcare, the mall, or sporting events) where other people would be exposed to flu germs. At this time, public health officials say that the sick person's other family members do not need to stay home if they do not have flu symptoms.

Why the concern about flu in schools?

Students can get sick with flu and easily spread it to other students and their families. So far, with 2009 H1N1 flu, the largest number of cases has been in people between 5 and 24 years old.

Will schools be closed?

School dismissal is unlikely unless high absenteeism makes it hard for a school to function. This was different
last spring, but the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) changed its school closure guidelines after public health
officials learned more about the new flu strain.

What are schools doing?

School-based health centers are partnering with Lane County Public Health to administer H1N1 flu vaccines to our community as vaccine is available. School staff are teaching and modeling hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Sick kids and staff will be sent home. School offices are monitoring absentee rates and flu-like illnesses among students and staff. The school district will remain in close contact with public health officials for guidance.

What do “hand hygiene” and “respiratory etiquette” mean?

Hand hygiene: Wash hands often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers also are effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth — keep hands below your neck.

Respiratory etiquette: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands.

What about cleaning surfaces? 

Flu viruses do not survive for very long on hard surfaces, such as desks and door knobs. Public health officials say it is not necessary to disinfect such surfaces beyond routine cleaning.

Are there other things schools can do?

Our prevention practices are based on recommendations from public health officials. If there are severe flu conditions this school year, public health officials may recommend additional practices to prevent the spread of flu in schools.

How can people stay informed?

• Eugene schools: www.4j.lane.edu/flu

• Lane County information: Lane County Public Health

• Oregon information: flu.oregon.gov

• National information: www.flu.gov

• Health concerns? Contact your healthcare provider.


4J Principals' Toolkit, 9/3/09

 



Last updated on November 17, 2009 - 12:08pm