Our commitment to educational excellence includes providing information and resources to allow students and community members to live healthy lives.

Click on the link below for a link to the Washtenaw County Health Department: http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/public_health

The Health Department has a new web page just for schools. Click on the link below:

http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/public_health/school_portal/index2_html

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Swine Flu:  The Washtenaw County Health Department, Michigan Department of Community Health, and the Centers for Disease Control all are providing information and guidance to schools and school districts. Information is available at the Washtenaw County Health Department Link provided above.

CDC and MDCH recommendations include the following:

1.  Stay home from work or school if you have a respiratory illness to avoid spreading infections, including influenza, to others in the community.

2.  Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill.

3.  Cover you mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

4.  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

5. Wash hands frequently with soap and water.  Alcohol based hand gels are also effective.

6.  If you are experiencing severe symptoms, including cough, fever, fatigue, sore throat, chills, headaches, body aches possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting, please contact your physician or health care provider.

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MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) is of great concern to many of us. The following information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

How can I prevent staph or MRSA skin infections?

Practice good hygiene:

0. Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
0. Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
0. Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages.
0. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.

In the outbreaks of MRSA, the environment has not played a significant role in the transmission of MRSA. MRSA is transmitted most frequently by direct skin-to-skin contact.

This being said, we are reviewing our maintenance practices to be sure we are taking those steps necessary to minimize whatever small role the environment may play in the transmission of MRSA, and are prepared to take those steps recommended if and when an incidence of MRSA is reported in the school community.

For additional MRSA information, please refer to the following websites:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MRSA_poster_FINAL_167902_7.pdf  

http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/antibiotic/mrsa_school_health.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools/#q1