H1N1 Flu -- Guidance from State Department of Health
Jason Eberhart-Philips, MD, MPH
September 23, 2009
Kansas
Department of Health
And Environment
www.kdheks.gov
August 7, 2009
Dear Kansas Educator:
Updated Interim Guidance on Student Dismissal for 2009 H1N1 Flu
This letter is to replace the guidance we sent you on May 1
regarding dismissal of students due to suspected or confirmed cases
of infection with the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) virus. This updated
guidance is consistent with new advice received from the federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and reflects our
current understanding of the severity and spread of the
outbreak.
These are our recommendations, effective immediately:
School closure is not advised for a suspected or confirmed case. In
general, closure is not advised for multiple cases unless there is
a magnitude of faculty or student absenteeism that interferes with
the school’s ability to function.
Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness (fever with
a cough or sore throat) should stay home and not attend school or
go into the community except to seek medical care until at least 24
hours after they are fee of fever (100 F [37.8 C]). The fever
should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Students, faculty and staff who appear to have an influenza-like
illness at arrival or become ill during the school day should be
isolated promptly in a room separate from other students and sent
home.
Parents and guardians should monitor their school-aged children,
and faculty and staff should self-monitor every morning for
symptoms of influenza-like illness.
Ill students should not attend alternative child care or congregate
in settings other than school.
School administrators should communicate regularly with local
public health officials to obtain guidance about reporting of
influenza-like illnesses in the school. The Kansas Department of
Health and Environment is also ready to consult with school
officials on this matter.
Schools can help serve as a focus for educational activities aimed
at promoting ways to reduce the spread of influenza, including hand
hygiene and cough etiquette. Students, faculty and staff should
stringently follow sanitary measures to reduce the spread of
influenza, including covering their nose and moth with a tissue
when coughing or sneezing (or coughing or sneezing into their
sleeve if a tissue isn’t available), frequently washing hands with
soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if hand washing with soap
and water is not possible.
We appreciate the efforts that Kansas educators have taken to
protect students, staff and the wider community from infection with
this new virus. We will continue to communicate with you about the
role of educational institutions in reducing transmission of this
virus as our scientific and medical understanding grows.
Thank you for your support of your public health partners during
this event.
Yours sincerely,
Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD, MPH
State Health Officer and Director of
Health, KDHE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH
CURTIS STATE OFFICE BUILDING, 1000 SW JACKSON ST., STE 300, TOPEKA,
KS 66612-1368
Voice 785-296-1086 Fax 785-296-1562
