Flu Information for Schools
The Department of Health works closely with the Department of Education, and directly with schools to help safeguard the health of Vermont’s children, and the health of school staff and faculty.
The most important things schools can do to reduce the risk of flu:
- encourage all students and staff to get a flu vaccination
- make sure students and employees stay home when they are sick
- encourage good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene
It is important that children and adults who show symptoms of flu like illness stay home from school. Not only so that they may get better, but also to avoid passing any virus on to others.
Flu Information
Everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine
Ask your health care provider for a flu vaccine, or get vaccinated at a local pharmacy. Vaccine is also available, by appointment and at no charge for children up through age 18 at the Health Department district offices.
Take these simple precautions to help keep illness from spreading:
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away.
- Wash your hands often, especially after you cough or sneeze.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Use alcohol-based hand wipes and gel sanitizers if soap and water are not available.
If you or a student is sick:
- Stay home if you are sick.
- If you or a child get sick with a respiratory illness like flu, stay home (or keep the child home) for at least 24 hours after fever is gone, except to seek medical care or for other necessities. Fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.
- Limit contact with others as much as possible to help prevent spreading illness.
Take steps to prevent disease in the classroom:
- Conduct routine cleaning and disinfecting. Flu viruses are relatively fragile, so standard cleaning and disinfecting practices are sufficient to remove or kill them.
- If an outbreak of flu occurs, contact the Department of Health (802-863-7240) to report the outbreak and seek guidance.
Flu Resources
Flu Information at Vermont Department of Health
Flu Resources for Schools from the CDC
How to Clean and Disinfect Schools To Slow the Spread of Flu
Fact Sheets, Posters, Videos
A variety of materials designed to help people learn more about the flu, getting vaccinated, and ways to help prevent spreading the flu. Many of the resources are available in different languages.
Contact Us
Department of Health - General Information
800-464-4343 (toll free in Vermont)
802-863-7200
TTY/TDD: Dial 711 first
Fax: 802-865-7754
Email: vdhco@state.vt.us
Epidemiology
800-640-4374 (toll free in Vermont)
802-863-7240
24 hours a day, weekends and holidays