Oceanport Students Still Feeling Sick to their Stomachs

from and in Oceanport on Monday continues to wreak havoc, but cases are on the decline, officials say.

In a letter sent to parents Wednesday, Superintendent Andrew Orefice explained how the district is handling the matter and provided instructions from the Monmouth County Board of Health on how to stop the illness from spreading.

We present his letter, which is also available on the district website, unedited:

Dear Parents/Guardians:

I would like to take this opportunity to update you in regards to the excessive absences we have experienced this week.

Unfortunately, while we are still experiencing a higher than normal student absence rate, we are seeing a slight improvement in our daily attendance rate and also in the number of students who are leaving school early with symptoms of sickness. At this time, according to our school physician, it is highly likely that this viral malady is running its course and that cases will continue to decrease.

By now, you have probably read some press accounts of this unfortunate situation. These reports are fairly accurate accounts of what is transpiring in the district. Please permit me to reiterate what we are doing in response to this situation:

• We continue to discuss and give statistical and symptomatic updates to the Monmouth County Board of Health, our school nursing staff, and our school physician. Additionally, we continue to call parents for their feedback regarding the symptoms and health status of their child(ren).

• Our custodial staff has been working diligently in cleaning and sanitizing every desk and hard surface in the district every day, including our bathrooms and doorknobs.

• Our staff is continuing to promote the washing of hands and are doing a great job caring for our students, especially those showing symptoms.

We join our school physician in urging everyone to help prevent re-infection by continuously washing hands and keeping your child(ren) home if they are showing symptoms of being sick. Moreover, on the reverse side of this correspondence you will find a very important fact sheet from the Monmouth County Board of Health. It details the steps we should all take in stopping the spread of a gastrointestinal illness.

Your cooperation with the district is critical and very much appreciated at this time. Should you have further questions, please call your child’s nursing office.

Very truly yours, Andrew J. Orefice; Superintendent

"Stop the Spread of Gastrointestinal Illness," from the Monmouth County Board of Health:

Practice proper hand hygiene

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and changing diapers and always before eating or preparing food. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. These alcohol-based products can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but they are not a substitute for washing with soap and water.

Take care in the kitchen

Carefully wash fruits and vegetables, and cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly before eating them.

Do not prepare food while infected

People with GI illness should not prepare food for others while they have symptoms and for 3 days after they recover from their illness.

Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces

After throwing up or having diarrhea, immediately clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces by using a bleach-based household cleaner as directed on the product label. If no such cleaning product is available, you can use a solution made with 1/2cup of household bleach per 1 gallon of water.

Wash laundry thoroughly

Immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with vomit or stool. Handle soiled items carefully—without agitating them—to avoid spreading virus. If available, wear rubber or disposable gloves while handling soiled clothing or linens and wash your hands after handling. The items should be washed with detergent at the maximum available cycle length and then machine dried.