Students

​​Flu awareness and prevention 

The Peel District School Board, in partnership with Peel Public Health, Trillium Health Partners and William Osler Health System wants to ensure staff, students and families stay as healthy as possible. Below are some resources that have been provided by these community partners to help reduce the risk of catching the flu.

Tips to help reduce the risk of catching the flu 

Influenza (flu) spreads easily from one person to another. Peel Public Health and Trillium Health Partners share some tips to help reduce the risk of catching the flu and spreading it:
  • Get your annual flu shot: The flu shot is your best defense against the flu. There are many locations across Peel where you can get your flu shots:
    • Family Doctors' offices
    • Walk-in clinics
    • Pharmacies

  • Keep children home when they're sick: If your child develops flu-like signs and symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue), keep them home from school. Contact your health care provider if symptoms are severe.
  • Wash your hands: Encourage your child to wash their hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, especially after they cough or sneeze. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 15 seconds helps keep the virus from spreading. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer (gel or wipes) with at least 60% alcohol.

  • Practice good hygiene: cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. use a tissue and throw it out rather than putting it in your pocket, on a desk or table. If you don't have a tissue, cough into your upper sleeve. avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth. This is how germs are spread.

  • Don't touch your face: the flu virus spreads when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk, and droplets enter your body through your eyes, nose or mouth.

  • Clean (and disinfect) surfaces and shared items: viruses can live for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces like countertops, door handles, computer keyboards and phones
For more information, call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 or visit www.peelregion.ca/flu.

​What to do if you get the flu
Trillium Health Partners shares the following tips for what to do if you get the flu. Be sure to:
  • stay home and get plenty of rest
  • drink lots of fluids
  • avoid caffeine
  • speak to your doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that can help you feel better (such as basic pain or fever relievers), but do not give acetylsalicylic acid (ASA or Aspirin®) to anyone under 18 years old
  • treat muscle pain using a hot water bottle or heating pad – apply heat for short periods of time
  • take a warm bath
  • gargle with a glass of warm salt water or suck on hard candy or lozenges
  • use spray or saline drops for a stuffy nose
  • avoid alcohol and tobacco
Call your doctor or nurse practitioner if:
  • you don't start to feel better after a few days
  • your symptoms get worse
  • you are in a high-risk group and develop flu symptoms
You can also call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 to talk to a registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You do not need to provide your OHIP number and all information is confidential.

To learn more, visit canada.ca/flu 

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