KATY ISD information on Beckendorff closing

“Highly Probable” case of H1N1 found at Beckendorff Junior High in Katy ISD

(May 1, 2009) – Katy ISD received notification today from the Fort Bend County Department of Health & Human Services (FBCHHS) of a “highly probable” case of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus at Beckendorff Junior High. The FBCHHS serves as the lead authority in determining whether or not a school should be closed and for how long, has determined that Beckendorff will be closed for all of next week and will reopen on May 11. Should there be any changes we will notify parents through School Messenger, our district Web site (www.katyisd.org) and eNews for those who have subscribed.

The campus has been in contact with the student’s family and the student is no longer exhibiting symptoms, has responded to treatment and has been cleared by a physician to return to school on May 4.

At this time there have been no additional confirmed or highly probable cases among students or staff at Beckendorff for the past seven days.

Symptoms of Swine Flu
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Therefore, the presence of these symptoms does not necessarily mean swine flu. Additional information on swine flu can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm.

What you can do
While there is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu, there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illness like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Clean your hands.
  Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Washing hands with soap and water for approximately 20 to 30 seconds (tell young children to sing the Happy Birthday song twice) will help protect your child from many different germs. When soap and water are not available, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used (the gels should be rubbed into your hands until they are dry).
• Avoid close contact.
  Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• Stay home when you are sick.
  If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
• Cover your mouth and nose.
  Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

If you have reason to be concerned that you or your child may have swine flu, please contact your family doctor as soon as possible. Swine flu can only be diagnosed by a medical professional. If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.