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Warsaw Community chools H1N1 Flu Action Plan - A MUST READ!

 WARSAW COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
PANDEMIC INFLUENZA ACTION PLAN
2009-2010

Warsaw Community School Corporation has developed the following Pandemic Influenza
Action Plan to prepare staff members and families of our students for the possibility of pandemic
or seasonal influenza.

In the event of pandemic flu, the Indiana State Department of Education will continue to require
180 days for school attendance, and Warsaw Community School Corporation must meet that
requirement. Therefore, school closure will NOT occur unless there is a magnitude of staff or
students absenteeism that interferes with the school's ability to function. Indiana State
Department of Education states that 20% absenteeism from flu and flu like symptoms must
make up that number. This decision is in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for
Disease Control (C.D.C.) and state and county health department recommendations.
What is a pandemic disease?

A pandemic disease is an outbreak of an infectious disease that affects people over an extensive
geographical area. The pandemic flu that has been in the news most recently is called H1N1 flu.
Ordinarily, flu is not seen during summer months, but more Indiana counties were newly
diagnosed with H1N1 disease this summer.
The pattern of cases in Indiana, as well as in other states, points to a higher risk for the young.
Although the elderly would typically comprise a majority of severe cases in a normal flu season,
cases of H1N1 are relatively rare in people over 65 years of age.
Know the symptoms of influenza, which MAY include:
*Sudden onset of illness
*Fever higher than 100.4 F
(NOTE: At the discretion of the school nurse, children with a temperature lower
than 100.4 may be sent home from school depending on the symptoms.)
*Chills
*Cough
*Headache
*Sore throat
*Stuffy nose
*Muscle aches
*Feeling of weakness and / or exhaustion
*Diarrhea, vomiting, and /or abdominal pain (occurs more commonly in children)
Vaccinations for seasonal influenza and H1N1 flu
Seasonal flu vaccines are currently available at various locations in the Warsaw area.
At the present a 1 or 2 dose series of vaccinations targeted for the H1N1 flu is expected to be
available from the C.D.C. in mid October.

1. In all district facilities:
*Be aware that germs are viable on surfaces for about 2 hours.
*Practice good hand washing procedures and other sanitary measures to reduce the
spread of influenza.
*Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
*Establish an isolation area separate from other students and staff until the ill
person can be sent home.
In classrooms:
*Teach students to use a tissue to cover their noses and mouths when coughing or
sneezing, and sneeze into arms, near the elbow, not into hands - to reduce spread
of germs from touching surfaces and each other.
*Teach students proper hand washing procedures.
*Post hand washing procedures in the classroom and near restrooms (school nurses
have posters and other resources for you to use).
*Hand sanitizer will be provided as needed to school classrooms and is to be used
frequently.
*Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth since germs are often spread when a person
touches something that is contaminated and then touches eyes, nose or mouth.
*Hand sanitizers/anti-bacterial soap shall be available in school district facilities.
2. IF YOU ARE SICK - STAY HOME
* And avoid going out into the community while you are ill except to seek
medical care.
3. Procedures for reporting illness
* Your school corporation needs to know how many staff members have been
affected by flu-like symptoms. Please follow these procedures to assist
in our record keeping efforts:
TEACHERS:
*Call the substitute phone line to request a sub.
*If you have flu-like symptoms, call your building principal to report your
symptoms; it is not necessary to report other kinds of illness to the
principal.
*Building principals will call the nursing office and the superintendent's office
to keep statistics and enable reports to be completed.
NON-CERTIFIED STAFF:
*Call your supervisor to report you illness, if you have flu-like symptoms, report
that information to your building principal.
*Building principals will notify the nursing office and superintendent daily to
report the number of certified staff members that are ill with flu-like symptoms.

4. Returning to work
*You must be fever free for 24 hours without the aid of fever reducing medications
before returning to the classroom.
*Check with your school nurse or healthcare provider for specific guidance on
when to return to school.
*Watch for updates on the C.D.C. website.

5. Recording student absences
*When a student is reported absent, the attendance recorder designee shall ask
why the child will be absent.
*If the absence is due to illness, ask if the child has flu-like symptoms and record
the response in Power School.
*The attendance recorder shall report daily to the nurse and to the principal the
number of student absences due to flu-like symptoms.
*These absences will be excused.
*A doctor's note will not be necessary for flu-like symptoms, nor do parents need
to document that the child was diagnosed with H1N1.
*A new "absence reason code" is in place that will allow schools to document
that a student was absent from school because of the flu.

