A. Outbreak Alert

 
• We know this is an anxious time for our community and our hearts go out to those who are ill.  We are working closely with local health officials to deal with the situation and will keep parents updated with any important information.
 
• At this time, under the guidance of the county health department, we believe students can safely attend classes and schools will remain open.  Our thoughts are with all of our families and children who are affected.
 
• If pandemic flu continues to spread and more students become ill, heath officials may need to close schools for an extended period of time (for example, up to 6 weeks).
 
• The purpose of closing schools will be to decrease contact among children in order to decrease their risk of getting sick and to limit the spread of infection.  If schools are closed, children should stay at home.  
 
• We urge parents to plan now for the possibility of schools closing and arrange for day care.  
 
• Parents can help protect their children and prevent the spread of pandemic flu as they would colds and other flu by taking the following precautions:
 

•     Teach your children to wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  
•   Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow. 
•   Teach your children to stay away from people who are sick and stay home from  work or school if you are sick.

 
• Recommendations may change during the course of a flu pandemic.  We will make public announcements through the media and parents can call the school district’s hotline at 207- 876-3444.
 
• For more information on pandemic flu and prevention, visit www.pandemicflu.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
 

B. School Closures S.A.D. #4

• Health and school officials have ordered the closure of schools as a result of the pandemic flu outbreak in our district.

• Schools may be closed for an extended period of time (for example, up to 6 weeks).

• We know this is a difficult time for out community and our hearts go out to those who are ill. We are working closely with health officials to deal with the situation and will keep parents updated with any important information.

• Because pandemic flu is easily spread from person-to-person, it is unsafe for large groups of people to gather and children should stay home. The purpose of closing schools is to decrease contact among children in order to decrease their risk of getting sick and to limit the spread of infections.

• During this time, children and adults should stay away from other people and groups, as much as possible. Health officials also advise people should not gather in other locations such as homes, shopping malls, movie theaters or community centers.

• Parents can help protect their children and prevent the spread of pandemic flu as they would colds and other flu by taking the following precautions:

• Teach your children to wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow.
• Teach your children to stay away from people who are sick and stay home from work or school if you are sick.

• Recommendations may change during the course of a flu pandemic. We will make public announcements through the media and parents can call the school district’s hotline at 207- 876-3444.

• For more information on pandemic flu and prevention, visit www.pandemicflu.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.

Sample Parent Letter #1

 
 
 Dear Parents,
 
This letter will help your family prepare for a flu pandemic that could make many people sick.  It is important to know that at this time, there is no pandemic flu of any kind in the United States.  There is also no bird/avian flu in the United States at this time.   Public health officials are worried the avian/bird flu virus may change so it can infect people and spread easily from person-to-person.  This would cause a worldwide flu outbreak, called a pandemic.  Public health officials want people to protect themselves against pandemic flu.
 
Here are some ways to protect your family:  
 

• Keep children who are sick at home.  Don’t send them to school.
• Teach your children to wash hands a lot with soap and water for 20 seconds.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  
• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  
• Teach your children to stay at least three feet away from people who are sick.
• People who are sick should stay home from work or school and avoid other people until they are better.  

 
 Enclosed with this letter is a checklist to help families get ready for a pandemic flu outbreak.  This information can also help your family get ready for any kind of emergency.
 
If you have questions, please contact your school nurse or healthcare provider.  You can call the school at 207-876-3444.
 
You can get more information at: ___________________ or the_________________________.
 
The federal government website with information on planning for individual sand families:  
http://pandemicfly.gov or the American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org.
 
 
 
 

Sample Parent Letter #2

  
Dear Parents,
 
As expected, birds sick with avian/bird flu virus are in the United States. It is important to know that, at this time, there are no known human cases of avian/bird flu in the United States.   Health officials are worried that the avian/bird flu virus may change so that people can get sick from it.  If that happened it could spread from person-to-person.  This would cause a worldwide flu outbreak, called a pandemic.  So, even though there is no flu pandemic now, we want to remind you about some ways to protect your family from getting sick:  
 

• Keep children who are sick at home.  Don’t send them to school.
• Teach your children to wash hands a lot with soap and water for 20 seconds.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  
• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  
• Teach your children to stay at least three feet away from people who are sick.
• People who are sick should stay home from work or school and avoid other people until they are better.  
• Do not touch sick or dead birds.

