Flu?

[Boojum]

All the schools in my immediate area are closed today and tomorrow. One school had two possible cases of swine flu.

I'm keeping my DDs close to home today, but I'm not sure how much good closing school does. Most of the teens in my area gave a big "woooohooo!" and hit the mall or the movie theater.

Anybody else got school closings?

[DivaJoAnna]

War Eagle by the way! :cheer:

No school closings here in Missouri that I'm aware of...I did see online that there were about 300 U.S. schools that closed today due to flu scare...

[SBETigg]

There are some in CT and MA, but not here. The superintendent made calls to tell parents what to look for and not to send kids to school if they have certain symptoms. I hope it doesn't come to school closings here. They're getting out late enough thanks to snow days as it is.

[Lakin]

No official closings in my area of Indiana. . .yet.

I and my sister go to different schools, since my sister is special needs. At my sisters school, they had an expected case of swine flu. My sister got released early, and they are not to attend tomorrow. They will determine wether the closing is official or not when they get the results of the sickly kid back.

Even though both I and my sister are in the same school district, I guess I do not get a closing even though hers does. I'm sure this will cause much confusion.

~Lakin

[Ian]

Not here, but I'm just waiting for it. With confirmed cases in New York, New Jersey, and Delaware ... all around us ... it was only a matter of time.

Now they're saying suspected cases in Philly and in Montgomery County, where we live.

I'm sure the schools will be closing shortly. :(

[NotaGeek]

There is 1 case in Spokane and everyone is ready to close down the city ... which is fine with me! My bf left his Wii at my house and I am totally addicted to bowling.

I have never washed my hands SO many times in 1 week! :pig:

[Madame Leona]

There is one school district about 30 miles from me that is closed until Monday because of a suspected case. But the only confirmed case in the state is in my county.

[TikiGoddess]

One of the school districts about 10 minutes away from me closed. They had a faculty member that tested positive for 'flu' -- they're not sure if it's the swine flu though. Results should be in soon.

Kathy

[Boojum]

War Eagle by the way! :cheer:



I knew there was a reason I liked you!! :number1:

[RedSoxFan]

A school about an hour north of us closed yesterday and today due to the flu.

[MNNHFLTX]

Three schools in the Houston area (including an elementary school in our school district) are closed for a few days because of some cases popping up.

[Tinkerfreak]

They have closed a couple of schools here in Maine but further south from me. I know why they need to close the schools but I just hope that people keep their kids home not drop them off at the mall or something like was stated in an OP.
The schools that close here are not having to make up the missed time at the end of the year.

[MickeyandTink]

The entire Ft. Worth ISD (about 140 schools and 80,000 students) is closed until at least May 11th because of flu concerns.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems a little extreme at this point in time (and yes, I have kids in school).

[RedSoxFan]

Well, the school about an hour north of me just announced that they will be closed all next week due to the flu.

[MNNHFLTX]

Well, the school about an hour north of me just announced that they will be closed all next week due to the flu.Right, I just found out that the elementary school in our district will be closed all next week too. If I had a child in that school, I would hope that they were planning to make up most of those days at the end of the year. Our kids deserve better than to be cheated of all that learning time.

[Tink2002]

my mother is a school nurse, and I've been getting a little bit of an "inside scoop" I guess on what is going on in our state, at least.

Currently, there is a school and a daycare center closed - there was a confirmed case in the school and the daycare has a sibling so that is why it was closed. Right now if there is a confirmed case, the school must be closed - as well as schools of any siblings of the affected child, and also if the child rides a bus that goes to other schools, those must be closed, too.

There are two sides to it, I guess - it seems extreme, yes. Common sense tells me that closing school won't keep all of the affected people from swapping germs with the population in general in the country, especially when a parent, for instance, may be at work before they show symptoms and pass it on before they realize they are sick. I work in daycare and I've learned NOT to underestimate the spreading power of things...lol. And then we have the rest of the world, where control isn't as rigid, and even if they decided to restrict travel for a while, you can't do it forever!

On the other side, what I've heard via my mother via her meetings is that this is a newer virus that people don't have the same immunity to, that flu shots that are used to protect at-risk populations aren't protecting people from it, and also that it comes from different species and has the ability to easily mutate, so health officials want to do what they can to try and "nip it in the bud." (Then my common sense side pipes up again about how this is probably near impossible, but anywho...) Also, it isn't a DEADLY to everyone epidemic that we should be afraid of catching in that sense - the strictness comes from just wanting to stop it early for the aforementioned reasons. The U.S. cases have been mild so far. (And it does NOT come from eating pork in any way.... seriously.... pork consumption went down ridiculously in the last week.....:rotfl:)

I think the media has done a GREAT job of sensationalizing and causing panic, but is a little lacking in explaining what it is and why precautions are taken.

[RenDuran]

Flu is a word that strikes fear in me! My little boy has asthma and his trigger for attacks has always been colds and viruses. I wonder how different this type is when it comes to asthma sufferers.

[crazypoohbear]

My DS just called.
1st words "mom, don't panic"
So.... I paniced!!!!!!!!
HE said that his college sent out a mass email/phone call that a student has a possible swine flu and all activities at the school have been cancelled for the weekend while the DOH investigates.
HE said he had already lysoled everything in his room and the girl friends room. they used the lysol wipes and wiped down all the surface. There are a bunch of them going to CVS to buy disinfectant and they are going to clean the who dorm. HE said he was going to make Howie mandel look like an amateur!!!
I pray that he doesn't catch anything!