Flu Vaccine Shortage

By now, most everyone is aware of the shortage of this year's flu vaccine.  Only those people
considered in high risk categories will be eligible to receive the vaccine.  These categories include
babies and toddlers, 6 months - 23months, adults 65 and older, people with chronic medical
conditions, pregnant woman, residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, health care
workers, children 6 months - 18 years old on chronic aspirin therapy, and out-of-home caregivers
and household contacts of children aged less than 6 months.  Check with your health care
provider if you have any questions.

You can stay healthy during flu season without getting a flu shot by following the guidelines listed
below.  These guidelines come from Ann Waltz, RN, the Immunization Specialist for the Leon
County Health Department:
* Frequently wash your hands
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue if you have a cold, then through it away and wash your
hands
* Don't go to work or school if you are sick
* Avoid contact with the ill if you are in a high risk group
* Exercise, get 8 hours of sleep per night, stay hydrated, and don't smoke

In an attempt to decrease the spread of flu and other communicable diseases in the school
setting, Health Services is asking all parents to adhere to the following guidelines:
* If your child complains of flu-like symptoms, such as body aches, headache, chronic cough,
vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, please keep your child out of school.  If your child does not feel well,
he/she is not able to learn, and other children may become sick.
* Children must be fever-free for a minimum of 24 hours, and not taking anti-fever medicines
such as Tylenol or Advil.
* Please update emergency contact numbers at your child's school if you have moved or changed
phone numbers.  It is very important to reach a responsible adult in the event of an accident or
illness.
* Do not send your child to school with medication.  Parents must bring any medication to school
and complete a Medication Permission Form.  This includes medicines such as cough drops and
throat lozenges.

Thank you for your cooperation.  With your help, we can keep our children healthy and able to
learn.

Health Screenings Are Underway

Leon County Schools Health Services has been collecting height and weight screening data from
the majority of elementary and middle school students.  This effort is part of a larger community
effort to determine our community's current health status, develop a community-wide strategy to
improve our overall health, and update our district's health and physical education curriculum.

As part of the community wellness coalition, Health Services will be calculating the Body Mass
Index (BMI) status of Kindergarten, 1st, and 3rd through 8th grade students.  After the data is
collected, parents will be notified of their child's BMI status.  The parent letter will provide the
student's height, weight, BMI calculation, BMI-for-age percentile, and an explanation of what the
percentile means for your child.  In addition, it will also give information on how to interpret the
results, when health care referrals may be indicated, and will identify community resources to
assist with learning more about improving you and your family's health.

The calculation of the Body Mass Index (BMI) is used as a screening or assessment tool to measure
the risk of chronic disease. This is not a diagnostic tool.   Other factors involved in determining
health risks must be taken into consideration.  They are diet, physical activity level, waist
circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol level, and family history.  If your child is
falls into the upper or lower ranges for the BMI-for-age percentile, you will be encouraged to seek
the advice of your health care provider as he/she is the one who best knows your child.

For general information about Body Mass Index (BMI), or to calculate your own BMI, please check
out the following web site:
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/bmi.htm