News
~ '-.-. KANSAS
•
DEPARTMENT OFHEAlTH
AND ENVIRONMENT
Division of Health
Dear Parents,
Mark Parkinson, ·Governor
Roderick L Sll!mby, Secretary
www.kdheks.gov
As you probably know by now, a new type of influenza (flu) is currently being seen in Kansas
and throughout the United States. Because the novel HINI flu virus (referred to as "swine flu"
early on) was not seen until earlier this year, no one bas natural resistance against it. In a short
time the virus has spread to more than 160 countries in every continent, and in June 2009, the
World Health Organization declared that a pandemic - a global epidemic - had begun.
Fortunately, illness from this virus is usually mild and only lasts a few days; although in some .
cases severe disease and death can result. So far, most cases have occurred in children and young
adults and some of those have needed hospitalization.
The symptoms ofthis flu are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu. They include fever, cough,
sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have
also reported diarrhea and vomiting. People with other medical problems, and women who are
pregnant, are at especially high risk of serious complications.
Schools can be easy places for flu viruses to spread. State and local public health .officials are
working closely with your school district now to take steps that will limit the spread of the
pandemic virus. Parents must do their part to keep the virus out of Kansas schools, so that no
schools are forced to close because ofouthreaks ofthis infection.
Here is what your school needs you, and all parents, to do:
• Keep children who are sick at home. Don't send them to school or take them anywhere
else, except to receive needed medical care. TIl children shonld stay home until they are
fever free (without the use offever-reducing medicine like Tylenol or Ibuprofen) for 24
hours or more.
• Plan for the possibility that you will be called to bring your child home from school if he
or she gets sick while in school. Schools are setting aside special "sick rooms" for
students who show signs of illness, until they are taken home.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and insist that your
children do the same. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the bend of your
elbow.
OFFICE OF TIIB DIRECTOR OF HEALTII
CURTIS STATE OFFICE BUIWING, 1000 SW JACKSON ST., STE. 300, TOPEKA, KS 66612-1368
Voice785-296-1086 Fax 785-296- 1562
,
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing, and
.see that your children follow your example. Alcohol-based hand cleaners will also work.
This year all schools will makesure that children have the time and placesto Wash their
hands oftenduringthe school day. .
,
• Remind children to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are spread when a
person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her
.eyes, nose,or mouth.
• Makesure that your children practice other goodhealthhabits. See that they get plentyof
sleep, get exercise, drinkplentyof fluids, and eating healthy foods.
• Get your.child vaccinated forseasonal flu soon. See that your child receives the.HINI
vaccinewhenit becomes available in the fall.
• Stay informed. Watch for information from your child's school. Otherresources can be
found at the Kansas Department of HealthandEnvironment's special HINl flu webpage:
httv:lfwww-.kdheks.govfHINllindex.htm. More information can be found here:
http://www.cdc.gov/hiniflulgeneral info.hlm from the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
If you have 'questions about HINI flu, please contact your school nurse or family's usual
healthcare provider. You can also get more information from your local public health
department
Thank you for working togetherwith your school and your communityto slowdown the spread
ofpandemic flu in Kansas. .
Yours sincerely,
}~~
Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD,MPH
Kansas State HealthOfficer
Director ofHealth, KDHE
***********************************************************************************************************,I . '
~ ~.-...
KANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND ENVIRONMENT
Division of Health
Estimados Padres,
Mark Parkinson, GoYemor
I0derick L Bremby, S&CrefalY
VfflW.kdheks.gov
Ustedes probablemente ya saben quehay un nuevo tipo de influenza (gripe) en Kansas y a traves
de los Estados Unidos. Este virus novedoso de gripe HINI (antes se refiri6 como "gripe de
porcina")no fue vistohastamastemprano este afio, nadietieneresistencia natural contra ello. En
un tiempo corto elvirus ha propagado a mas de 160 pafses en cadacontinente, y enjunio 2009,
la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud declar6 que una pandemia - una epidemia global - habfa
empezado. '
Afortunadamente, la enfermedad de este virus es generalmente levey s610 dura unospocosdias;
aunque la enfermedad y la muerte a veces severas pueden resultar. Hastaahora, la mayorla de los
casos han ocurrido en nifl.os y adultos jovenesy algunos de esoshannecesitado la internaci6n.
Los sfntomas de esta gripe son semejantes a los sfntomas de gripe estacional. Incluyen fiebre, la
tos, garganta adolorida, nariz Iiquida 0 eongestionada, dolores de cuerpo, el dolor de cabeza, los
frfos y fatiga. Algunas personas tambien han reportado diarrea y vomito. Las personas con otros
problemas medicos, y con las mujeres que estanembarazadas, estanen riesgoespecialmente alto
decomplicaciones graves. Las escuelas pueden ser lugares faciles para virus de gripe propagar.
