Child Care or Early Childhood Program has Re-Opened

December 15, 2009 11:30 AM ET

• This template can be customized and used as an announcement via e-mail, Web site, program newsletter, or other creative ways to reach parents and program staff.
• Coordinate efforts with your local health department before distributing this letter or e-mail communication to ensure that all information is timely, relevant, and accurate.

 [Name of program] services will resume on [date].

Even though children and staff can return to the facility, the flu is still spreading in the community and you can take important steps to continue to help slow the spread of flu. 

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder; not into your hands. Teach your children how to do this.
• Continue to wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand rubs can also be used. Parents and child care providers should wash the hands of children who cannot yet wash themselves, and closely monitor children who have not yet mastered proper hand hygiene.
• If a child or member of the program staff is sick they should stay home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius measured by mouth), or signs of a fever (chills, feeling very warm, a flushed appearance, or sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicines (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). [This bullet may need to be adapted if decisions are made with your local public health officials to extend the amount of time that sick people stay home.]

Our program will continue to conduct daily health checks of children and staff and will send sick children and staff home.

For program updates, call [phone number], or visit our Web site at [web address].

For more information about the flu, call 1-800-CDC-INFO or visit www.flu.gov.