Nurse Updates

Dear Families,

We have made it through the start of flu season. At most of our schools, we have seen a GI virus going around causing vomiting and sometimes a fever. Keep an eye out for any signs of illness and please keep your child home if they do have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Thank you for your help in keeping our schools healthy!

Below you will find information on the following:

• Health Topics
• Pertussis - information from Marquette County Health Department
• Tdap and Flu Vaccines
• National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 2–6)
• Illness Protocol
• COVID Guidance
• Medications at School
• Stock Medications at Middle School and High School
• Our Health Staff

Thank you!

Nicole Wollert

District Nurse

nicole.wollert@westfieldpioneers.org

Please take a moment to review the images below that were shared with us from the Marquette County Health Department.

Marquette County Health Department is offering free Tdap doses for any student, regardless of insurance/VFC qualification. They were provided by the state of WI to get school-aged kids up to date on vaccines so anyone age 7 and over who needs one could get one.

They also still have some flu vaccines left for any age school-aged children, which are also free to anyone regardless of insurance/VFC qualification.

Please contact the Marquette County Health Department if you are interested in your child(ren) receiving these vaccines.

National Influenza Vaccination Week takes place December 2–6, which focuses on the benefits of getting a flu shot.

Here is some general information on flu (influenza) vaccines:

• Benefits:
• The flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor's visits each year.
• Per the CDC, during seasons when the flu vaccine viruses are similar to the circulating flu viruses, the flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with the flu by 40% to 60%.
• Importance:
• Influenza (flu) is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and flu can affect people differently. Getting the flu can mean a few days of feeling bad and missing work, school, or family events, or it can result in more serious illness.
• Vaccination is especially important for people who are at a higher risk of serious complications from influenza.
• Eligibility
• Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with a few exceptions.

Resources: CDC Website and WI DHS Website

If your child has a fever over 100 degrees, is vomiting, or has diarrhea, your child should stay home from school. Your child may return to school when they have been free of fever/vomiting/diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

Your child should also stay home from school if he/she has an unidentified rash or live head lice.

If your child has a rash, your child may return to school when their doctor recommends. Please provide a note to your child's school office from their medical provider indicating when they may return.

If your child has live head lice, he/she may return to school after they are treated as long as there are no longer any live lice.

Your child should stay home if he/she has an eye infection and is unable to avoid touching their eyes.

If your child has a communicable disease, please refer to this chart for guidance on when they may return to school.

We are continuing to recommend families follow the CDC's guidance, which can be found here.

We are continuing to follow our illness protocol that we followed prior to COVID - if a student has a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, then they should stay home until they are free of fever/vomiting/diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

If a student has multiple COVID-like symptoms (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle/body aches, new loss of taste or smell, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fever or chills), then they should contact their medical provider's office for guidance.

If a student tests positive for COVID or was in close contact with an individual who tested positive, the student should follow their doctor's guidance. Documentation from their doctor must be provided to the school office stating the student should be excused from school and their return date in order for the student's absence to be excused. Just as prior to COVID, student absences that occur without a doctor's note will be unexcused until proper documentation is provided.

If your child needs medication at school, please fill out a medication consent form (see below) and drop off the medication (in its original packaging) at your child's school office.

If it is an over-the-counter medication, such as Tylenol, etc, then only a parent/guardian signature is needed on the medication form.

If it is a prescription medication, then a medical provider's signature is also required.

A medical provider's signature would also be required if the dosage written on the form by the parent/guardian differs from the recommended therapeutic dose on the medication label.

We are not able to administer medications to students without a medication form completed. Students are not allowed to keep their own supply of medication in their lockers.

Exceptions to this are albuterol inhalers for students with asthma, glucagon for students with diabetes, and epinephrine for students with severe allergic reactions; a medication form still needs to be completed for these medications even if the student is carrying the medication themselves.

All other needed medication must be administered through the school office.

As a courtesy, the School District of Westfield will offer stock (school supplied) Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen to middle school and high school students (ages 12 and over) while at school as needed during the current school year.

Parent/guardian consent is needed for students to receive these stock medications.

Stock medication will be administered as follows:

• Acetaminophen 500 mg tablet - One tablet every 6 hours for headache/pain
• Ibuprofen 200 mg tablet - One tablet every 6 hours for headache/pain

This consent covers occasional use only, and will be given at the discretion of the school nurse or designated school staff. Any student that requires any of the listed medications on a regular basis will be asked to provide their own supply of medication and will need a medication consent form filled out by the student's parent/guardian and physician. School supplied medications will not be given to students more than ten times during the school year. If your child reaches the tenth time, a letter will be sent home, alerting you that your child has depleted their doses for the school year.

School supplied medications will only be given to students during the school day; they will not be available on school sponsored trips, athletic events, or after school activities.