Parent / teacher was last night.

[Pea-n-Me]

I would really honestly like to know why this flu is more of a concern than the "regular" flu...

This is a new influenza virus and most of us do not have immunity.

As a new virus which has the potential to be lethal, it's unpredictable. They're learning more as time goes on but to prevent it's spread should be paramount.

HTH

 

[bethbuchall]

The "regular" flu doesn't generally kill young and otherwise healthy people. This H1N1 is doing more of that than "regular" flu.

I'm not pulling the kids out of school, but I might if this flu was close enough. And while I applaud efforts to keep sick people at home in generally and absolutely when stuff like this is around, I sure as heck wouldn't want to sit through 35 minutes of it in a school, either.

How it can take 35 minutes for those people to say, "This is a dangerous flu, it is killing young, healthy people. We don't want it going around here. Keep your sick kid at home, for crying out loud," I just don't know.

Besides, the people who send their children to school sick probably weren't even there or were sitting there thinking that this didn't apply to them.

 

[Embel]

We can't live in a bubble, and we can't control what others do, but we can take measures to protect ourselves. They are probably at higher risk for catching germs in their classrooms and in bathrooms, IMO. (And if you want to have your child excused, then so be it. I wouldn't. I like seeing mine work! )

I like seeing my children do different work. Being responsible for touching 25 used straws is just gross. Do you really think they are at greater risk in the classroom than touching everyone's straws? Yuck, I would disagree.


So far I haven't felt strongly enough to have them removed from the job, but I do think there's some irony in the school creating a packet on a contagious virus, and talking about potentially closing the school while continuing this unsanitary practice.

 

[DisneyMom81]

Do you really think that this is something everyone knows everything about already? You must know something I don't know.

Personally, I'd be grateful these people took the time and effort to help make the school a safer place for my children.

You don't know to wash your hands after touching things?
You don't know NOT to send sick kids to school?


Yes, as I said, there are parents that still send their kid to school with they are ill for whatever reasons, and maybe they do need it pounded into them - DON'T DO THAT - and thats what they did for the time they had us for. But they weren't going into detail about what exactly this "flu" is. They didn't have detailed graphs about how the strain is "put together" so to answer your question, from what they told us last night, yes, I do believe I already knew everything they were trying to tell us.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Do you really think they are at greater risk in the classroom than touching everyone's straws.

Yes, or I wouldn't have posted it. Give it some thought.

 

[DisneyMom81]

Besides, the people who send their children to school sick probably weren't even there or were sitting there thinking that this didn't apply to them.

LOL - So true!! There are only 8 other kids in my DDs class, and other than me, only 3 kids were represented by parents. I was really suprised no one showed.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You don't know to wash your hands after touching things?
You don't know NOT to send sick kids to school?


Yes, as I said, there are parents that still send their kid to school with they are ill for whatever reasons, and maybe they do need it pounded into them - DON'T DO THAT - and thats what they did for the time they had us for. But they weren't going into detail about what exactly this "flu" is. They didn't have detailed graphs about how the strain is "put together" so to answer your question, from what they told us last night, yes, I do believe I already knew everything they were trying to tell us.

What the superintendent and nurse were trying to do is educate parents to the special challenges you all face this year in light of a potentially deadly new virus that's going around.

It's their job.

Sorry you didn't like the way they did it.

I, for one, would be appreciative. In fact, I'll be sitting through a similar presentation tonight myself. I think I'll make it a point to thank them for their efforts. Thanks for that.

 

[DisneyMom81]

What the superintendent and nurse were trying to do is educate parents to the special challenges you all face this year in light of a potentially deadly new virus that's going around.

It's their job.

Sorry you didn't like the way they did it.

I, for one, would be appreciative. In fact, I'll be sitting through a similar presentation tonight myself. I think I'll make it a point to thank them for their efforts. Thanks for that.

Well, I don't think theres any need for you to say "sorry."
I Just posted about how, though it is needed, and an important subject, I think my DDs school is going a bit overboard with this whole thing. Not only the speaches, but what they said they were going to do. Send a child home if they have a simple runny nose (it could be something as harmless as an allergy) and they are ready and willing to close the school for an indefinate (we know I can't spell ) amount of time if need be. Just the fact that they have stopped doing the "perfect attendance" certs to stop people from sending their kids to school seemed a bit overboard. What if a kid really never gets sick all year, and really deserves the cert. I know a cert doesnt' seem like much, but I'm sure 3 year olds would love it. I totally understand the need to be prepared, and its truely great that they are, I just think some of the things they talked about (over and over again - each one of them saying the same things) were a bit much.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I have a friend that works in administration for our school system's nutrition department. She said they have already determined drop off points for "free lunch" students that contract H1N1. Parents can pick up their child's free or reduced lunch at these destinations. She said the school system fears that this is going to be a serious situation.

She said they are predicting it to hit our school system in the next 2-3 weeks. I know our colleges are being hit with H1N1 now.

 

[bumbershoot]

They also said that they would not be handing out perfect attendance certificates this year (like they have every year in the past) to help encourage you NOT to send your kid to school.

Well THAT is good. Those things were ridiculous. Not academic at all. Kids who get it either have an amazing immune system and never react to germs at all, OR they go while sick. Has nothing to do with schoolwork and should be dropped.

