LEXINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Lexington, Massachusetts
School Health Services

December 2003

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Newspaper and television coverage of the early onset of influenza, and the severity of the outbreak, has raised the level of awareness of all of us over this potential public health problem.

We would like to share some of the information that has become available to us from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Please know that the best source of information regarding your child's health is his/her Primary Care Provider. You should feel free to direct all your questions and concerns to your PCP.

Listed here is a web site for the American Academy of Pediatrics that contains updated information for families about the flu.

Dr. Alfred DeMaria, Jr., M.D., Chief Medical Officer, State Epidemiologist, at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health shares the following measures to help protect you and your family from the spread of influenza.
  • Good hand hygiene: people should wash hands or use alcohol hand rubs or gels after being in public or after contact with anyone with a cold or flu.
  • Cough etiquette: when coughing, one should turn the head and cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and promptly dispose of the used tissue; or cough into the inside of the elbow if a tissue is not available.
  • Avoid taking young children or immunocompromised people into large crowds unnecessarily when flu is in the community.
  • Avoid close contact (holding, kissing) between infants and anyone who has a cold or the flu.
  • Do not share things that go into the mouth, such as drinking cups, straws, etc.
  • If people are experiencing respiratory symptoms with a fever, they should refrain from public activities for at least five days (maximum infectiousness last 3 - 5 days in adults and up to 7 days in children) to prevent spread of the infection.
  • If someone has severe or prolonged flu-like illness, they should seek medical attention.

As school nurses we would like to ask your help in the prevention of this contagious disease. When you question if your child is ill and could possibly have contracted a flu-like illness, please do not send him or her to school. Influenza is highly contagious, and the contagious period in children lasts up to 7 days. Please monitor the symptoms and contact your Primary Care Provider for guidance in the care of your child. Headache, fever, body aches, and respiratory symptoms are the clinical indicators that should trigger your alert.

We appreciate your help in keeping the school children of Lexington healthy and safe in the school setting.

Sincerely,


The Lexington Public School Nurses