Respiratory viruses are responsible for millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each year. In addition to the virus that causes COVID-19, there are many other types of respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The good news is there are actions you can take to help protect yourself and others from health risks caused by respiratory viruses.

CDC recommends that all people use core prevention strategies. These are important steps you can take to protect yourself and others:

• Stay up to date with immunizations
• Practice good hygiene (practices that improve cleanliness)
• Take steps for cleaner air
• When you may have a respiratory virus: Use precautions to prevent spread; and seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment if you have risk factors for severe illness; treatment may help lower your risk of severe illness

Additional prevention strategies you can choose to further protect yourself and others include: masks, physical distancing and tests.

If your child has respiratory virus symptoms that aren't better explained by another cause, they should stay home and away from others (including people they live with who are not sick). These symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others. 

Your child can go back to school and normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:

• Their symptoms are getting better overall, and

• They have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).

Added prevention strategies (such as masks, distancing, and tests) are recommended for the next 5 days.

Stomach flu (not influenza which is a respiratory illness) is going around in our schools. Students have stomach aches, vomiting, diarrhea, slight fevers and fatigue. Students should stay home for at least 24 hours after the symptoms have stopped.

Stomach flu is spread easily from person to person, so it is important to stay home while sick. It lasts anywhere from 1 to 2 days depending on the individual and the severity of the symptoms. If it lasts longer than that and you are concerned about your child's health, contact your health care provider.

Prevent the stomach flu by washing your hands frequently as it is spread by touching contaminated items. Prevent dehydration by offering small amounts of liquids frequently. Offer nutritious bland foods when vomiting or diarrhea has stopped and slowly work up to regular foods. If you are concerned about dehydration, contact your health care provider.

If your child has the stomach flu, call your school's attendance line to report this.

Strep throat can start suddenly with fever, red sore throat and swollen glands. In some children and adults, headache, nausea, stomach ache, and vomiting may be more common. A fine raised rash could also occur. 

Strep is contagious, and students need to stay home for 12 hours after treatment has begun. Antibiotics are given to treat strep throat.

Head lice are very small brownish-colored insects that live on the head. They lay their eggs (nits) close to the scalp. The eggs are gray or white in color. They are stuck to the hair like glue. Anyone can get head lice.

The symptoms of head lice are:

• itching of the head and neck.

• Look for: crawling lice in the hair. The eggs that are glued to the hair, often found behind the ears and at the back of the neck. Scratch marks from the itching they cause.

Lice are spread by direct head-to-head contact with the hair of an infested person. They can't jump or fly. They crawl and can fall off the head. Head lice do not live longer than 48 hours off the head. Eggs do not hatch if they fall off the head. Head lice feet are specially adapted for holding onto human hair. They would have difficulty attaching to smooth or slippery surfaces like plastic, metal, and similar materials.

If you find head lice in your child's hair, call your child's school and daycare to inform them. Treat your child for head lice using the product/method of your choice. Remove eggs (nits) daily. It takes at least 2 weeks to get rid of lice. If all nits within 1/2 inch of the scalp are not removed, some may hatch and your child will be infested again. Parents should check their children's hair weekly for head lice. Catching it early helps prevent the spread of lice to others.

For additional information, please reference the Head Lice Parent Fact Sheet

Concussions are brain injuries. They are caused by a bump or blow to the head. Even a mild bump or blow can be serious.

Look for any of these symptoms: appears dazed or stunned, confusion, forgetful, moves clumsily, loses consciousness (even briefly), can't recall events prior to or after the injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, sensitivity to light or noise, and feels foggy.

Seek medical attention right away. A health care professional will be able to decide how serious the concussion is.
Keep your child out of play. Concussions take time to heal. Children who return to play too soon risk a greater chance of having a second concussion which can cause permanent brain damage. Tell your child's coach or teacher about any recent concussion. A plan will be developed as when your child can safely participate.

Adults and youth should know the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke. Not all of these signs occur in every heart attack or stroke. If you notice one or more of them, don't wait. Call 9-1-1 immediately.

Heart Attack Warning Signs

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

Stroke Warning Signs

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

For more information, visit www.heart.org.