ACTION STEPS PARENTS/GUARDIANS

CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT CHILDREN

AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS FROM H1NI

 (Information from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)

-                      Educate and encourage children and family members to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze.

-                      If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not into your hand.

-                      Practice good hand hygiene by washing hands often with soap and water.  Hand sanitizers with 60% alcohol are also effective.

-                      Be a good role model by practicing good hand hygiene and covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

-                      If you or your child is sick, stay home until you have no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

-                      Clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact, such as doorknobs and cupboard handles.

-                      Get your family vaccinated against seasonal flu AND  H1N1 flu when vaccine is available.

-                      Plan ahead for child care if your child gets sick or if his or her school is dismissed.

-                      If more severe H1N1 conditions appear, the Centers for Disease Control recommends keeping a sick child -- or adult -- at home for 7 days, and keeping a school-age child in a household where another family member is sick at home for 5 days.)

-                      Try to isolate a sick person in a separate room in the house away from the family.