It's a different kind of flu season and a different kind of school year.

Premier Dalton McGuinty was at Rolph Road School in Toronto to help teach students the first lesson of the school year -- proper hand washing. The Premier reminded kids that hand washing helps prevent the spread of germs. He also encouraged students to cough and sneeze into their sleeves.

H1N1 first emerged earlier this year. It is a respiratory illness with symptoms similar to ordinary seasonal flu. Spread of the H1N1 flu virus is thought to happen in the same way that seasonal flu spreads, mainly from person to person through coughing, sneezing and contaminated surfaces. In some cases, severe illness and deaths have been reported in people with H1N1 flu. Basic precautions can greatly reduce its reach.