H1N1 Update:

Update: October 7, 2009

Dear Finneytown Families:

The H1N1 vaccine will soon become available. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified students in grades kindergarten through twelve as one of the priority groups to receive this vaccine.  In order to quickly and efficiently vaccinate school age children, Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) is asking local school districts for access to their school buildings.  Then area physicians may be available to vaccinate children younger than school age and those with chronic health conditions.

In response to the HCPH request, Finneytown Local School District’s Secondary Campus Gymnasium will be the site of this HCPH vaccination clinic. 

As a school district, we are not encouraging or discouraging participation in this immunization program; having your child immunized against the H1N1 virus is your choice. 

HCPH asks that you take the following steps:

1. Review the information in the attached packet.
2. Complete the Student Consent Form.  HCPH asks that everyone complete and return this form, even if you choose not to have your child vaccinated.
3. Return the completed Student Consent Form to school by Monday, October 12. Signed permission forms for students to receive the vaccination will be returned to those students at the vaccination clinic.
4. Review the Know the Facts! This document may answer many of your questions about the H1N1 flu and vaccine.
5. Review Hamilton County Public Health’s Notice of Privacy Practices. This describes how medical information may be disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
6. Refer to 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine What You Need to Know papers (nasal spray and shots)for any additional questions you may have in regards to the risk factors.

Due to the staggered availability of the vaccine, school administration may receive short notice as to the date of the vaccination clinic.  The school district will use the Alert Now calling system to notify families as to when the clinic will take place.  Please be sure that your contact information with your student’s school office is correct.

Finneytown Local School District’s Secondary Campus gymnasium will be the site of this vaccination clinic. The Hamilton County Public Health staff will begin immunizing Secondary Campus students at noon.  Elementary students (with an adult) should come to the Secondary Campus gymnasium between 3:30 PM and 7:45 PM. Note: If an elementary student has a signed consent form on file, an adult other than a parent or guardian may accompany the student.

Any further questions should be directed to your child’s primary care doctor, or Hamilton County Public Health (513-946-7800) or at hamiltoncountyhealth.org.

September 22, 2009

While continuing to fight the spread of H1N1 flu in communities and schools, Hamilton County Public Health has received questions about cleaning efforts. Flu viruses spread mainly by person to person through coughing or sneezing by flu-infected persons. Sometimes, individuals can get the flu virus by touching hard surfaces and objects (e.g., keyboards, telephones and doorknobs that an infected person recently touched) and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not believe that any additional disinfecting of environmental surfaces beyond the recommended routine cleaning is required. The flu virus can only survive on surfaces for 2 to 8 hours. Therefore, our schools will be routinely cleaned, with special attention paid to areas and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact.

The CDC emphasizes important ways to prevent the spread of the flu. We should stringently follow sanitary measures to reduce the spread, including:

• Covering nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing

or

• Coughing or sneezing into a sleeve or elbow if a tissue is not available
• Frequent hand washing with soap and water

or

• Using hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available

As always, the most significant way to prevent the spread of flu is to stay home to keep from infecting others. Hamilton County Public Health advises sick individuals to remain home until fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. The CDC discourages the need for a doctor’s note upon return to school due to the potential of overwhelming our healthcare system, and the cost to families. The severity of H1N1 flu has been similar to seasonal flu and the CDC is only recommending that high-risk individuals or individuals with more severe symptoms seek medical care.

Vaccination Clinic:

The H1N1 vaccine has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Finneytown Local School District is participating in Hamilton County Public Health’s initiative to vaccinate approximately 93,000 against H1N1 flu in our communities. Our Secondary Campus will be a vaccination site for Finneytown’s kindergarten through twelfth grade students only.  It is anticipated that the vaccination clinic will occur in mid-October. Required permission slips will be coming home with your child(ren) in the next few weeks. The vaccinations will be provided free of charge through the health district, and the program will be voluntary.  If you have questions regarding the H1N1 vaccine, please contact your child(ren)’s primary care physician. Finneytown School District will keep you informed as we learn more.

Dear Families,
          Health officials have advised that we should anticipate more school-based outbreaks from H1N1 flu than this past spring because flu is typically transmitted more easily in fall and winter.  Since H1N1 flu is present locally and nationally, it is being monitored just like the seasonal flu. The local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are not counting individual cases of H1N1 flu, but instead are monitoring the spread, severity and possible virus changes.  Individuals with flu-like symptoms are not tested for H1N1 flu unless they are sick enough to be hospitalized, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider the monitoring of the severity of illnesses to be the top priority at this time.

Treatment and precautions for H1N1 flu and seasonal flu are the same.  Sick individuals should stay at home, rest, drink plenty of fluids and limit contact with others.  We need your help in order to keep school open to students and community and to function in a normal manner during this flu season.

• Know the signs and symptoms 100° F. or higher fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and general tired feeling.  Some people may also experience vomiting and diarrhea.
• Keep sick children at home. Children should remain at home until fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine. This will help reduce the number of infected people.
• Do not send your child to school if they are sick.
• Monitor your child for symptoms if he/she has been in contact with someone with a flu-like illness.

The Hamilton County Public Health is providing school officials with updated assessments of severity and any guidance revisions as needed.  For more information about flu in our area, visit www.hamiltoncountyhealth.org.  Additionally, we will keep you informed of any additional changes to our schools’ strategies to prevent the spread of the flu virus.