Preparing For Emergencies - For Schools and Child Care Centers
Schools and child care centers can protect staff members' and students' health by stressing good hand hygiene with staff, students and parents, keeping sick students and staff home, and preparing for an outbreak of flu at their school or facility.
Parents as well as school and day care staff should work with children on how to wash hands thoroughly and should provide reminders to wash hands to children throughout the day. Children should be encouraged to wash hands before meals and snacks. Parents should wash hands before picking children up from school. Children should wash hands before going home. Children should be taught to cough and sneeze into a tissue or into the bend of their elbow (we call that the chicken wing).
Children and staff who are exhibiting symptoms of flu should be screened for a fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Those running fevers or exhibiting a number of other symptoms should be sent home (isolating them in a “sick room” or the office until their ride arrives).
Schools and day cares should continue to disinfect classrooms, toys, athletic equipment, restrooms, cafeterias, light switches, door knobs, etc. with any approved disinfectant that kills viruses.
Schools and child care centers may be temporarily closed for insufficient staffing due to staff absences or to lessen the spread of flu during a period with excessively high percentages of student absences. Please follow guidance from the Ohio Department of Education on school closure. Generally, it is preferred for schools and day cares to remain open, and for children and staff with flu-like illness to stay home or be sent home
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Schools and day cares are asked to continue to report absences to the Huron County General Health District weekly using the Absentee Tracking Report Form (see downloads below)].
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidance allowing schools to take the most appropriate measures for their situation. Read more about the strategies schools can use during a mild or more severe outbreak.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidance for day cares to take the most appropriate measures for this situation. Read more about the strategies day cares can use during a mild or severe outbreak.
To report a school closure due to high levels of student illness or staff absences, click here. This report will be forwarded to the Ohio Departme
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