 
 Enclosed with this letter is a checklist to help families get ready for a pandemic flu outbreak.  This information can also help your family get ready for any kind of emergency.
 
If you have questions, please contact your school nurse or healthcare provider.  You can call the school at 207-876-3444.
 
You can get more information at: ___________________ or the _________________________.
 
The federal government website with information on planning for individual sand families:  
http://pandemicfly.gov or the American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org.

Sample Parent Letter #3

 Dear Parents,
 
This letter will give you information about a flu outbreak in M.S.A.D. #4.  Every year, some people get sick with the flu during the fall and winter months.   This year, there is a new flu virus that is making many people in our area sick.  So many people are sick in Maine and the United States that health officials call it a “pandemic flu”.  Many of the students and teachers in our school are sick with the flu. We hope they will all get better quickly.  At this time, health officials tell us that students who are not ill can safely come to school.  The schools will remain open.  We will keep you updated with any important information.   
 
To keep the flu from spreading to more people, we ask you to keep sick children home.  Any children who are sick in school will be sent home.
 
Public health officials want you to protect yourself and your family against pandemic flu.  Here are some ways to stop the spread of germs and sickness: 

• Keep children who are sick at home.  Don’t send them to school.
• Teach your children to wash hands a lot with soap and water for 20 seconds.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  
• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  
• Teach your children to stay at least three feet away from people who are sick.
• People who are sick should stay home from work or school and avoid other people until they are better.  
• Stay away from shopping malls, movie theaters or other places where there are large groups of people.  

We are also giving you some tips about how to care for your family if they are ill.   If you have questions, please contact the school nurse or healthcare provider.  You can call the school at 207- 876-3444.  If the pandemic flu continues to spread and more students become ill, school may close for days or weeks.  The purpose of closing schools will be to keep children from getting sick.  If schools are closed, children should stay at home.   Begin planning now for childcare in your home.  
 
Recommendations may change during the course of a pandemic flu outbreak. 

Sample Parent Letter #4

 
  
Dear Parents.
 
We wrote to you recently to tell you about a pandemic flu outbreak in our community.  Here is some new information.  
 
There are now even more students in our school who are ill with this flu virus.  Still the Maine CDC/Department of Education tells us that students who are not ill can continue to attend school.  The schools will remain open.  We will keep you updated with any important information.  
 
To keep the flu from spreading to more people, we ask you to keep sick children home.  Any children who are sick in school will be sent home.  Our school nurse will assess each child.  
 
Public health officials want you to protect yourself and your family against pandemic flu.  Here are some ways to stop the spread of germs and sickness and take care of your family:

• Keep children who are sick at home.  Don’t send them to school.
• If some of the people in your home are sick with the flu, keep them away from the people who are not sick.

If some of the people in your home are sick with the flu and you cannot see a health provider, some things you can do to help them are:

• Have them drink a lot of liquid (juice, water)
• Keep the sick person as comfortable as possible.  Rest is important.
• For fever, sore throat and muscle aches, in adults, use ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).  Do not use aspirin with children or teenagers; it can cause Reye’s syndrome, a life-threatening illness.  
• Keep tissues and trash bags within reach of the sick person.
• Be sure everyone in your home washes their hands frequently.  
• Contact a healthcare provider for further advice.  
• If the ill person is having difficulty breathing or is getting worse, contact the healthcare provider right away.  

More information on pandemic flu is available at www.pandemicflu.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
 
If the pandemic flu continues to spread and more students become ill, schools may close for days or weeks.  The purpose of closing schools will be to keep children from getting sick.  If schools are closed, children should stay at home.  Begin planning now for children in your home.

Sample Parent Letter #5

 
 Dear Parents.
 
Officials have ordered all schools in our district to close.  This order is because of the pandemic flu situation in our district.  All schools are immediately closed until further notice and children should stay home.  
 
