Dear Parents/Guardians:
Flu and RSV season is upon us and Kelso C-7 has been experiencing a noticeable increase in illness. We have seen many cases of colds, flu, and the stomach flu. We are enlisting your help. To prevent widespread flu in the school, we recommend that your child stay home from school if he/she experiences flu or cold symptoms. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines:
Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest if he/she has any of the following:
Very stuffy or runny nose and/or cough
Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
Headache
Mild stomach ache
DEFINITELY keep your child at home for treatment and observation with these symptoms:
Fever (greater than 100 degrees by mouth
Vomiting (even once)
Diarrhea
Chills
General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches
Congested (wet) or croupy cough
Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose
To help prevent the flu and other colds, teach your children good hygiene habits:
Wash hands frequently
Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, Coughing or sneezing into their bent elbow, not their hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Colds are the most contagious during the first 48 hours. A child who has a fever should remain at home until “fever free” for a minimum of 24 hours. A child who has started antibiotics needs to be on medication for 24 hours before being able to return to school. Often when a child awakes with vague complaints (the way colds and flu begin) it is wise to observe your child at home for an hour or two before deciding to send him/her to school. Your child should be physically able to participate in all school activities on return to school. Keeping a sick child at home will minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom.
Thank you in advance for helping make the rest of this year at school as healthy as possible.
**If your child is diagnosed with covid, influenza or RSV by a physician, please call me at 573-545-3357
Sincerely,
Stacy Rongey RN