DRAPER — “It’s OK to miss school,” said Lynelle Williams, Student Government advisor of Juan Diego Catholic High School.
Students might be surprised to read these words, but all would agree if students have flu symptoms they should stay home.
“They need to take care of themselves and protect others,” said Williams.
The Skaggs Catholic Center campus in Draper, which includes Juan Diego, St. John the Baptist elementary and middle schools, and Guardian Angel Daycare, has experienced a higher number of illnesses since the beginning of September and has identified a few cases of the 2009 H1N1 influenza or swine flu. To prevent more incidents, students and faculty who experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough and sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, aches, vomiting, and diarrhea are advised not to go to school or work.
“With everyone’s help, we can have an environment that is clean and healthy for learning and growth,” said Carolyn Schnurr, director of Health Services for the Skaggs Catholic Center.
Armed with the slogan “Spread the Word, Not the Flu,” Schnurr started a flu awareness and prevention campaign throughout the campus.
“Everyone is responsible to do their part. On a personal level, we should go back to basics and wash our hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, throw away tissues after we’ve used them, and when sneezing, cover our mouth and nose with the crook of the elbow. We should also stay home until the flu symptoms subside, and get the flu shot,” she said.
The schools’ responsibilities include cleaning the facilities, buses, and common areas, and making hand sanitizers available in every classroom and other high-traffic areas.
“The teachers should be vigilant and recognize students with symptoms. They should be wiping desks and keyboards,” said Schnurr.
The schools have also been collaborating so students are not penalized for missing school and do not fall behind with their schoolwork. The teachers, for example, have been e-mailing work to ill students.
As far as her responsibilities go, Schnurr compromised to identify the symptoms and provide care and resources to those infected, outsource to other healthcare professionals, and make flu awareness contagious with a fun and informative campaign that involves broadcasts, newsletters, a poster contest, and flu-shot clinics on campus.
In her newsletters to parents, Schnurr has recommended that a sick person stay at home for seven days and that a person who is still sick after seven days should stay home until 24 hours after the symptoms have ceased.
The poster competition is meant to motivate students to “spread the word” in creative ways. Also, the campus hosted a flu-shot clinic by Community Nursing Services (CNS) Oct. 6. Nearly 200 people received the flu shot, flu mist, or the pneumonia vaccine. The 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine is only available through healthcare professionals and certain groups of the population will have priority to receive it.
Another flu-shot clinic will be offered at St. John the Baptist Parish Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CNS accepts most insurance. You should bring your insurance information with you. Minors need parental consent.
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