Flu Information for Schools and Child Care Providers

H1N1 Flu Update

The Rhode Island Department of Health has scheduled school-based H1N1 vaccination clinics to occur over a 28-school day period starting in the first week of November. The H1N1 Vaccine Information Statement (English | Spanish | Portuguese), vaccine consent form (English | Spanish | Portuguese), and accompanying letter (English | Spanish | Portuguese) were sent home to parents the week of October 19. Children cannot receive this free vaccination in a school without a signed and dated consent form. For school-aged children who do not get this vaccination in school, it will not likely be available in physicians’ offices or in other clinics until late December. (school vaccination clinic schedule)

H1N1 Flu Recommendations

• Monitor students and staff for influenza-like illness (ILI) - fever plus cough or fever plus sore throat.
• Send students and staff with ILI home until they are fever-free (temperature less than 100.4°F or 38°C) for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• Instruct students or staff whose ILI symptoms worsen to seek medical care.
• Teach (as developmentally appropriate) standards of prevention to students and staff.
• Routinely clean commonly-touched surfaces with household disinfectants.
• Instruct household contacts who are well to:
  • Remain home at the earliest sign of illness;
  • Minimize contact in the community to the extent possible;
  • Designate a single household member as the ill person's caregiver.

H1N1 Flu Advisories

Child Care/Day Care Guidance

Schools (K-12)

• School Vaccination Consent Letter English | Spanish | Portuguese
• H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Consent Form English | Spanish | Portuguese
• H1N1 Vaccine Information Statement English | Spanish | Portuguese
• H1N1 School Clinic Consent Form Memo
• H1N1 School Clinic Toolkit Letter
• Media and Photo Policy at School-Based H1N1 Clinics
• Letter to School Leaders about School H1N1 Clinics (10/30)
• Letter to School Leaders about the School H1N1 Clinic Schedule (10/23)
• Template Reminder Letter to Parents about H1N1 School Clinics English | Spanish | Portuguese
• Sample Automated Script for Schools on H1N1 Vaccination Clinic Reminders English | Spanish | Portuguese
• Final Updated H1N1 School-Based Clinic Schedule By Vaccination Date | By City/Town
• Advisory
• Faculty and Staff Guidance for Talking to Students 
• School Nurse Teachers Advisory
• Critical Daily Absenteeism Reporting
• Handwashing and Sanitizer Use
• Guidance for Athletic Teams and After-School Programs

Colleges and Universities Guidance

• Mass Gatherings