Health Office Update: Jan. 24, 2024
January 24, 2024
Happy snowy winter!
Illnesses
– We have more influenza this week. The symptoms are headache, sore throat nausea, body aches often with fever. If your child has a temperature over 100.0 they need to stay home, please.
– It is taking 3-6 days for students to feel well after getting the flu. If your student is sick please let the teachers know. I am also trying to let teachers know when students are out with prolonged illness.
– School work can be made-up after students are back. Parents please encourage your students to be in touch with their teachers once they’re back to make a plan to make-up work.
– There is an upper respiratory virus causing: sore throat, congestion, cough and sometimes laryngitis.
– We have 2 individuals out with Covid. Covid is circulating in the community.
– If you need a Covid test kit come to the office. The new kits I got only have one test per kit.
– Protocol for return after Covid is here: Thetford Academy Health Office/COVID page
Free Covid Test Kits
– Now available through the US Postal service link to Covid test kit order form
– Your family may qualify for 4 kits instead of 2, please look for a message after you enter your address.
Covid Pfizer booster
Available to students and staff (under age 64) at:
– Upper Valley Pediatrics – call 802-785-4722 for an appointment.
– South Royalton Health Center – call 802-763-7575.
Vision and Hearing Screenings Begin Next Week
The health office will begin these state screenings next week for the following grades: 7th, 9th and 11th. If your child is not in one of those grades and you have a concern about your child’s vision or hearing please contact Nurse Ellen.
Asthma Medication Update
• For teens and adults who take Flovent daily this medication is being discontinued and will become a generic medication, made by the same manufacturer, Glaxo-Smith-Kline. However, there may be a temporary shortage of this medication so please talk to your student’s doctor. NPR article discontinuing Flovent
A Tip for Better Mental Health:
– Consider removing Tik-Tok from your phone.
– These high school students in Maine tried it and feel better
– Smiling Mind is a helpful, free app for stress/anxiety/sleep issues Smiling Mind
Thetford Town Service Officer
– A resource for winter: the town service officer can help with gas cards, fuel oil, etc. The town service officer can connect families with other supports.
– Jessica Eaton is the Thetford Town Service Officer and can be contacted for assistance for a wide variety of needs.
Email: [email protected]. Phone: 802.333.9491
Thetford Food Shelf
– The food shelf is open Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10 to noon. The food shelf serves residents of Thetford, Fairlee, West Fairlee, Vershire and Strafford.
Corinth, West Topsham & Bradford Food Shelves
– West Topsham’s food shelf is at the Riverside Grange & open Fridays 5:30 -630 PM
– Bradford Academy’s food shelf, in Bradford, is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 3-4 p.m.; Wednesday, 5-6 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-noon
Israel and the Occupied Territories
– The International Red Cross is helping in the Mideast
– UNICEF is helping children
Ellen Gnaedinger, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Thetford Academy School Nurse