Seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to May. Now is a good time for Kansas school districts to make sure they’re doing as much as they can to prevent or reduce the spread of the flu.
“Getting a yearly influenza vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and those around you from the flu,” says Kansas State Epidemiologist Charles Hunt, MPH. “School-aged children have a high rate of influenza, therefore it is important to take steps to protect yourself and your students from spreading the flu.”
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year in the United States, on average:
- Five percent to 20 percent of the population gets the flu;
- more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications;
- a range of 3,000 to 49,000 people die from flu.
The 2016-17 flu vaccines will protect against A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus, A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2)-like virus and B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus (B/Victoria lineage).
KASB and USD 331 encourages students, parents and staff to get their flu shots and stay home when sick. One of the best ways to stop the spread of flu and other illnesses in schools and elsewhere is to wash your hands making sure to use soap and water for 20 seconds, properly dry hands using the hand driers or properly dispose of paper towels. An alcohol-based sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol may be used.
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