How H1N1 is transmitted
Symptoms
Preventative Measures
Medically fragile child 
If your child is sick
School closure policy
Vaccine
Antiviral medication

 Click here to view the School District 69 Pandemic Response Plan

How H1N1 influenza is transmitted

The H1N1 flu virus, like other influenza viruses, spreads mainly through the coughing or sneezing of a sick person. It may also be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with the virus and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease may be at higher risk for complications from this infection.

Symptoms

The Vancouver Coastal Health identifies the following to be symptoms of influenza. 

Symptom	Flu (Influenza)	Cold (Rhino Virus)
Fever	Usual, sudden onset 38-40 Degrees Celsius  last 3-4 days	Rare
Headache	Usual and can be severe	Rare
Aches and pains	Usual and can be severe	Rare
Fatigue and weakness	Usual and can last 2-3 weeks or more	Sometimes, but mild
Extreme fatigue	Usual, early onset can be severe	Rare
Nausea , vomiting	In children under 5 years of age	Rare
Sneezing	Rare	Usual
Running, stuffy nose	Rare	Usual
Sore throat	Rare	Usual
Chest discomfort	Usual and can be severe	Sometimes, but mild to moderate
Complications	Can worsen chronic conditions; can be life-threatening, respiratory failure;	Congestion or earache
Preventions	Frequent hand washing, cover your cough and sneezes. Flu shot; pneumococcal vaccine for those at risk of complications.	Frequent hand washing, cover your cough and sneezes

 Preventative measures

There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that can cause respiratory illnesses like the H1N1 flu virus:  

• Teach your children to wash their hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children to cough and sneeze into a tissue or into the inside of their elbow. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children to stay at least two metres (six feet) away from people who are sick.
• Children who are sick should stay home from school and daycare and stay away from other people until they are feeling better and able to fully participate in normal activities.

Hand washing verses hand sanitizers.

Health authority’s note that hand washing with plain soap and water is the preferred method of hand hygiene in schools and child care centres as the mechanical action is effective at removing visible soil as well as microbes.  In instances where hand washing sinks are not available, supervised use of alcohol based hand rubs may be considered.  If hands are visibly soiled, alcohol based hand rubs may not be effective at eliminating the influenza virus.

 Medically fragile child

For this guidance, a medically fragile child is a child who needs intensive, life sustain­ing medical assistance or therapy, and needs assistance with daily living (for example, a child who uses an oxygen tank, has trouble moving, is fed through a tube, needs suction­ing, or is on a ventilator). Many of these children need skilled nursing care and special medical equipment. These medically fragile children may have chronic lung disease, severe cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, immunodeficiency, or problems with their metabolism.

If your child is sick

While the majority of H1N1 cases in B.C. have been relatively mild, it is important to take proper precautions:   

• Unless they need medical attention, keep children who are sick at home. Do not send them to school or daycare until they are feeling better and able to fully participate in normal activities.
• If your child needs to see a doctor or health-care provider, call ahead and report your child’s symptoms.
• Have them drink a lot of liquid (juice, soups, Pedialyte®).
• Keep the sick child comfortable. Rest is important.
• For fever, sore throat, and muscle aches, you can use fever-reducing medicines that your doctor recommends based on your child’s age. Do not use aspirin with children or teenagers.
• If someone in your home is sick, keep them away from those who are not sick.
• Keep tissues close to the sick person and have a trash bag within reach for disposing used tissues.
• Please inform your child’s school that they are home sick with flu like symptoms

School closure policy

Based on the experience to date about the current H1N1 situation, public health officials in B.C. do not anticipate that closures of individual schools, community-wide closures, or provincewide closures will be useful for controlling the transmission and impact of H1N1.

Vaccine

The H1N1 flu vaccine has been approved and will be available in our community the week of November 2, 2009 for individuals in a high risk category:  individuals under 65 years of age with chronic disease, pregnant women and individuals - including First Nations people - living in remote or isolated communities.  These groups are at high-risk for suffering complications from pandemic H1N1 infection.  The vaccine is avilable through Public Health at the H1N1 vaccination clinics.  Please refer to the VIHA website for additional information and H1N1 vaccination clinic locations:  http://viha.ca/h1n1/public/vaccine.htm

Antiviral medication

Those in high-risk categories (pregnant women, young children and people with underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and morbid obesity) should visit their doctor prior to the fall to determine whether they should be prescribed antivirals in advance, for use in the event they show H1N1 flu symptoms.

You can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, 24 hours a day/seven days a week to speak to a nurse if you have more questions or are concerned about any illness/symptoms experienced by you or your children.  For the latest facts on the H1N1 flu virus, including back-to-school information, visit www.gov.bc.ca/h1n1.