Encourage employees and children to stay home if they have the flu.

Teach children to sneeze into their sleeve to prevent spreading germs onto their hands.

Ensure that plenty of tissues are available. Teach children to dispose of soiled tissues.

Teach children to wash their hands frequently and properly with soap and water. If soap is not available, hand gels containing 60 per cent alcohol are suitable. Post handwashing signs in bathrooms. 

Clean hard surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, taps, school bus doors and seats more often. Regular household cleaners are adequate.

A pandemic influenza strain can spread quickly through schools because of the crowding and overall hygiene of children.

If a pandemic influenza strikes a community, the measures listed above for seasonal influenza will be equally effective and important in reducing the spread of pandemic influenza.

There may be special measures temporarily required at the time of a pandemic, such as school closures.

See Related Links below for links to websites with a variety of information related to seasonal and pandemic influenza self-care and personal preparedness. Some websites have short videos that can be downloaded for viewing in the classroom. Please feel free to explore and use these resources as appropriate for your classroom needs.