6. Absentee and make-up work policy for flu-related illnesses
*Teachers are encouraged to be flexible in assigning make-up work that is standardsbased,
meaningful and achievable following extended illnesses.
*At the discretion of the administrator, additional days beyond the policy for
make up work may be allowed for students to complete make-up work
assignments.
*Teachers are encouraged to make every attempt to make daily work available on
either the district or teacher-based website and when possible make assigned
work printable from that website.
*The school values the child's health above perfect attendance, and it is imperative
that parents understand that children should be kept home for the duration of the
illness.
*To illustrate that value, teachers will be supportive and not punitive when
students are absent for illness.
*An absence for flu must be reported at the time of the absence, not later. It is
a requirement that you call your school by 10:30 a.m. for any illness!
*Absences not reported at that time and noted as flu-like symptoms will count in
accordance with the district attendance policy.

7. Staff members shall not make recommendations to student or parents
regarding vaccinations for the flu.

WARSAW COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
PROCEDURES FOR PARENTS
PLEASE MONITOR YOUR CHILD DAILY FOR SYMPTOMS OF FLU-LIKE
SYMPTOMS

Clinical symptoms may include:
1. Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (student must not return to school until fever free
for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication)
2. Vomiting or diarrhea.
3. Severe sore throat or cough.
4. Lethargy.
5. Irritable, pale or has an unusual lack of appetite.
6. Difficulty breathing.
Have a plan ready for the care of your child if he/she becomes ill and must not attend
school for several days (i.e., who will pick up your child, what are the alternate child care
arrangements, etc.)
EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
*Be sure your child's school has correct contact and emergency numbers so
school officials can call for prompt pick-up if your child experiences influenzalike
symptoms.
*Be prepared to pick up your child from school immediately if he/she becomes ill.
REPORT ALL ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL.
*Call the school and report your child's absence and the reason for the absence.
*Be sure to report if your child has flu-like symptoms to ensure your child's absence is
appropriately excused and assists with recording the number of students with flu-like
symptoms.
WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD RETURN TO SCHOOL?
• Children must not return to school until symptoms of illness have passed
AND
• Your child is fever free for 24 hours without the aid of fever reducing medications
AND
• Cough is improving (decrease in frequency and amount of secretions with no associated
chest discomfort or shortness of breath)

STAY HOME!
If your child is ill with influenza-like symptoms, they should not attend alternative childcare or
congregate in other neighborhood and community settings.
CHECK YOUR CHILD'S BOOK BAG DAILY TO MONITOR
FOR WRITTEN UPDATES FROM SCHOOL!

WARSAW COMMUNITY SCHOOL
PREPAREDNESS PLAN
DISTRICT PROCEDURES

1. Staff and students should stay home when they are sick. Principals and directors will
make an announcement to that effect.
2. Records will be maintained on a daily basis by the Nursing/CIMC office to record the
numbers of students and staff members reporting absences due to flu-like symptoms.
3. In the event schools must close due to the magnitude of staff and/or student
absenteeism, all Warsaw Community Schools will close. School missed will be made
up immediately after the final day of the published school calendar to meet the 180
days required by the State of Indiana.
4. In the event school must close due to absenteeism, which is a 20% or more of total
student and staff absenteeism, staff members will be notified by the calling tree.
5. Staff members shall provide current emergency contact information to their
supervisors/nurses.
6. If schools are closed due to absenteeism from the flu, all after school activities and
events will be cancelled.
7. Timely and accurate information regarding school closures and re-opening will come
through the Central Office.
8. Updates on school closures and re-opening will be posted on the school's web-site.
9. Information will also be provided to local radio and television stations.
10. Staff members SHALL NOT make recommendations to students or parents regarding
vaccinations for the flu.
11. The Nutrition Services Department will maintain a sufficient supply of 2 meals per
student at each school, that can be served to the students and staff in the event an
insufficient number of nutrition's services employees are available to prepare meals.
12. Sanitizing wipes will be used in computer labs to wipe down keyboards and
headphones after each use.
13. School kitchens will use a restaurant grade sanitizer.
14. School nurses will use a hospital grade germicidal product on health room surfaces.
15. Principals will also emphasize the importance of proper hand washing and the use of
hand sanitizers among students and staff.

THE PHASES OF A PANDEMIC
The phases described have been summarized from the World Health Organization (WHO) global
influenza preparedness plan published in 2005. It is important to understand that the actual
spread of the virus may or may not be described by these phases.
INTERPANDEMIC PERIOD
PHASE 1: No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. An influenza virus
subtype that has caused human infection may be present in animals. If present in animals, the
risk of human infection or disease is considered low.
PHASE 2: No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. However, a
circulating animal influenza virus subtype poses a substantial risk of human disease.
PANDEMIC ALERT PERIOD
PHASE 3: Human infection(s) with a new subtype, but no human-to-human spread, or at most,
rare instance of spread to a close contact.
PHASE 4: Small cluster(s) with limited human-to-human transmission but spread is highly
localized, suggesting that the virus is not well adapted to humans.
PHASE 5: Large cluster(s) but human-to-human spread still localized, suggesting that the virus
is becoming increasingly better adapted to humans, but may not yet be fully transmissible
(substantial pandemic risk).
PANDEMIC PERIOD
PHASE 6: Pandemic increased and sustained transmission in general population.

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