DENVER -- So far, it's business as usual in the child care and education fields amid growing swine flu worries in Colorado.

"Given the fact they've announced two confirmed cases, that could change," said Tustin Amole, spokeswoman with Cherry Creek schools.

As with many other districts, letters have already been sent or are going home today with students detailing precautions families can take when confronting flu illness.

"At this moment we're kind of in prevention mode hoping that if everyone keeps their hands clean and to themselves and stays home if not feeling well that that would be the best strategy," Amole said.

All of the district's schools have hand sanitizers on campus and students, as well as staffers, are encouraged to use them frequently.

At Denver Public Schools, leaders are monitoring the situation as it changes, hour to hour.

"We have not seen any red flags yet. We may yet have to react and say, where are these active cases? Are they in Denver? And I think this is something you have to monitor very closely," said DPS spokesman Alex Sanchez.

Littleton and Aurora Public Schools report stable absentee rates as well.

Jefferson County principals sent letters home Tuesday and also have pandemic plans prepared.

Adams County Schools District 50 will send a letter home with students today.

"We're extremely concerned. We've put out a letter to our staff asking them to cover your mouth. We have no extremely high absentee rates in students or staff reported at this time," said spokeswoman Deb Haviland.

While closures have been reported in other states, Colorado leaders are not ready to stop educating.

"We don't usually close schools for a case of influenza. However, because of the issues we've talked about; we don't have an effective vaccine. We know that flu viruses can be unpredictable in any season and out of an abundance of caution a lot of states, a lot of school districts are using a low threshold to say, let's go ahead and close to prevent the spread of this illness," said Dr. Ned Calonge, Chief Medical Officer. "So we want to do that in consultation with our partners and the local school districts as well as local public health. So that it's a decision we can share adn we know we're doing the best for the students in the school as well as their families."

The state's Department of Education also sent guidelines Wednesday to district leaders. See below:

Swine Flu Information Attn: All The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified cases of swine Influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in people in several states and is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases.

Please stay informed! Here are helpful resources:

. This link is an excellent source of information, and covers many questions and concerns related to schools: http://cdc.gov/swineflu

. This link has excellent key facts regarding swine Influenza A: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

. This link opens "Guidelines for Education: Planning for Pandemic Readiness," which provides general information about planning for a pandemic: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/epr/Public/educationpanready.pdf

To see the latest information from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment related to schools, click on the link below.

For those without Internet access or with specific questions, the Colorado Helpline is a good resource: 1-877-462-2911.

Announcements Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Updated Pandemic Preparedness Guidelines for Educational Institutions Attn: Superintendents and Health Directors The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is working to enhance Colorado's pandemic preparedness in coordination with various agencies.

CDPHE staff are currently updating many pieces of Colorado's Pandemic Preparedness plan, including specific information for educational institutions.

The purpose of this project is to provide streamlined and useful guidance for school districts to assist in improving their crisis management plans as well as to improve Colorado's pandemic preparedness.

Once the new guidelines are developed, they can be used as a preparedness resource for school districts.

In order to effectively complete this project, representatives from the CDPHE will be contacting by phone selected school districts in the state to simply review what, if any, pandemic planning activities have taken place within your district. This will assist them in revising the current guidelines to be more informative. If districts have not started such preparedness conversations, they are seeking advice on how they can be of better assistance for the future.

Based up input received, the current guidelines will be modified for review prior to completion. The completed guidelines are expected to be delivered to all Colorado school districts at the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year.

If school districts have written pandemic preparedness plans, comments or suggestions they would like to share, they are asked to send such information to either Kim Coleman (kcoleman@cdphe.state.co.us) or Sarah Meyer (Smeyer@cdphe.state.co.us).

Mark Salley Director, Office of Communications Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

April 30, 2009

Colorado Health Department Provides Guidance for Schools and Day-Care Centers Regarding H1N1 Flu

DENVER - In light of the first two confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza in the state, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has provided guidelines for Colorado schools and day-care centers to avoid the spread of the H1N1 virus.

The two confirmed cases involve a woman from Arapahoe County and a man from Douglas County, both of whom are recovering. According to Dr. Richard Vogt, executive director of Tri-County Health Department, investigations have shown there are no links between the two identified cases and any school or day-care facility.

The state health department provided the following guidelines for schools and day-care centers:

�œ Watch for the signs and symptoms of H1N1 illness, which are similar to those for seasonal flu: fever greater than 100 F, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, chills, headache and body aches, fatigue, and possibly vomiting and diarrhea.

�œ If a student comes to school or day care with these symptoms, he or she should be sent home and remain there until 24 hours after the symptoms have resolved.

�œ Students with mild symptoms should recover at home, and the parents should be given instructions to contact the child�fs medical provider if the symptoms worsen or for further advice.

�œ If a parent or guardian can�ft pick up the child right away, the child should be kept away from other students.

�œ Day-care facilities, schools and/or districts should assess the situation in their own communities and work with their local public health department and the state health department regarding any decisions to close facilities.

�œ The 2008-09 seasonal flu vaccination does not provide protection from H1N1 influenza.

�œ Schools and day-care facilities should encourage students to practice prevention strategies such as routine hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding others with respiratory illness and staying home if they�fre ill.

Dr. Ned Calonge, the state�fs chief medical officer, emphasized that so far, in the United States, the H1N1 virus is acting like seasonal flu and is a relatively mild disease.

�gThere�fs no reason to get tested if you have a mild illness,�h said Calonge. �gThere�fs no reason to have treatment with antiviral drugs if you have a mild case. The drugs reduce the duration of the illness by only a day or two.�h Calonge emphasized that testing and treatment with antiviral drugs should be reserved for people who become seriously ill or who have additional serious health problems. �gSchools should not require confirmed negative lab tests for re-admittance to school,�h he said.

Calonge noted that, because this is a rapidly evolving situation, schools and day-care centers should be alert for changes in the department�fs guidance as it learns more. The guidance is available on the department�fs Web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/.

At Kidstown Drop-In Day Care Centers, staff is seeing regular attendance rates.

Belles and Beaus Academy in Centennial, director Teri Bierman says, "So far not too much here. More so just questions right now from parents if we've had any families that have been to Mexico. (It�fs) Just kind of the unknown."

At other day care centers, staffers say parents are nervous and are asking lots of questions such as if other kids have recently been to Mexico.

Staffers are not wearing surgical masks and are reporting for work normally.

A spokeswoman for La Petite Academy, with 19 centers in the state, says staffers are performing extra cleaning duties, toys that go into a child's mouth are quickly taken and sanitized.