Spring Valley Academy is being proactive in taking steps to minimize exposure and spread of infections (particularly H1N1, Swine Flu).

The Protocol encourages all students, faculty and staff to:

• Use good hand-washing practices (before eating, after bathroom use, whenever needed)
• Use a tissue when sneezing or coughing and dispose of in a trashcan, or cough into elbow
• Avoid touching hands to mouth, nose and eyes
• Avoid close contact with people you know are sick

Parents/Guardians can help by:
• Keeping students home when they have a fever > 100º, especially when associated with upper respiratory symptoms like a cough, or symptoms of chills and body aches.
• Reporting all illnesses by phone or email to the main office. Calls should include name of student and grade and their symptoms like fever and cough. This will help monitor trends to alert if there is a need for further follow-up.
• Keeping students home during duration of symptoms and 24 hours after symptoms resolve and have been fever-free without use of medications.

The school will:
• Implement specific cleaning regimen to include wiping down of drinking fountains, desktops and doorknobs.
• Provide alcohol-based waterless hand gel to facilitate frequent hand washing in locations where higher risk activities such as eating or keyboarding take place.
• Ask staff to wipe down phones and keyboards on a regular basis.
• Isolate students with flu-like symptoms. A student with a fever of 101º or greater and upper respiratory symptoms such as a cough, will be given a mask to wear and will remain in the nurse's office (or secluded room) until they are picked up.
• Strongly encourage all faculty and staff younger than 25 years old, who are pregnant, or are 25-64 years old with chronic medical conditions, to get the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccinations

The H1N1 specific vaccine should be available around October 15th, 2009. This H1N1 vaccine is currently a two-shot series (this may become available in a one-shot dose). The CDC website will post any changes in the vaccination, and your health care provider will have this information also.

The Health Department (following CDC guidelines), recommends the flu vaccination for the primary target group; 6 months old to 24 years old, anyone who is pregnant, 25 to 64 year olds with chronic medical conditions (like asthma or other lung problems, diabetes, weakened immune systems, kidney disease, heart problems, neurological and neuromuscular disorders).

If you have any questions or concerns about getting the vaccination, you should discuss them with your own health care provider.

H1N1 On-campus Case Protocol

The Ohio Health Department, based on Center for Disease Control guidelines, no longer recommends school closures for one or two cases of the H1N1 virus. It would take several cases within a school before the Health Department would close a school.

Should total cases of H1N1 increase dramatically, the school would adopt more stringent criteria including screening, requiring students to stay home, and other necessary precautions.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Trixi Johnson RN at 433-0790 x143 or email at trjohnson@springvalleyacademy.org