Influenza and COVID Reminders

Influenza (flu) season is underway here in Atlanta. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against the flu is to get a flu vaccine each year. Like COVID, flu is a contagious respiratory disease that can lead to serious illness. In the last couple of years, we have seen a decline in flu cases due to social distancing and mask mandates, but as these protective measures have been relaxed, we are seeing a surge in cases.

The flu virus is constantly changing, so flu vaccines are updated from one season to the next to protect against the virus that research suggests will be common during the upcoming flu season. Your protection from a flu vaccine declines over time, therefore a yearly vaccine is needed for the best protection. Flu vaccines are made using a killed flu virus so you cannot get the flu from the flu shot.

We are currently experiencing a slight increase in COVID cases among our school family. Please consider getting your child a bivalent COVID booster if you haven’t already. If someone in your household tests positive for COVID, we highly recommend sending your child to school in a mask for 10 days following the exposure and monitoring their symptoms closely. For further COVID guidance, click here.

In addition to getting a yearly flu shot and COVID booster, keeping your child at home when they don’t feel well will help us keep our school community safe. Please remember to reach out to your school nurse if your child is diagnosed with the flu or COVID.

Thanks,
Nurse Leslye and Nurse Hicks