Panhandle Public Health District will be monitoring the school absences to detect early outbreaks of communicable diseases such as Pandemic Flu. 

Please report the number of students absent due to illness on Wednesday of each week. We would like to receive all the data by the end of the work day on Wednesday.  Reporting will begin on Wednesday, September 5th, 2007.

The purpose of this surveillance is to detect and monitor any outbreak of naturally occurring diseases as well as intentional exposures to dangerous agents as soon as possible.  The number of school absentees due to illness will be entered in a database tracking schools statewide.  Panhandle Public Health District will be monitoring school’s absentees only within our jurisdiction.  The surveillance includes all schools, public, private and parochial, with a student enrollment of 25 or more. 

Please use the Student Absenteeism Report and fax it to (308)487-3682 or email to Betsy at bhorstman@pphd.org by the end of the work day on Wednesday of each week.  If absences are related to a rash, gastrointestinal, fever, strep, or an unusual illness, or if there is an unexpected increase in illness, this information should be noted on the form. 

Click here to download a copy of the Handwashing 101 poster.