Classrooms shouldn’t be a haven for cold & flu viruses.
You’re on the frontlines. Runny noses, sniffles, gesundheit’s and ah-choo’s… when they strike they don’t just take down one kid, they take down the entire classroom. But you can have peace of mind in knowing that Kleenex® Anti-Viral* Tissues kill 99.9% of cold and flu viruses* in the tissue within 15 minutes, including the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus* (formerly called swine flu).
They may not look like much, but these tissues pack quite a punch. Hiding between the oh-so-soft plies is a blue-dotted, moisture-activated layer. When the bug hits that, it’s over within 15 minutes.*
So when you’re making a list of “must-haves” for the upcoming semester, put a shiny star next to this product. Soft on the nose, hard on the bug.
How to Battle the Bug.
As a teacher you’re always trying to keep your classroom healthy. Here is some top-secret intelligence to help you fight cold and flu bugs in your classroom:
- One sneeze can spray 100,000 infectious droplets into the air at more than 200 MPH.
- Cold and flu viruses can live up to 24 hours on hard surfaces like desks and textbooks, and up to 3 hours on your skin.
- The Rhinovirus is the official name for the common cold, and Rhino is Greek for ‘nose’ (a little trivia for your students).
- 94% of parents feel it’s important their children are taught how cold and flu viruses spread. (Check out our classroom activity sheets to help educate your students on germs + healthy habits).
- School nurses agree (96%) that when a child comes to school sick, other children tend to catch his or her virus.
Other tips to battle the bug in your classroom:
- Make sure your students wash their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and after playing outdoors during recess.
- Sleep can really strengthen the immune system. Make sure you tell your kids to get a good night’s rest.
- Throw away all used tissues in your classroom immediately. Maybe even keep a special bin for tissues only, and tell your students to place them in there.
Activities & Resources
Battle the bug in your classroom. Download and print the PDFs below that contain helpful tips and activities for you and your students.
- May-September Planning Guide
- Classroom Activities
- Healthy Habits (Poster: 11x17)
- Hand-Washing Tips (Letter: 8.5x11)
- Hand-Washing Tips (Poster: 11x17)
***Survey methodology: The survey findings were generated via a telephone survey of 500 mothers with children ages 6–12 conducted by Braun Research between the dates of March 31 – April 9, 2009. The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points.
***Survey methodology: The survey findings were generated via an online Zoomerang survey of 1,082 school nurses, fielded by the Ketchum Global Research Network between the dates of March 30 – April 13, 2009. Responses yielded through SchoolNurse.com.
FACT: The cold & flu bug lives all year long.
