Swine Flu...Impending pandemic?

[Varmit]

I don't know Diane, flu shots are mandatroy in New Jersey

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27225500/

[Diane Amberg]

That's for the annual flu shot, not this special situation. I hope you don't feel the same way about polio, DPT and the rest. That's a public health issue. I don't believe you would risk your kids like that.

[giester2]

I'm very interested in what your Mom finds at school as this thing progresses. Thanks for sharing.

Update for the day.....the loudmouth at work said that there was a confirmed case in my mom's school.  the principal is denying it.

No principal wants the schools to close this week due to statewide testing. (test scores are used for bonuses and such)

My mom truly believed they would shut down the school today because of the flu...but it did not happen.

One more school has shut down to the southwest of us (richmond / rosenberg area). And the entire school system in Navasota TX has shut down (navasota is nw of houston.....just south of Bryan / College Station ---- Texas A&M

some of the school closures are for an indefinite period of time, others are closed till May 11.

most schools are abiding by the CDC recommendation, which states that if students are sent home because of the flu, then the school should remain closed for 14 days.

My aunt who works in the health care field told us that they are monitoring the CDC for info

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm

locations of school closings in Houston area  (if you are interested)

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/feature?section=news/health&id=6788579

You can see the progression of the virus

[giester2]

Sure, but if you do get sick, please isolate yourself so you don't pass it to others. I doubt the shot would be mandatory even if this thing hasn't blown over by the time CDC gets it made.

They better not make it mandatory.....I'm allergic to the flu shot.   So I have never had a flu shot and I don't remember ever having any flu's (or flues or....what is the plural of flu?)

I have had bad colds, bad allergies, ear inf. etc but never the flu  (that I remember)

[Wilma]

Gosh, how old are you?  Bet you don't remember the Asian Flu, do you?  That was a miserable one.  Hubbie and I had it.  It skipped the kiddies.

[giester2]

34,  on may 21

[Wilma]

You don't remember the Asian flu.  I wish I didn't.

[Diane Amberg]

Wasn't that 1957? I didn't get it, but I remember the school having lots of kids and teachers absent. I think we might have had a day or so off because they ran out of substitutes.

[Wilma]

That might have been the year.  My youngest was born in 1956 and she wasn't very old.

[dnalexander]

I think the fact that none of us remember the details of the 1958 and 1968 pandemic flu speaks volumes as to how panicked we should get to the current pandemic flu of 2009. Just follow good health, sanitation, common sense practices.

David