Seasonal Flu

The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated every year.

      A yearly dose is recommended for virtually everyone except babies younger than 6 months and people with severe alleries to eggs ( eggs are used to develop the vaccine). Influenza is serious and anyone can get the flu and spread it.

Most people will only need one shot except for children uner 9 who are getting their first flu vaccine. Children under 9 who never recieved the flu shout or only recieved one flu shot will need two, one month apart to prime their immune system.

Flumist ( nasal spray) is for healthy people 2 to 49 years of age who are notpregnant and do not have underlying health conditions.     

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following ways you and your family may keep from getting sick with the flu at school and at home:

• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder; not into your hands.
• Stay home if you or your child is sick for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others.
• Get your family vaccinated for seasonal flu  when vaccines are available.
• Plan to monitor the health of the sick child and any other children in the household by checking for fever and other symptoms of flu.
• Identify a separate room in the house for the care of sick family members.
• Update emergency contact lists.
• Collect games, books, DVDs and other items to keep your family entertained if schools are dismissed or your child is sick and must stay home.

 BMI information

   The state's BMI screening mandate  ( MGL. C 71S 57 ) requires that all schools collect height and weight measurements of students in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10. These measurement will be used to calculate BMI's and the results will be reported to students' parents or their guardian and to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

BMI (body Mass Index) is a weight for height for age index that can be a useful tool in early identification of possible health risk factors among children and youth.

Resources to promote healthy eating and physical activity can be found at the Departmentof Public Health's website.  www.mass.gov/massinmotion

Also please see the NutriActivFactSheets link and BMI resource information link above on the right.