The flu can be easily spread from person to person.  Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu at Starling Child Care & Learning Complex.  We want to keep the center open to children and families and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season.  We have develped a pro-active plan to help prevent the spread of the flu, but we need your help to do this.

 

We work closely with the Virginia Commonwealth and Henrico County Health Departments to monitor the flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take.  We will keep this website updated with new information as it becomes available.

 

If the flu becomes more severe, we may take addional steps to prevent the spread such as:

* conducting active fever and flu symptom screening of children and staff as they arrive at the center;

* making changes to increase the space between children such as moving chairs and cots farther     apart and postponing field trips;

* dismissing children from school for at least 7 days if they become sick.

 

For now we are doing everything we can to keep our center functioning as usual.  Here are a few things you  can do to help.

 

* Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.  You can set a good example by doing this yourself.

* Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food, or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues.  Covering their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.

* Know the signs and symptoms of the flu.  Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired.  Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

* Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.

* Do not send children to school if they are sick.  Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

 

For additional information visit www.flu.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.  We will update this website with any additional changes to our center's strategy to prevent the spread of the flu.