Directive to Administrators (Specify which administrators) WAD Date (Wednesday) WAD No. Page All Administrators Nov 12, 2014 1 of 6 Subject Date Due Not Applicable After Ebola Information and Guidance for Staff, Parents/Guardians Now n/a From Title Signature Telephone Kim Coates Executive Director, 415-242-2615 (Cabinet member or approved by one) School Health Programs, Student, d Family and d Community C i Support Department- Inform X Certificated Staff X Classified Staff X Parents Other EBOLA INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS AND STAFF WHAT: As news reports continue about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the San Francisco Department of Public Health wants to emphasize that at this time there are no suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola in San Francisco. It is important that accurate information and guidance about Ebola is available to parents/guardians and staff. HOW: The attached letter(s) about Ebola can be distributed to parents/guardians and staff at the school site. Guidance and Information for Schools on Ebola can be posted at the school site and distributed to staff. Further information about Ebola for parents/guardians and staff can be found at at: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/children/index.html WHY: At this time there is an extremely low risk of getting Ebola in San Francisco. However, there is a high risk of getting flu and other common illnesses. Good hygiene such as hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick should be emphasized. Getting a seasonal flu vaccine is helpful in preventing the spread of flu. Please contact the Nurse of the Day at 415-242-2615 for any questions. Approved Cabinet Member Kevin Truitt Title Associate Superintendent, SFCSD Signature SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT WEEKLY ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE (WAD)
City and County of San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee Department of Public Health Barbara A. Garcia, MPA Director of Health GUIDANCE AND INFORMATION FOR SCHOOLS ON EBOLA VIRUS Ebola Virus Information & Resources As the news continues to evolve around Ebola, all schools in the City and County of San Francisco should be reassured first that there are NO cases of Ebola in San Francisco. Ebola is not easily spread and even less likely to spread on a school campus. Students and staff who are returning to school from travel should not be excluded from school. Flu season is here and students and staff are much more likely to get the flu. Schools are encouraged to focus on preventing more contagious diseases such as flu, colds, and other illnesses. Everyone should practice good hygiene such as frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth, and staying home when sick. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 1. Does Ebola pose a health risk to San Francisco? No. The risk of getting sick with Ebola is very low in the U.S. and in San Francisco. Children have an even lower chance of getting Ebola than adults, since they are less likely to care for an Ebola patient or come into contact with their body fluids. 2. What should schools do if someone on campus just came back from a country affected by Ebola? The risk of getting sick with Ebola on a school campus is very low. That s why students and staff returning from travel should not be excluded from school. Public health departments across the country are now monitoring all travelers who come into the U.S. from any country affected by Ebola. This protects everyone s health and limits exposure to Ebola. Any student or staff member who is at a San Francisco school after travelling to a country with Ebola has been cleared to attend by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
3. When should school staff wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? It is unlikely that a person infected with Ebola will be at school. So, it is not recommended that school nurses wear PPE. Instead, they should follow their standard infection control practices for other illnesses, such as flu. 4. How can schools prevent the spread of Ebola? Ebola is not spread easily; one has to have contact with the body fluids of an infected person. We encourage schools to focus on preventing more common contagious diseases, such as flu and colds. They should also follow their standard procedures for students who are sick with any illness, such as flu or a stomach virus. Students and staff should also practice good hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth, and staying home when sick. Everyone who can should get the seasonal flu vaccine to help prevent the spread of flu. 5. How should schools address students concerns about Ebola? Schools should talk about students fears and explain that: The risk is very low. There are many plans in place to prevent the spread of Ebola in San Francisco and the United States. Most of the African continent is not affected by Ebola and is not a risk to travelers or others. Key Messages: The risk of getting sick with Ebola is very low in the U.S. and in San Francisco. Children have a lower chance of getting Ebola since they are less likely to care for an Ebola patient or come into contact with their body fluids. Students or staff returning from travel should not be excluded from school. Public Health Departments are monitoring all travelers from affected regions to ensure everyone s health and safety. In general, students and staff should practice good hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth, and staying home when sick. Everyone who can should get the seasonal flu vaccine to help prevent the spread of flu. Where can the public go for more information? San Francisco Department of Public Health website, at www.sfdph.org. You can also call 311 (within SF only) or 415-701-2311 24-hours a day, 7 days a week for more Information.