Funcionarios sanitarios locales y del estado trabajan juntos con su distrito de escuelapara ahora
tomar pasos que limitaran la extensi6n del viruspandemico. Los padres deben de hacer su parte
para mantener el virus fuera de escuelas de Kansas, para que ningunas escuelas sean forzadas a
cerrar a causade estallidos de esta infecci6n.
Aquf esta 10 que ustedy todos padres necesitan hacer:
• Mantenga a nifios que estan enfermos en casa. No los envle a la escuela ni los lIeve a ningun
otro lugar, al menos para recibir el cuidado medico necesario. Los nifios enfermos deben
quedarse en casa hasta que ellos sean libre de fiebre (sin el uso de medicina como Tylenol 0
Ibuprofen quereducela fiebre) por 24 horas 0 mas.
• Planee para la posibilidad que usted sera llamado a traer su nifl.o en casa de escuela si 61 0 ella
se enfennan mientras en la escuela. Las escuelas apartan "cuartos enfermos" especiales para
estudiantes que muestran los signos de enfermedad, hasta que ellos seantomados en casa.
• Cubre la boca y la nariz con un tejido al toser 0 estornudar, e insistir que sus nifl.os hagan10
mismo. Si ustedno tieneun tejido, tosay estomudeen elladr6n del codo.
OFFICE OFTHE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH
CURTIS STATE OFFICE BUIIDING, 1000 SWJACKSON ST., STE. 300, TOPEKA, KS 66612-1368
Voice 785-296-1086 Fax 785-296-1562
• Lava las manos a menudo conjab6n y agua, especialmente despues de loser 0 estomudar, y ve
que sus ninossiguen su ejemplo. La tintorerla dela manade alcohol-base tambien trabajara, Este
aIIo todas escuelas se aseguraran de queniflos tienen el tiempo y los lugares para lavar las manos
a menudo durante el dia lectivo.
• Recuerda a nines para evitar tocar los ojos, la nariz 0 la boca. Los microbios son esparcidos
cuando una persona toea algo que es contaminado con microbios y entonces toea los ojos, la
nariz, 0 la boca.
• Asegurese que sus nifios practiquen otros habitos buenos de la salud. Vea que ellos consiguen
mucho sueno, consiguen ejercicio, bebenmucbos liquidos, y comen alimentos sanos.
• Consigue a su nino una vacuna para la gripe estacional pronto. Vea que su nino reciba la
vacuna HINI cuando llegaa serdisponible este otono.
• Mantenganse informado. Mire para la informacion de la escuela de su niil.o. Otros recursos
pueden ser encontrados en el Departamento de Salud de Kansas y en la pagina web especial de
gripe HINI http:Hwww.kdheb.govIHINlIindex.htm. Mas informacion puede ser encontrada
aqui: http://www.cdc.govlhlnIflulgeneral info.hlm de los Centros federales para el Control de la
Enfermedady la Prevenci6n.
Si usted tiene preguntas acerca de gripeHINI, por favor p6ngase en contacto con su enfermera
de la escuela 0 su proveedor medico de familia usual. Tambien usted puede llamar a su
departamento de saludlocal.
Gracias por trabajar juntos con su escuela y su comunidad en parar la extension de la gripe
microbios y prevenir enfermedades respiratorias comola gripe pandemia en Kansas.
Sinceramente,
. }-~®
Jason Eberhart-Phillips,MD, MPH
Oficial de la Saluddel estadode Kansas
Director de la Salud del Departamento deKansas, KDHE
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Macksville USD 351
433 N. Gilmore PO Box 487
Macksville, Kansas 67557-0307
Phone: 1-620-348-3415 Fax: 620-348-3217
Toll free 1-800-406-2504
Home of the Mustangs and Colts
Mr. Mike Harvey, Superintendent Mrs. Crystle Hogan, Board Clerk
Mrs. Debbie Bright, Board Treasurer
September 23, 2009
Dear Parents;
I wanted to make you aware of some of the hard choices in our district that we are having to make because of the financial crisis that the State of Kansas is currently in. In our regular Board of Education meeting held this month the Board directed me to suspend all fieldtrips for the 2009-10 school year. I have told our teachers that fieldtrips that we normally take this year, have been called off. I have asked them to be creative and figure out what we could do at home that would be entertaining and educational for our students. So far the teachers have done an amazing job and we have already had a Truck Fair that was brought to our school for the elementary students to participate and learn about truck safety and rules. This was an excellent way to educate our students in something that is extremely important and educational. We will have our Fall Fest and Body Venture coming up in October and the Play Day in May as just a few of the items that will continue this year. We will continue the Academic Olympics for the High School students at Pratt Community College. I want you to understand that we have had private offers to pay for some field trips but I have declined those offers in an effort to be fair to all students and teachers. Hopefully, this is just a one year ordeal because we do not want this to be the end of our fieldtrips. We have to understand the urgency of this financial crisis our state is in and utilize what creative abilities we have available for all students and still benefit the district in a cost saving manner. If you have any further questions to this matter please do call my office at the number listed above.
Michael Harvey, Superintendent
USD #351, Macksville