Let's All Stay Germ-Free!

Nationwide and in some HCPSS schools, staff are seeing a large number of students with gastrointestinal and/or flu-like symptoms. HCPSS is monitoring the situation closely and working to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff. Please review the following recommendations if your child becomes ill, and contact your child’s doctor if he or she experiences any symptoms. 

GI Viral Illnesses

Symptoms: Nausea, Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps

Helpful Tips to Avoid GI Viral Illnesses 

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after eating, after using the bathroom, after episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, whenever visibly soiled.
• If soap and water is unavailable, hand sanitizers may be used.  Rub sanitizer over all hand surfaces until the sanitizer has dried, then wash with soap and water when possible.
• Teach proper cough hygiene.  Transmission is possible through close contact with an infected person.
• Avoid putting fingers in the nose, mouth or rubbing the eyes.  Transmission through mucus membranes after touching contaminated objects is possible
• Students should not return to school until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
• Students with a confirmed lab diagnosis of norovirus should not return to school until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours.

Flu and Flu-Like Illnesses

Symptoms: Cough, fever, headache, chills, sore throat, fatigue, body aches, possibly diarrhea, and vomiting

Helpful Tips to Avoid Flu and Flu-Like Illnesses

• Avoid close contact with infected persons.  Children who are unwell should stay at home.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after eating, after using the bathroom, after episodes of coughing and sneezing, whenever visibly soiled.  If soap and water is unavailable, hand sanitizers may be used.  Rub sanitizer over all hand surfaces until the sanitizer has dried then wash with soap and water when available.
• Teach proper cough hygiene.  Cough or sneeze into a tissue, discard the tissue and wash your hands.  Transmission is possible through close contact with an infected person.
• Avoid putting fingers in the nose and mouth or rubbing the eyes.  Transmission through mucus membranes after touching contaminated objects is possible.
• Students should not return to school until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
• Do not send a child back to school until they have been fever free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medication.

Cleaning Recommendations for the Home

Frequently sanitize all non-porous, frequently touched surfaces with an appropriate disinfectant. This includes doorknobs, light switches, desktops, tables, counters, computer keyboards, bathroom handles and fixtures, etc.

• Use a 10% bleach, or bleach-based cleaner – spray/wipe surfaces and allow to air dry.
• To make a 10% bleach solution, mix one part bleach with nine parts water. Mix a new solution daily.
• Clean/disinfect regularly throughout the flu season.