Health Services

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department recommends measures to prevent the spread of Human Swine Influenza A (H1N1) in schools. Students and staff with flu-like illness (fever with cough or sore throat, head and body aches, chills, fatigue) should stay home and may not return to school until 24 hours after all symptoms are gone. If a student complains of flu-like symptoms during the school day, the parent/guardian will be contacted to take the student home. If you have any concerns about illness in your family, contact your health care provider.

Please remember the best means of prevention for any viral illness include washing hands frequently, covering sneezes and coughs, and avoiding contact with people who are sick.

If you would like more information about swine flu, the following resources are available:

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – www.cdc.gov/swineflu
• Washington State Department of Health (DOH) – www.doh.wa.gov
• Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD) – www.tpchd.org

The most important thing that you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands often, and teach your child to do the same.

By frequently washing your hands, you wash away germs that you have picked up from other people, or from contaminated surfaces, or from animals and animal waste.

What happens if you do not wash your hands frequently?

You pick up germs from other sources and then you infect yourself when you touch your eyes, or your nose, or your mouth.

When should you wash your hands?

You should wash your hands often because you can not see germs with the naked eye or smell them, so you do not really know where they are hiding.

It is especially important to wash your hands:

• Before, during, and after you prepare food;
• Before you eat, and after you use the bathroom;
• After sneezing, coughing, or using a tissue;
• After handling animals or animal waste;
• When your hands are dirty;
• More frequently when someone in your home is sick.

What is the correct way to wash your hands?

• Wet your hands with warm water and apply plenty of soap.
• Rub your hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces (backs of hands, wrists, between fingers, tips of fingers, under fingernails).
• Continue for 20 seconds or about the length of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. It is the soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps loosen germs and allows them to be washed away.
• Rinse well and dry your hands.

The best way to prevent disease is to wash your hands often!

STUDENTS should not come to school if ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ARE PRESENT:

• Fever – oral temperature of 100° F or greater
• Red, draining eye(s)
• Vomiting within the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Rash - Children with rashes should see their health care provider for diagnosis.
• Any symptom(s) causing great discomfort for the student (e.g., severe cough)

A student may return to school after illness under the following conditions:

• Fever-free without anti-fever medication for 24 hours
• No vomiting for 24 hours
• No diarrhea for 24 hours
• Note from health care provider indicating no longer contagious

• Encourage or help your child brush their teeth daily to help prevent tooth decay.
• Check your child’s teeth regularly. If you see spots or other changes in his/her teeth or gums, call the dentist.
• Offer foods that are low in sugar and high in vitamins and minerals to keep your child’s teeth healthy. Avoid many snacks of sweet or starchy foods such as cookies or crackers. They can cause cavities and are not nutritious. Limit juice to 4 ounces of 100% juice per day. Avoid other sweetened drinks.
• Protect your child’s teeth from injury. Do not let him/her run with anything in his mouth, and encourage helmet safety when riding bikes or scooters.
• Make a family rule to have your child “buckle up” on every car ride. Even a minor crash could injure your child’s teeth.