Schools may be closed for days or even weeks to reduce contact among children and stop the spread of the flu.  We know that many students and their families are very sick.  We know this is a hard time for our community and our hearts go out to those who are ill.   Because the flu is easily spread from person-to-person, it is not safe for large groups of people to gather.  During this time, both children and adults should stay away from other people and groups as much as possible.  They should not gather in other locations such as shopping malls, movie theaters or community centers.
 
We know if may be hard to get a doctor’s appointment, go to a clinic or even be seen in a hospital emergency room.    
 
Here are some tips for helping those who are sick with the flu:

• Have them drink a lot of liquid (juice, water)
• Keep the sick person as comfortable as possible.  Rest is important.
• For fever, sore throat and muscle aches, in adults, use ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).  Do not use aspirin with children or teenagers; it can cause Reye’s syndrome, a life-threatening illness.  
• Keep tissues and trash bags within reach of the sick person.
• Be sure everyone in your home washes their hands frequently.  
• Keep the people who are sick with the flu away from the people who are not sick.  

More information on pandemic flu is available at www.pandemicflu.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
 
We will contact you as soon as we have information about when schools will reopen.

Sample Parent Letter #6

 
 Dear Parents.
 
Local health officials have declared the pandemic flu is under control.  Our schools will open again on  ___________(date)_____________.  At this time, students may safely return to class.  Even though school is opening, there are still some people who are sick from the flu virus.  Health officials say that pandemic flu outbreaks sometimes happen in waves.  This means more people could become sick soon again.  If more people get sick, schools may need to close again.  We will continue to give you any important information.
 
Because the flu can still be spread from person-to-person, please keep children who are sick at home.  
 
We are looking forward to seeing your children again. 

Sample Press Release A

 
 Date:  
 
Contact:  
 
RE:  Local schools are open but parents should prepare
 
 
S.A.D. #4 schools remain open despite the pandemic flu outbreak in the county but parents are asked to prepare for possible closures if the virus continues to spread.  School and county health officials are working together to monitor the situation and parents will be updated with any important information.
 
“At this time, we believe students can safely attend classes and schools will remain open.  Our thoughts are with all of our families and children who are affected,” said school officials.  If the pandemic flu continues to spread and more students become ill, health and school officials may need to order schools closed for a period of time.  They urged parents to begin planning now for childcare in their home.  Health officials say parents can help protect their children and prevent the spread of pandemic flu as they would colds and other flu by taking the following precautions: 

• Teach your children to wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow.
• Teach your children to stay away at least three feet from people who are sick.   
• People who are sick should stay home from work or school and avoid other people until they are better. 

Health officials point out that recommendations may change during the course of a pandemic flu outbreak.  For school updates, parents can call the school district at 207-876-3444, the federal government at www.pandemicflu.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
 

Sample Press Release B

 
  
Date:  
 
Contact:  
 
RE:  Officials order closure of schools in S.A.D. #4
 
Health and school officials have ordered the closure of schools as a result of the pandemic flu outbreak in the county.  Schools may be closed for a period of time – days or even weeks.  Because it is unsafe for large groups of people to gather, health officials warn people to stay away from shopping malls, community centers and other places where germs can be spread.   
 
 “We know this is an anxious time for our community and our hearts go out to those who are ill.  We are working closely with the schools to deal with the situation and will keep parents updated with any important information,” said local school officials.   
 
According to school officials, the purpose of closing schools is to limit contact among children to decrease their risk of getting sick and to limit the spread of infection.   Because so many people are sick with the flu, health officials acknowledge that it may be hard to get a doctor’s appointment, go to a clinic or even be seen in a hospital emergency room.  They provided some tips for residents to care for the sick at home: 

• Have them drink a lot of liquid (juice, water)
• Keep the sick person as comfortable as possible.  Rest is important.
• For adults with fever, sore throat and muscle aches, use ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).  Do not use aspirin in children or teenagers; it can cause Reye’s syndrome, a life-threatening illness.  
• Keep tissues and trash bags within reach of the sick person.
• Be sure everyone in your home washes their hands frequently.  
• Keep the people who are sick with the flu away from the people who are not sick.   

More information on pandemic flu is available at www.pandemicflu.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.