What can families, students, and school personnel do to keep from getting sick and spreading flu?

Families, students, and school staff can keep from getting sick with flu in three ways.

1.  Practicing good hand hygiene. Students and staff members should wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. (See the Handwashing Video.)
   
   
2. Practicing respiratory "etiquette."  The main way that the flu spreads is from person to person in the droplets produced by coughs and sneezes, so it’s important to 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.
   
   
3. Staying home if you’re sick. Keeping sick students and staff at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others at school.

Everyone must take personal responsibility for helping to slow the spread of flu viruses by practicing these steps.

Last Updated: 08/07/2009

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