The following are up to date recommendations from the Center for Disease Control:
- Get flu shots or sniffs. Vaccines safely protect kids age 6 months and older from flu. Get the seasonal flu shots or, for older kids, the intranasal mist. And get the swine flu vaccine when available.
- Stay home when sick. Most kids who get swine flu have fever for two to four days. Keep kids home for 24 hours after their fever goes away. Day care centers may wish to exclude sick kids for a longer period.
- Conduct daily health checks. Providers should talk with parents and check each kid on arrival. During the day, staff should look for kids — or other staff members — who seem ill. Those who seem ill should be further screened by taking their temperature and asking about symptoms.
- Separate ill children and staff. Promptly separate kids and staff members who have flu symptoms from others. A space should be provided where sick kids can be supervised at all times.
- Encourage hand washing and cough/sneeze etiquette. Keep an eye on kids still learning these techniques, and remind them not to share cups or eating utensils.
- Perform routine cleaning. All areas should be cleaned regularly. Any items kids touch or put in their mouths should be cleaned. No special disinfectants are needed.
- Encourage early treatment for kids and staff at risk of flu complications. Encourage parents and staff to ask their health care providers if they or any of their family members are at high risk of severe flu disease. Those with these risks — or parents of kids under age 5 years — should call their doctors as soon as they get a flu-like illness.
- Consider selective closures. If a lot of kids or staff members are sick, it might be a good idea to close temporarily. Such decisions should be made after consulting local public health officials and should consider the social and economic disruptions that closing will cause.
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