How To Protect Your Students From the Seasonal Flu

As a superintendent, your students’ health should be your top priority. We’re in the midst of flu season, and without an understanding of how to keep your students safe, the flu will likely spread like wildfire. We need to promote public health concerns to the best of our ability, but that bears the question: how do you protect your students from the seasonal flu?

Disinfect Your Buses 

Children have a tendency to touch everything. They may wipe their noses on their hands before touching a seat or cough directly on a window. Of course, you aren’t omnipresent, so stopping these behaviors on all fronts can be difficult. The best thing you can do is thoroughly clean the primary areas where they congregate. One of those areas is the school bus. You should thoroughly disinfect your buses after every drive. So many people overlook the importance of regularly cleaning buses, but these vehicles can be breeding grounds for bacterial and viral infections.

Encourage Hand Hygiene

You should encourage your students to wash their hands as often as possible. Remind them to do so throughout the day and place hand sanitizing stations throughout the school. Make sure you review different school policies and encourage students to stay home when sick. Often, we want to keep students at school, but it’s important to trust parents to do what’s best for their kids when they’re sick. Remember that the health and safety of your students are key. This is a necessary way to protect your students during this flu season. 

Educate Students, Parents, and Staff About Sickness

Know the signs of the flu. Most adults can tell the difference between a student acting sick and actually being ill. A student who is actually sick will likely experience chills, a phlegmy cough, and bodily weakness. If you notice these symptoms, alert the student’s parents, and send the child home so that they can recuperate. If you get a sneaking suspicion that the student is just faking sick, weigh your options and send them to the school nurse to perform a quick health check. 

Overall, there are many ways to keep your students safe and healthy. It’s up to you to implement the proper measures.