CDC Rethinking School Closings for Swine Flu
Earlier today, Dr. Richard Besser announced the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is rethinking its current recommendation for closing schools when students or faculty become sick with the H1N1 influenza virus. Besser is the acting chief of the CDC; H1N1 is the CDC-preferred reference to the swine flu virus.
The current CDC recommendation for school closings is that the school suspend all activities, other than sanitation, for a minimum of two weeks whenever a member of the school population gets a positive diagnosis for infection by the H1N1 influenza virus. This is merely a recommendation, however, not a directive. No specific revised recommendations have been made public at this time.
In various municipalities across the nation, local public health officials have established different policies. The CDC is particularly interested in the policy of Seattle, Washington, where schools don’t close even when a case of swine flu is confirmed. In Seattle, classes go on but the sick student or school employee is required to stay home for at least seven days before returning to class.
I don’t feel that schools should shut down. School officials need to make sure that all desk are wiped down before each class and all restrooms and water fountains are sanitized properly at least 3 to 4 times a day. But again no need to shut down.
As a student, I strongly feel the schools should shut down for the two week sanitation process. I am a senior and am about to graduate, so I DO not mind going to school. In fact, I truly enjoy going, but if this virus is spreading the way it has been then I DO NOT want to become infected because the school boards, when they knew full well that here has been an infection in one or more of their district’s schools, decided NOT to take the precaution.
[...] As of writing this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released international statistics showing 1490 cases of the H1N1 infection in 21 countries. A total of 30 deaths have occurred at this point, a mortality rate of 2%, yet the pandemic alert level has been raised from a rating of 4 to 5. People are freaking out! Masks are being worn on the sidewalks, would-be travellers are cutting their vacation plans short and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was recommending school closures. [...]
I only have half a week of finals left, and I know some students have longer to go. I wish the flu wasn’t spreading, but I hear about more cases every day, so I guess that’s not an option.
I do know that my final isn’t more important than anyone’s life. If it appears on my campus, and two weeks is what it takes, I feel like my health is worth that. People should use good discretion about their own health, not touch their faces, and make sure to wash their hands whenever they come home.
I DO wonder why it seems that random cases in every state are popping up in people who have had no recognizable exposure. There probably aren’t enough cases to see much of a pattern, but I was thinking there’d be a more obvious path from the southern states to the north.
swine flu scared the hell out of me when there was mass infection of this virus”~
Swine Flue created a lot of mass panic during the height of its infection’~`
I cannot wait to learn to read more of this fine topic. So much today Ive never even regarded. You sure did put a fresh twist on something that Ive heard a huge amount of about. I dont believe Ive actually read anything that does this subject of the same quality justice as you merely did.