A letter from the CEO regarding Swine Flu

Dear MELC Parents and Staff,

 As you have all seen in the press and on TV, there is concern that beginning this fall, there could be a significant outbreak of the novel H1N1 Flu known as the Swine Flu.

MELC has been monitoring this issue through a number of resources, including the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Montgomery and Philadelphia County Health Departments, and the Philadelphia School District.

As you know, flu can be transmitted from person to person.

MELC is taking steps to reduce the spread of flu in all of our centers. This includes extra cleaning and disinfecting of all classrooms and child areas as well as other spaces in our buildings where people congregate.

Here are a few things you can do to help control the spread of this flu:

·        Encourage your children to wash their hands often with soap and water. Set a good example by doing this yourself.

·        Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks and food. They should also cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues or by elbow, arm or sleeve instead of their hand when a tissue is unavailable.

·        Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some children 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.

All of the items above also apply to adults – parents, staff, friends and family, etc.

At this time, none of our resources have advised us to close a program if there are any diagnoses of the H1N1.

We will continue to monitor all appropriate resources and keep you informed of any new information we obtain.

Sincerely,

Fred Citron

Executive Director/CEO

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