Swine Flu "PANDEMIC IMMINENT:

[teko]

World Health Org raises Alert level to "5". Things seem to be changing by the moment. It is time to take this thing seriously and to take precautions to protect our children and our old and infirmed.  I will stock up on grocerys and stay away from large crowds. How about you?

[rdh1981]

I agree Barb and that is what I do!!! I have plenty of GermX and Clorox Wipes on hand at all times in my classroom. I always GermX my hands after I collect anything from my students. They also know that everytime the sneeze, cough or blow their nose, the will be GermX'd!!!  I am sure by the end of the year we will all have dry hands, but that is better then being sick!!!!  

[Barb135]

I don't think it's time to panic yet..... I'm not a teacher, but I do work for a school district and spend my days in any one of 67 schools.  The important thing is make sure that you hygiene is top notch.  Even if you have to be around school children, you can protect yourself with reasonable measures, like washing your hands often, making things you touch are as clean as you can make them, etc.  

Take precautions and be safe.  

[rdh1981]

teko- the already closed one school here in my hometown. I actually live on the same street as the school.  A student has  been severely sick and they took  a swab test and sent it to Baton Rouge for further testing. The student went to Mexico over the spring break and they are not taking any chances. They did not say how long the school will be closed for yet.

This is just way to close too home!, literally!! I say close down the schools now to! Because, students and teachers are all brain dead anyway!!!!

Anyone have any GermX???????????????

[teko]

The thing that bothers me is this is a new bug. It will take months to develop a vaccine for it and by that time it will have mutated into something stronger.  There is literally nothing we can do except wash our hands and stay out of public places.

[teko]

rdh

I would be concerned too if I were pregnant.  They will probably end up closing the schools before long.  Personally, I think they ought to do it now. This is gonna suck for the whole econemy situation tho. I called my kids and told em to keep them little ones at home and avoid places like restaurants where crowds gather. I am still Mom and I dont care how old they are or whether they like it or they dont.  No sense being silly and puttin your family out there. IMO

[jdwithhcv]

I take some comfort in the knowledge that the medical community in the US is seeing mild cases of this flu.  I believe that in Mexico the death rate is elevated because many poor people there have had little or no medical care, and many are coinfected with respiratory illnesses like TB.  Hygene is substandard in the poorer neighborhoods in Mexico and poor people who seldom see doctors are less likely to understand the hygenic practice necessary to prevent the spread of the flu.

I'm going to keep on washing my hands, and try to be careful not to touch my eyes and face unless my hands are freshly washed.  I'm hoping that will be enough.  For those with compromised immune systems (chemo patients, for example) its probably best to take more serious precautions.  

I hope we can avoid widespread panic.