Several students in the school are sick with vomiting and/or diarrhea. It is suspected that the cause of the illness is a virus. We are working to try to prevent more illness within the school.
Symptoms of Viral Gastroenteritis
Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, and/or diarrhea. Some people may get a high temperature, headaches and aching limbs. Symptoms normally last from 24-48 hours.
There is no specific treatment for viral gastroenteritis apart from letting the illness run it’s course. It is important to drink plenty of fluids to replace those lost and avoid dehydration. Tylenol can be given to reduce a fever. Anti-biotic treatment has no effect on viral gastroenteritis.
Medical advice should be sought if symptoms haven’t gone away after 60 hours.
Please encourage your children to wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet and prior to eating. It is recommended that family members use individual towels or single use paper towels to dry their hands until this outbreak is over. Cleaning surfaces, toys etc with bleach (1 part bleach per 50 parts water) will also help to prevent reinfection.
If your child has stomach flu symptoms, including upset stomach, vomiting and/or diarrhea, please keep your child home from school. If your child has vomited and/or has diarrhea, it is important that your child DOES NOT return to school until at least 24 hoursAFTER the symptoms have ended and your child feels better.
For example, if your child became unwell on Sunday morning but has started to feel better in the evening of the Monday, it is not safe for them to return to school until the Wednesday. This policy is in place to reduce the spread of the illness.
If you would like any further information or have any queries please call us on extension 125.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Kate Robertson
School Health Officer