Flu season is upon us and has hit students and adults alike especially hard this year. School District of Philadelphia Medical Director and Deputy Chief Health Services Natalie Mathurin gives a few tips for families on taking care of students with the flu:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their cough and sneezes with tissues. Teach them to cover up their coughs and sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea. Individuals who are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu should contact their healthcare provider if they develop signs and symptoms. Treatment with antiviral medications may be indicated for certain individuals. Anyone who develops serious illness should seek medical
  attention.
• Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have the signs of fever without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people getting infected.
• Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home. Please make sure your emergency contact information is up to date so we can reach you or an alternate care-giver contact if necessary.
• Also, it is not too late to get the vaccine. The flu vaccine is still available and can be given to children as young as 6 months old. A yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in
  protecting against the flu.

Read more in a letter from Dr. Mathurin: