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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes that school administrators, teachers, staff, and parents are concerned about influenza (flu), particularly its effects on children. Educators and staff can help slow the spread of respiratory illnesses like colds, enterovirus D68 and influenza (flu). On this page, you will find information on preventing the flu as well as materials and tools for schools. Guidance for School Administrators
Guidance to help reduce the spread of seasonal flu among students and staff in K-12 schools.
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Cleaning & Disinfecting Schools
Guide for K-12 schools with tips on how to clean to help slow the spread of seasonal flu.
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School-Located Vaccination Clinics
Resource for school-located vaccination clinic planners, including, forms and pre-drafted letters.
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Influenza causes more hospitalizations among young children than any other vaccine-preventable disease. The single best way to protect against seasonal flu and its potential severe complications is for children to get a seasonal influenza vaccine each year. Flu vaccination is recommended for all children aged 6 months and older. Making healthy choices at school and at home can help prevent the flu and spreading flu to others.
Encourage children, parents, and staff to take the following everyday preventive actions to prevent flu pdf icon[2MB, 2 pages]:
- Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill.
General Information about Flu :
What you need to know about flu
Information for the 2019-2020 season
What is the difference between cold & flu
What are symptoms and emergency warning signs of flu Preventing & Treating Flu:
Children, flu, and flu vaccines
How to Prevent Flu
What you need to know about flu vaccines
What you need to know about flu antiviral drugs
Additional Resources
Other CDC Resources
- Supplemental Interim Guidance for School Administrators Associated with Possible Outbreaks of H3N2 Variant Influenza Virus (“H3N2v”)
- Good Health Habits for Preventing Seasonal Flu
- Flu Information for Parents
- Children, the Flu, and the Flu Vaccine
- Protecting Against the Flu: Advice for Caregivers of Children Less Than 6 Months Old
- School-Located Vaccination Clinics: Forms and Contact Letters
Print Resources
- Print Resources for Parents
- The Flu: A Guide for Parents Factsheet pdf icon[566 KB, 2 pages, 8.5″ x 11″]
External Resources
- Keep Flu Out of Schoolexternal icon
- Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS): Flu Season and Schoolsexternal icon
- The Shot by Shot Project: Gigi’s Storyexternal icon
- National Foundation for Infectious Diseases: Flu Fighters Coloring books pdf icon[9.13 MB, 14 pages]external icon
- Healthy Schools, Healthy People: It’s a SNAP! Handwashing toolkitexternal icon
- National Sanitation Foundation: Scrub Club™ web siteexternal icon
“Are you a flu fighter?” Coloring Book
Coloring Book PDF: “Are you a flu fighter?” Englishexternal icon [8.3 MB, 14 pages], “Eres un luchador contra la influenza?” Spanishexternal icon [4 MB, 14 pages]
“It’s a SNAP” Toolkit
“It’s a SNAP”external icon
This toolkit provides activities for school administrators, teachers, students, and others to help stop the spread of germs in schools. For more information, visit the hand cleaning section of the “It’s a SNAP” websiteexternal icon.
Scrub Club
Kids can learn about health and hygiene at the Scrub Club™ web siteexternal icon. The site features a fun and educational animated Webisode with seven “soaper-heros” who battle nasty villains representing germs and bacteria. Kids learn the six key steps to proper handwashing through a webisode, a handwashing song, interactive games, and activities for kids. Educational materials for teachers are also available to download.
Page last reviewed: November 7, 2019