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An important update from Dr. Marty
February 26, 2020
Dear Parkway parents and staff,
As cold and flu season is in full swing, many schools in Parkway have seen an increased number of students and staff with symptoms of influenza and other winter illnesses in recent weeks. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control has issued recent advisories related to the coronavirus.
Our Director of Health Services, Dr. Robin Wallin, has some important information to share with you, which I have included below.
Thank you for your partnership as we work to keep our students and staff healthy and safe each day.
Dr. Marty
As a reminder, please do not send your child to school or come to work if you are sick. If your child is sick, please keep them home until he/she is fever-free for 24 hours without medication, adhering to the Parkway Illness Guidelines.
We continue to monitor illness in our schools on a regular basis, including symptoms and absences of students and staff. If your school has an unusually high rate of flu or other illness, you will be notified.
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses and can cause mild to severe illness. Symptoms of influenza can vary, but generally include a high fever, headache, chills, body aches, sore throat and cough. Here is some additional, helpful information about the flu from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The flu season has been complicated by recent reports of a new coronavirus (COVID-19). Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with common symptoms similar to the flu, which include a fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has established a website, which also links to information from the CDC, for those seeking more information about this new coronavirus.
When a new disease is circulating, it’s natural for people to ask what they can do to protect themselves and their families. The best guidance is to take the same precautions recommended during flu season. We urge all families to continue the practice of maintaining healthy behaviors, which include, but are not limited to:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available;
- Cover nose and mouth with a sleeve or a tissue when coughing or sneezing;
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth to prevent the spread of germs;
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick;
- Stay home from school and work when you are sick.
We also want to reassure you that we have plans in place in the event of a serious outbreak of illness.
- For more than 10 years, Parkway has had a pandemic crisis action plan in place which we are currently updating.
- We have put additional plans in place to increase deep disinfection of schools where illness is more prevalent, including surfaces and buses.
We will continue to work with our partners at the Department of Health and Senior Services and the St. Louis County Department of Health as they monitor and manage the current situation with both the flu and novel coronavirus.
Parkway is fortunate to have experienced health experts on staff including registered nurses in every school. About 20 percent of the nationally certified school nurses in the state of Missouri work in Parkway Schools. Please be assured that we will continue to keep an eye on illness in our schools, as is our standard practice to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
As always, we will share additional information with you as needed. If you have any questions about the health and wellness of your students, please contact your school nurse.
Thank you for your help as we keep our students healthy during this cold and flu season!
Dr. Robin Wallin, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, NCSN
Director of Health Services