Ft Worth Schools Closing till May 11th at least (Fort Worth: school districts, tornado)

[scarmig]

It's a ridiculous overreaction.

Look, this think is the flu. A new strain, yes, but just the flu. Now that it exists, it cannot be quarantined or contained. We will all be exposed over the next year, no matter what they do, short of nuking the entire planet.

We will be exposed, some will get sick, a small percentage will die. Just like the regular old flu. And then, next year, we'll have all built up a basic resistance.

Anybody old enough or have their parents tell you stories of "measles parties" for children?

[momof2dfw]

I know of "chicken pox play groups". Where one parent would hear that a certain kid in the neighborhood had them and would call them over to play.

Sad thing is........ they will get a vaccine for this and the same people freaking out over THIS strain of the flu will be the same ones that don't even get the "regular" flu shot now and won't get the new one for this strain when it becomes available. But let's all freak out anyway....... just cause.

[scarmig]

The problem I have with the vaccine is that it encourages stronger, more resistant and more virulent strains of flu. If they would vaccinate *against* the strongest strains, it would encourage the weaker strains, thus keeping a weaker, more survivable flu in circulation instead of chancing another killer flu.

It's amazing to me that scientists and health officials don't understand basic evolution and apply the principals.

[5stones]

the media wants millions sick and thousnads dead...that gets ratings.
The have create MASS hysteria about this (along with Joe Biden) 90% or more of the people who get this are fine within a few days.

It's not like you get the virus and POOF in 24hours your dead. DO some research people!

every flu season over 200,000+ Americans get the flu and the majority are fine within a week. 30,000+ people in the US die during the "regualr" flu season.

ANY SCHOOLS close during that? or a rampet virus like roto virus spreading? no.

According to the CDC this strian is a MILD strain and most are back to work within 5-7 days.

Should precations be taken yes, should those who have symptoms be sent home? yes. Those who are positive will need a Doc note to return yes.

Closing a HUGE school district because of 2-3 cases is wayyy overblown. And deciding at PM the night before...totally irresponsible.

TO the poster with KIDs in KISD... They ARE handling it very well, on a case by case basis. The webiste is updated with ALL details.

They have 3 cases of type A flu and those are bein tested for swine flu. IF you haven't gotten a letter your kids school is not involved. KISD covers a huge area. We got the letter and a phone call about the situation yesterday. They are taking ALOT of proactive steps, extra disinfection in hte school, no common use of items, constant hand washing, extra bus disinfection etc...

KISD (which we know you don't like from previous posts) IS handling it the same as CISD (no letters home just website updates) BISD, and Coppell ISD etc....
Which is NOT panicing and going day by day and case by case.

I suggest you check out the website before saying they are not doing anything.

And since you kept you kid home you might want to invest in a plastic bubble for them as well.

[loves2read]

that explanation is fuzzy math to me---there is no way to vaccinate against the "strongest" strains because frankly they have not shown up yet--they are the ones that mutate and are unpredictable--as this one is...
until enough people in a population come down with it, no one will really know HOW serious it is...the guy who is the director of public health at harvard med school--who was director of health for mexico--said that cases in a country or locality have to reach critical mass before there are deaths--it is just a statistical effect...
right now not that many people have it--I guess some of this does look like over-reaction but they are just trying to err on side of caution...
don't you wish Goldman Sachs and AIG had done that...

[Morph]

I received an email from Hillwood Middle today about the precautions that they are taking which I think are sensible without over reacting. I have not heard anything from Fossil Ridge but I don't usually receive emails from them anyway as I usually just use gradespeed and the KISD website to check on stuff.

I'm not panicking.

5stones.....just curious, what made you pick your user name?

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by Morph

I received an email from Hillwood Middle today about the precautions that they are taking which I think are sensible without over reacting. I have not heard anything from Fossil Ridge but I don't usually receive emails from them anyway as I usually just use gradespeed and the KISD website to check on stuff.

I'm not panicking.

5stones.....just curious, what made you pick your user name?

Yea panic is never good.

[expgc]

I wonder how all us adults made it to adulthood without getting pulled out of school and scared half to death when the flu was active or the chicken pox, measles, mumps, or common colds. The idiocy of this is that where are the kids going to go if they aren't in school? Daycare, malls, movie theaters, each others homes during the day. Wow, looks like they will be around alot of other kids, just not sitting in a classroom, huh? Guess you can't get the flu at these other venues. Let's shut all the schools down for a week and all the businesses as well in the entire country. In fact, lets all wear masks, latex gloves and make sure we lather up with antibacterial lotion all over our bodies and maybe eat a little bit for good measure. Let's all stay in our homes and not go out for a week. Reality is that most of us will get the swine flu at some point regardless of what we do.

Man, I cannot believe the neurotic, germophobic attitudes which does nothing more than make the kids more screwed up than they already are.

I wonder what boogyman is coming for us next year.

[Aporkalypse]

As a physician, I have no problem with my son going to school every day. This is blown WAY out of proportion at this point. In fact if the virus does end up being a problem, it wont be so for months. Closing school now makes no sense, it is a gross overreaction.

[Jammie]

Will the students be required to make up the days they will be missing? How do they plan on scheduling this?