H1N1 Vaccine
H1N1 clinics are being offered at various campuses in Katy ISD. For more information, please contact the Health Services Department @ 281-396-2629.
The Texas Department of State Health Services recommends that individuals in the following groups receive the H1N1 vaccine as they are most likely to get the flu, have complications from flu, and/or play a key role in caring for people with flu:
- All people six months through 24 years of age
- Pregnant women
- Persons aged 25 to 64 years of age who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza disease
- Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than six months of age
- Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
The Centers for Disease control also recommends that children between the ages of two and nine should receive two doses of the H1N1 vaccine approximately four weeks apart. Individuals with special health conditions are encouraged to consult with their physician.
H1N1 Frequently Asked Questions
What are considered severe flu symptoms in children?
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish or gray skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Be so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms that improve then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
For a complete list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding H1N1, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services Web site.
2009-10 Exemption Procedure Changes
Katy ISD recognizes that earning exemptions is very important to our high school students and maintaining good attendance is one of the several criteria which must be met. However, because of the current flu outbreak and health advisories related to it, the traditional attendance requirement for exemptions may not be realistic this year. Most cases of the flu seem to last about 4 - 5 days and students are encouraged to stay home from school if they are sick and remain home for 24 hours after they are fever free.
Katy ISD wants high school students and their parents to be able to make the decision to remain home for the full recovery period without unnecessary concern about their exemptions. As such, the exemption procedures for the 2009-2010 school year have been adjusted in a manner which the district believes is responsive to the current health needs of our school community. Basically, the revised procedure allows five additional days of excused absence for illness for students who meet all other exemption criteria.
The absences for fall semester exemptions could occur anytime between August 24 and December 18, 2009. All other criteria for earning exemptions remain the same. Assuming the flu outbreak is still prevalent this winter, the district will adjust the spring exam exemption procedures in a similar manner.
2009-10 Revised Exemption Procedures