Schaumburg Christian School

SCS Flu and H1N1 Information

As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu at Schaumburg Christian School. We want to keep our school open and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. But, we need your help to do this.  We are working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Cook County Department of Public Health to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning our schools.

We are doing everything we can to keep our schools functioning as usual. Here are a few things you can do to help.

Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.

  • Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils.
  • Teach your children to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues or to cough into their elbows, arms or sleeves instead of their hands when tissues are unavailable.
  • Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
  • Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs.  Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.
  • Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

 

H1N1 School Vaccination Clinics

Schaumburg Christian School approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Cook County Department of Public Health allowing the health department to provide H1N1 vaccination clinics at our school.  Schaumburg Christian School is tentatively scheduled to host the clinic on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, during the school day.

The Centers for Disease Control, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Cook County Department of Public Health are all recommending vaccination as the best way to protect your child from this potentially serious illness.

Please note that the health department is administering the vaccinations only to the students who attend the school where the clinic is being held.  These are not community clinics.  Other community members who reside in Cook County should check the Cook County Department of Public Health website for a list of community clinics (www.cookcountypublichealth.org/flu) or call their private health care provider.

We want to emphasize that participation in this effort is voluntary.  No student is required to receive the vaccination.  Schaumburg Christian School is participating in the county’s H1N1 school vaccination program because doing so allows parents to determine whether this opportunity to receive a free dose of the vaccine is the best way to provide for their children’s health.

If you have any questions about the vaccination program or the consent form, please contact the Cook County Department of Public Health at (708) 492-2828 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or via e-mail at .

You can also learn more about the H1N1 virus and vaccines from the county health department (www.cookcountypublichealth.org/flu) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/).

Should you have any health related questions, contact your private health care provider.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions about H1N1 and the Vaccination Clinics

Parent Information Packet Regarding Vaccination Clinic at SCS

 CDC says “Take 3” Steps to Fight the Flu - Brochure

For additional information you may contact one of the following organizations:

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ 
Illinois Department of Public Health - www.Idph.state.il.us/
Know What to Do About the Flu - www.flu.gov