The Children’s School is closely monitoring the spread of novel coronavirus and assures families that its current risk to TCS is very low. As of Feb. 10, 2020 there were no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Georgia.
The flu, however, is significantly more prevalent and currently presents a greater public health risk than coronavirus. From Oct. 1, 2020 to Feb. 1, 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conservatively estimates that 22,000,000 – 31,000,000 individuals in the United States contracted the flu and 12,000 – 30,000 individuals have died from it.
Thankfully, the flu has a safe and relatively effective vaccine available. If you or your child(ren) have not already received the flu shot, it is not too late to do so, and I encourage you to get it as soon as possible!
Prevention guidelines for the flu and coronavirus are essentially identical:
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water
- Avoid touching your face
Following these tips are the best ways to help stop the spread of respiratory infections like the flu, coronavirus, or the “common cold.” Click here for more prevention tips from the CDC.
You can help us stop the spread of the flu by keeping your child home from school until they are fever-free for 24-hours. We also ask, given the current high prevalence of respiratory infections, that you keep your student home from school if they are visibly unwell after getting sick – even if they do not have a fever. This includes, but is not limited to, persistent coughing, very runny nose, frequent sneezing, and general weakness and fatigue.
Please contact me (sharons@tcsatl.org, 404-873-6985) if your child is diagnosed by their physician with the flu. I will send out a letter to classrooms with students or teachers who are diagnosed with the flu to make families aware that their child has been exposed to the virus so they can get treatment quickly if their child shows flu-like symptoms.
If you’d like to know more about the flu, check out these blog posts I’ve written:
I appreciate your continued partnership in keeping our TCS family safe and healthy this flu season!
