Influenza, or the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness that can affect anyone, including our children. Fortunately, there are measures we can take to prevent its spread and safeguard our community. As a reminder, vaccination is available in many locations including pharmacies, your doctor’s office, and students may be vaccinated right here at Bassett SBHC.
The New York State Department of Health offers the following information on how to combat the flu.
Flu symptoms include:
Fever or chills, body aches, cough, sore throat, headache, runny or stuffy nose, feeling very tired. Some people, especially children, may have stomach problems and diarrhea. Unlike a cold, the flu comes on very suddenly
Prevent flu!
- Flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu. It is recommended every year for everyone 6 months and older.
- Get the flu vaccine for you and your children every year! It helps make flu sickness milder or prevents it altogether.
- Getting the vaccine early in the fall means you and your children will be protected when flu season starts.
- Make sure people close to your children, like babysitters and relatives, are also vaccinated.
- The vaccine is especially important for young children and people of all ages with certain health conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart or lung conditions. The flu can make them even sicker.
If your child gets the flu:
- Your child will need plenty of rest and lots of fluids.
- Keep your child home from school for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone without using fever-control medicine. This helps avoid giving the flu to others.
- Talk with your child’s health care provider before giving a child any over-the-counter medicine.
- Never give your child or teenager aspirin or any medicine that has aspirin in it. Aspirin can cause serious problems.
- Young children and those with certain medical conditions, like asthma, diabetes, and heart or lung disease, are at greater risk for getting seriously ill from the flu.
- If your child gets flu symptoms, call their health care provider and ask if antiviral treatment is right for them.
- If you are worried about your child, call their health care provider.
Don’t spread the flu!
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- If soap and water aren’t handy, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, not your hands. Put used tissues in the trash.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. That’s how germs spread.
- Stay away from people who are sick.
For more information, visit health.ny.gov/flu.
We appreciate your efforts to help prevent the spread of flu within our MCS community.
Jennifer Adams, Jr/Sr High School Nurse: jennifer.adams@mcsdny.org
Kayleigh Brodie, Elementary School Nurse: kayleigh.brodie@mcsdny.org