San Fracisco Department of Public Health Barbara Garcia, MPA November 4, 2014 Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff: You may have some concerns over recent news stories about Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola). We would like to reassure you regarding your child s education. Right now, there are no suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola in San Francisco. Ebola has historically been a rare disease, but there is now a large outbreak (more disease than usual) in the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The risk of getting sick with Ebola is very low. A person who may have been exposed to this illness cannot spread it to others unless he or she has symptoms. Ebola is spread by direct contact with an infected person s body fluids, like saliva, vomit, diarrhea, and mucus. Because a child is less likely to care for a sick person, children are less likely to become sick with Ebola. It does not spread through air, food, water, mosquitos, or other insects. We are working closely with the San Francisco Department of Public Health to make sure our schools are safe. Public health departments across the nation are now monitoring all travelers who come into the U.S. from any country affected by Ebola. This protects everyone s health. Any student or staff member who is at a San Francisco school after traveling to an Ebola-affected country has been cleared to attend by the San Francisco Department of Public Health. We encourage you to check the San Francisco Department of Public Health website at www.sfdph.org, for the most recent information and guidance on Ebola. You can also call 311 (within SF only) or 415-701-2311 24-hours a day, 7 days a week for more information. While there is a very low risk of getting Ebola in San Francisco, there is a high risk of catching the flu or other common illnesses that can cause students to miss valuable days of school. Everyone should practice healthy hygiene such as washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes, not touching eyes, nose or mouth, and staying home when sick to help keep others healthy. Students and family should speak with their medical provider about getting the seasonal flu vaccine to help prevent the spread of flu. Sincerely, Language adapted from letter issued by: LA County Department of Public Health Office of Communications & Public Affairs
Departamento de Salud Pública de San Francisco 4 de noviembre del 2014 Estimados padres de familia, tutores, y personal: Puede que se sientan preocupados por los recientes informes noticiosos sobre la enfermedad causada por el virus de ébola. Queremos tranquilizarlos sobre la educación de sus hijos. En este momento no hay casos cuestionables ni casos confirmados de ébola en San Francisco. Históricamente el ébola ha sido una enfermedad poco común, pero ahora hay un brote considerable (más enfermos de lo normal) en los siguientes países de África Occidental: Guinea, Liberia, y Sierra Leona. El riesgo de contraer ébola es muy bajo. Una persona que se haya expuesto a esta enfermedad no puede propagarla a otros a menos que él o ella tenga síntomas. El ébola se propaga al tener contacto directo con los fluidos corporales de una persona infectada, como la saliva, el vómito, la diarrea, y la mucosidad. Ya que existen menos posibilidades de que los niños cuiden a una persona enferma, ellos tienen menos probabilidad de contraer el virus de ébola. Este virus no se propaga a través del aire, los alimentos, el agua, los mosquitos, u otros insectos Estamos trabajando estrechamente con el Departamento de Salud Pública de San Francisco para asegurarnos de que nuestras escuelas sean seguras. Los departamentos de salud pública a lo largo del país ahora están monitoreando a todos los viajeros que vienen a los EE.UU. de cualquier país afectado por el ébola. Esto protege la salud de todos. Cualquier estudiante o miembro del personal que está en una escuela de San Francisco después de haber viajado a un país afectado por el ébola, ha recibido permiso para asistir a la escuela por el Departamento de Salud Pública de San Francisco. Les animamos a que revisen el portal de internet del Departamento de Salud Pública de San Francisco en www.sfdph.org, para recibir la información más reciente y consejos sobre el ébola. También puede llamar al 311 (sólo dentro de San Francisco) o al 415-701-2311 las 24 horas del día, 7 días a la semana para mayor información. Aunque el riesgo de contraer el ébola en San Francisco es muy bajo, hay un alto riesgo de contraer la gripe o contagiarse de otras enfermedades comunes que pueden causar que los estudiantes pierdan valiosos días de clases. Todos deben tener hábitos de higiene saludables, como lavarse las manos frecuentemente, taparse la boca cuando estornude o tosa, no tocarse los ojos, la nariz, o la boca, y quedarse en casa cuando estén enfermos para no contagiar a los demás. Los estudiantes y sus familias deberían consultar a su doctor o farmacia sobre la vacuna contra la gripe de temporada para ayudar a prevenir que se esparza la gripe. Atentamente, Language adapted from letter issued by: LA County Department of Public Health Office of Communications & Public Affairs
共衛生部 Barbara A. Garcia, MPA 衛生部主管 2014 年 11 月 4 日 各位家長 監護人及教職員 : 您可能對近期有關伊波拉病毒疾病 (Ebola Virus Disease, 簡稱伊波拉病毒 ) 的新聞報導有所關注 我們會確保您子女的受教育情況, 以讓您放心 現時, 三藩市未曾出現任何疑似或確診伊波拉病毒個案 伊波拉病毒歷來是一種罕見的疾病, 但現時在幾內亞 利比里亞和塞拉利昂等西非國家出現大規模爆發 ( 確診病例比平常多 ) 情況 感染伊波拉病毒的風險是非常低的 除非某人可能因接觸過伊波拉病毒, 並且出現病徵, 否則他或她不能把伊波拉病毒傳給他人 伊波拉病毒是經由直接接觸受感染病人的體液, 如唾液 嘔吐物 腹瀉物, 及黏液等而傳開 因為兒童照顧病人的可能性較小, 他們受伊波拉感染的可能性也會較小 伊波拉病毒不會透過空氣 食物 水 蚊, 或其他昆蟲等途徑傳開 欲知更多有關此疾病的資訊, 請參閱附上的信息單張 我們正與三藩市公共衛生部緊密合作, 以確保我們學校安全 全國的公共衛生部正監察所有從受伊波拉病毒影響國家進入美國的旅客 這項措施能保障每個人的健康 所有曾到受伊波拉病毒影響國家旅遊的三藩市公校學生或教職員, 已通過三藩市公共衛生部驗測, 並獲准回校 欲知有關伊波拉病毒的最新資訊及指引, 我們鼓勵您參閱三藩市公共衛生部網頁, 網址 : www.sfdph.org 欲知更多資訊, 您也可每天 24 小時, 每週七天致電 311( 只限三藩市內 ) 或 415-701-2311 查詢 雖然在三藩市感染伊波拉病毒的風險非常低, 但感染流感或其他常見疾病的風險仍頗高, 並且會導致學生錯過寶貴的上學時間 各人應注重健康衛生, 例如 : 勤洗手 咳嗽和打噴嚏時把口蓋住 避免接觸眼 鼻和口, 以及當生病時留在家等, 以幫助他人保持健康 學生及家長應向家庭醫生查詢有關接種季節性流感疫苗的資訊, 以有助防止流感的傳播 敬啟 本信內容摘自洛杉磯縣公共衛生部 - 傳訊及公共事務辦公室