Schools, Educational Institutions, and Child Care Providers

Thank you for your interest and involvement in mitigating risk during this serious public health situation.

• Guidance for Child Care, K-12 Schools and Higher Education Institutions (Flu.gov)
• School-Located Vaccination Clinic Toolkit 09-13-09
• School Absenteeism Surveillance Guidance for Local Health Departments
• School Absenteeism Surveillance Webinar PowerPoint Presentation
• School Absenteeism Surveillance Webinar
• School Absenteeism Reporting—Local Health Departments only
• Guidance for Group Residential Programs 9-22-2009
• Guidance for Child Placing Agencies 9-22-2009
• Liability for H1N1 Vaccine Clinics in Schools
• "Fight the Flu - It Starts With You" poster
• A Message for Educators from Secs. Sebelius and Duncan about H1N1 Preparedness for Autumn
• 20 Steps Child Care Providers Can Take to Reduce the Spread of H1N1 Flu July 2009
• Letter to School Administrators from the State Health Officer 08-13-09
• Letter to Day Care Facilities and Day Care Homes from the State Health Officer
• Message to Educators from the State Health Officer
• PowerPoint Presentation - Pandemic Influenza Update – Updated September 28, 2009
  This presentation can be used to share information on the virus and its prevention, as well as specific information for schools, child care settings, workplaces and faith-based organizations.

As with any influenza virus, we encourage you and those in your care to take the following steps to reduce spread:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to get rid of most germs and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick to avoid spreading illness to co-workers and friends.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.

Q: What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu? A: The CDC recommends that you Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 15 to 20 seconds. Sing "Happy Birthday!" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" twice through to time it. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. View more FAQs

• Stay healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest and exercise.
• If you have recommended or required health and safety practices related to your facility or business, continue to adhere to them such as cleaning/disinfecting toys, surfaces, equipment, and furnishings that children touch in educational and care settings.

You are also encouraged to be vigilant to the symptoms of H1N1 flu virus. The symptoms of H1N1 flu virus in humans are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include:

• Fever greater than 100 degrees
• Body aches
• Coughing
• Sore throat
• Respiratory congestion
• In some cases, diarrhea and vomiting

 We can beat this. Your state and local public health professionals, together with Kansas health care providers, have been preparing and training for the arrival of a new flu virus in our communities for years. Working with colleagues at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we will monitor the activity of this new infectious agent and take all the necessary steps to curtail its spread.

Your role in this critical situation: to remain informed, to consult your health care provider if you become ill, and to follow the advice you receive on ways to protect your community. We will continue to update the KDHE H1N1 flu virus website (www.swinefluks.org) and encourage you to use it as a resource for H1N1 flu virus information.  Thank you all for your interest and support.

Questions? Contact Us

Additional Resources:

• Pandemic Influenza Information
• Interim Guidance for Public Gatherings (link to CDC)
• Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Institutions of Higher Education (link to CDC)
• School-Located H1N1 Influenza Vaccination: Related Materials (link to CDC)
• H1N1 School Guidance: A Communication Tool Kit for Schools K - 12 (link to CDC)
• Interim Guidance on Day and Residential Camps in Response to Human Infections (link to CDC)
• Help in Managing Stress, Worry, and Fear
• Considerations for Pregnant Women Working in Education, Child Care, and Health Care (link to CDC)
• Stopping Germs at Home, Work and School (link to CDC): Fact sheet.
• Clean Hands Saves Lives (link to CDC): Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.

Governor's H1N1 Pandemic Influenza Summit (August 24, 2009)

• Preparing for H1N1 - Major General Tod Bunting, Adjutant General's Department
• H1N1 2009: A Physicians Perspective - Dr. Dennis Cooley, Pediatrician, Topeka, KS.
• Pandemic Influenza Update - Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD, MPH, Kansas State Health Officer, Director of Health, KDHE
• Pandemic Influenza Planning and Response - Claudia Blackburn, Sedgwick County Health Department
• H1N1: Industry Perspective - Torri Spiegelhalter, Director Government, AT&T

Top Downloads

• Be a Germ Stopper (link to CDC)
• Cover Your Cough
• "It's a SNAP" Toolkit: Program materials to help prevent school absenteeism and activities school administrators, teachers, students and others can do to help stop the spread of germs in schools.
• Ounce of Prevention (link to CDC): Tips and streaming video for parents and children about the steps and benefits of effective hand washing.
• Scrub Club™: Fun and educational animated Webisode with seven "soaper-heros" that battle nasty villains who represent germs and bacteria. Kids learn the six key steps to proper hand washing through a Webisode, hand-washing song, interactive games, and activities for kids, and educational materials for teachers, are also available to download.
• Sesame Street - Being Sick with the Flu video
• Sesame Street - Stay Health Every Day