Cold and Flu Season Information

Responding to the cold and flu season

Here are three key steps to keep your school happy and healthy.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) advise that influenza is increasing throughout Victoria. Schools are also reporting higher rates of students affected by influenza.

School responses to influenza

Follow these important steps to respond to students affected by influenza at school: 

1. Encourage students with cold or flu-like symptoms to seek medical attention. Common flu-like symptoms include a high fever, a cough, a runny nose, loss of appetite, body aches and feeling extremely weak and tired. Diagnosis should only be made by a medical practitioner.
2. Any students with colds or flu-like symptoms should limit contact with others and stay at home until their symptoms have passed.
3. If a student becomes ill at school with these symptoms, contact the family and arrange to pick up the student.
4. Good general hygiene is the best defence against infection. Encourage students to wash their hands regularly. Ask them to cover their nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing.

Department of Education