H1N1 Flu Update to San Diego Unified School District Community for May 1, 2009

This is an update to the San Diego Unified School District community on issues related to the swine flu outbreak as of noon, May 1, 2009.

• Name: Health authorities are now calling this disease the H1N1 Virus or H1N1 Flu, although it is commonly still being referred to as the "swine flu."
• Cases: As of this writing, no cases have been reported among San Diego Unified students or staff. For updates on the cases in San Diego County, go to the website of the county's Health and Human Services Agency.
• Schools Open: All San Diego Unified schools are scheduled to be open Monday, May 4, 2009.
• Information for Parents: The county Health and Human Services Agency has posted information and a video for parents on its website.
• Wash Hands, Stay Home if Sick: Not only to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus but colds and flu in general, remember to wash your hands, and have your child wash his or her hands frequently. Anyone who is ill, adult or child, shoud stay home from school and see a physician.
• Masks: Wearing masks, according to health authorities, is not an effective deterrent to catching this disease. We do not recommend that you send your child to school wearing a mask.
• Monitoring Continuing: In order to keep our students, faculty and staff as safe as possible, San Diego Unified's senior management continues to meet daily to monitor the situation, providing support to schools where needed.
• E-mail Updates: San Diego Unified will continue to provide these updates through next Wednesday, then only as needed. To subscribe to San Diego Unified's newsfeed, go to our district home page and click on the "RSS" link.
• For More Information: San Diego County residents can call the County of San Diego Swine Influenza Information Line at (858) 715-2250, or visit http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/Portal/News/swineflu.html