Message from the School Nurse

Fort Worth Country Day has an unusual number of sick students and faculty today. It seems flu and COVID are especially prevalent. Please be particularly aware of your child’s health as we glide into the winter break: keep sick children at home. Below are some tips from Director of School Health Services Lori McCormack, RN.

How can I protect my child against illness?

• Vaccination is available for both flu and COVID.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is okay when soap and water are not available.
• If someone at home is sick, keep the sick person in a separate room from other family members if possible.
• Teach children to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth—germs are spread this way.
• Wipe down surfaces with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
• Make sure disposable items used by sick family members (tissues, etc.) are promptly thrown in the trash.

If your child is sick …

• Talk to your doctor early if you are worried about your child’s illness.

If your child has any of the warning signs below, seek medical attention immediately:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids (not going to the bathroom or making as much urine as normal)
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the young child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Has other conditions (like heart or lung disease, diabetes or asthma) and develops flu symptoms, including a fever and/or cough

When can my child go back to school?

Please keep your sick child at home to rest and to avoid giving the flu to other children and adults. A fever is defined as 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Students may return to school when their fever is gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine. Sending students to school while ill infects others and does not allow students to fully recuperate and rest.

If you test positive for COVID, please follow COVID protocols. If you have questions, please call 817.302.3257.