New York state is currently seeing a spike in the flu with confirmed cases surpassing 13,000. This is up from 5,295 at the same time last year.
Averill Park Central School District’s Building and Maintenance team has been busy sanitizing each school when students are not there. There are some things you can do, as well, and we would like to provide you with some tips on helping keep your family healthy during flu season.
The most important action to take is to get the flu vaccine. There have been reports that the flu vaccine does not exactly match the main strain of flu that is currently circulating, though.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the used tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• If sick, limit contact with others and stay home for 24 hours after your fever is gone.
If your child exhibits any symptoms related to the flu, please do not send them to school. Visit a doctor as soon as possible and take antiviral medication if it is prescribed by your doctor.
School-aged children are three-to-four times more likely to contract the flu virus. Follow the above steps to help keep your family healthy during this time of the year.
Flu symptoms:
• Fever / chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Dry cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle aches
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm