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July 26, 2016

Chief State School Officers:

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) would like to refer  you to information and resources for state and local leaders, schools, school-based  health staff, and educators on steps that can be taken to guard against viruses  spread by mosquitoes such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus disease  (Zika). We continue to appreciate the  work you do to foster a healthy environment in America’s schools and hope that  these materials will support your efforts.

The  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed interim guidance, http://www.cdc.gov/zika/schools.html, for  kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) district and school administrators on  public health actions pertaining to Zika virus infection.  Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily  through the bite of an infected mosquito.   Zika can also be transmitted through sex with an infected person or  passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus.  The CDC guidance is intended to address  concerns about the risk of Zika virus infection in K–12 schools in the United  States, provide school districts with information for planning school-related  activities, and recommend actions that can be taken, in consultation with local  public health authorities and government officials, to reduce the potential  risk of Zika virus transmission on school premises and among members of the school  community.

Complete information about Zika and how to prevent it is  given at http://www.cdc.gov/zika  and at http://www.cdc.gov/zika/comm-resources/toolkits.html.  Prevention of  mosquito bites through multiple mosquito mitigation efforts is of paramount  importance for avoiding Zika virus infections.  We encourage you to  share the CDC guidance with your district and school leaders and to remind  teachers, students, and others that the best way to prevent diseases spread by  mosquitoes is protection from mosquito bites.

As with all health-related issues, districts and schools must  maintain the privacy and identity of individual students and teachers consistent  with all applicable privacy laws.

We hope that you will familiarize yourself with these  resources and that you will share them through all of your available networks  and communication vehicles to help ensure they reach the appropriate audiences.   In the appendix to this letter you will  find a checklist for district and school leaders that we hope will be a  valuable resource.

Thanks for all you do  every day to support the health, safety, and education of our students.

| | Sincerely,       
| | -----------------
| | /s/              
| | John B. King, Jr.

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- **Inform  the school community**
- The  risks of mosquito bites and how to protect themselves
- Symptoms  of Zika
- How  to apply  insect repellent to children
- How  to talk  to children about Zika
- Sexual  transmission of Zika
- **As  appropriate, encourage the use of the following**
- Environmental  Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing one of these  active ingredients:  DEET, picaridin,  IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol
- Long-sleeved  shirts and long pants
- Clothing  and gear treated with permethrin that will provide an added layer of protection
- Lightweight,  loose fitting clothing during the warmer months.  When wearing longer sleeves and pants, take  additional steps to prevent heat-related  illnesses (for example, drink additional water  and take rest breaks)
- **Conduct  routine mosquito control around school properties**
- **Once a week**,  empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out any items that hold water where  mosquitoes lay eggs
- Repair  septic tanks and screens on windows and doors
- Treat  standing water that cannot be removed and will not be used for drinking or  swimming with larvicides
- Use  outdoor and indoor insecticides according to label instructions to kill  mosquitoes
- Contact  your local mosquito control district for assistance with applying insecticides  and conducting larval control in water that will not be used for drinking
- **Support  members of the school community**
- If  requested, consider reassigning anyone who indicates she is or may become  pregnant, or who is male and has a sexual partner who is or may become  pregnant, to indoor tasks to reduce their risk of mosquito bites
- Ensure  that staff and students receive prompt and appropriate medical evaluation and  follow-up after a suspected exposure to Zika virus
- Provide  resources specifically for parents and caregivers
- Provide resources  for those traveling