One parent sent out information about handwashing for children and said that her child will be following good handwashing rules "until we get the H1N1 vacccine". I've got news folks... the traditional flu kills more people than H1N1, the flu is transmitted more through aerosol (sneezing, coughing) than contact (touching the germs on the bus), the vaccine isn't usually effective until about 2 weeks after you get it, you can still get a traditional flu if you get the "flu vaccine" (which only vaccinates against the strains that they think will be a problem, not all strains), and good handwashing is ALWAYS a good practice for health.

Omg at that parent! She also should be informed that NO vaccine is 100%, that anyone can get anything, no matter how many shots they've had. And the problem is when people they they are teflon (my little word for people who think that shots cause germs to just bounce off of them and die instantly) and can't get something, they don't think it's THAT thing, and it's just a cold, and THEY spread it by going about their business.

1 child per table is tasked with clearing everyone's lunch. That's right- our kids are expected to "bus" the table. What's worse is that in this day & age of recycling, they are expected to remove straws from other children's milks to separate the plastic from the cartons. Soo gross!

That's disgusting.

They should be fine if they don't touch their faces while in the midst of these tasks (which they should be doing anyway), then wash or Purell their hands right afterward. I'd probably want to make sure Purell was available in the cafeteria and that kids were encouraged by an adult to use it after cleaning.

I was an adult, working as a dishwasher. I was washing my hands through my whole shift, b/c I was washing dishes along with just washing hands. And still I got pink eye from some jerky restaurant guest who must have wiped their infected eyes on a paper napkin then put the napkin on their plate, I must have picked it up and put it in the garbage, and at some point I must have touched my face without even thinking about it (b/c there's no way I would purposely touch my face after clearing plates without washing my hands), and boom, got it. There was no other way for me to have gotten it at that point. (what's funny and sickening is that after I got it, for some inexplicable reason they put me on the cash register...eyes streaming, no makeup, etc...taking orders and handling cash, gag)

If I at 22 could do that...what is an elementary school student going to do without even thinking about it???

Also, I've watched restaurant employees (and contestants on those cooking shows on Food Network) touch their faces and hair repeatedly without knowing they are doing it. Adults who have taken health courses (and are on TV preparing food for judges to eat)...

I have a friend that works in administration for our school system's nutrition department. She said they have already determined drop off points for "free lunch" students that contract H1N1. Parents can pick up their child's free or reduced lunch at these destinations.

That's actually really sweet. Yay for them!

 

[cats mom]

Just the fact that they have stopped doing the "perfect attendance" certs to stop people from sending their kids to school seemed a bit overboard. What if a kid really never gets sick all year, and really deserves the cert. I know a cert doesnt' seem like much, but I'm sure 3 year olds would love it.

Actually I was going to post that I think nixing perfect attendance awards is not a bad idea at all, H1N1 virus or not.

There are folks who are so focused on getting that darn award, common sense goes right out the window.

Just a couple of examples:

DS's teacher asked me to escort a girl from his class to the nurse's office just last week. The poor thing was obviosly not well, and it was only 20 minutes into the school day. She said she told her mom she was sick, but mom made her come to school anyway.
I overheard most of the conversation when the nurse called home, and I swear the mom was more concerned about whether it was going to count as an absence (she did send her daughter to school after all) than with how her child was feeling.
And never mind all the other kids that were knowingly exposed to whatever yuk the girl had just so her attendance record was intact. (it's still the first week of school here btw)

I know of another girl who actually attended school on the day of her mothers' funeral. Yep, you read that right. The funeral was in the morning and the aunt (who the girl had been living with during the mothers illness) didn't want the stupid perfect attendance record ruined. The funeral was toward the end of the school year in May... but still.

Besides, the people who send their children to school sick probably weren't even there or were sitting there thinking that this didn't apply to them.

Truer words were never spoken.


35 minutes and multiple repetions of the same warnings does sound like overkill to me too OP.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Can't read the whole thread but I think the main point is being missed. The schools aren't worried about the swine flu because it's so dangerous, they are worried because it is so contagious.

Many kids/staff/faculty sick means many, many absences. If the numbers get too high, school will have to close. That means money to school districts. It means rescheduling important tests that may be very difficult to reschedule. It means a whole lot of things that have nothing to do with how dangerous the swine flu is.

 

[my2minnies]

They should be fine if they don't touch their faces while in the midst of these tasks (which they should be doing anyway), then wash or Purell their hands right afterward. I'd probably want to make sure Purell was available in the cafeteria and that kids were encouraged by an adult to use it after cleaning.

We can't live in a bubble, and we can't control what others do, but we can take measures to protect ourselves. They are probably at higher risk for catching germs in their classrooms and in bathrooms, IMO. (And if you want to have your child excused, then so be it. I wouldn't. I like seeing mine work! )

I think that is disgusting!!! Why should a 5 year old be in charge of cleaning up after her other 5 year old classmates? They are all so germy and gross at that age. It will make it very hard not to contract such a contagious virus as H1N1.

I am not too worried about th virus and will pack purell for my kids, but I certainly would not want my kids touching other kid's food then then go back to class for the day.

 

[Embel]

I think that is disgusting!!! Why should a 5 year old be in charge of cleaning up after her other 5 year old classmates? They are all so germy and gross at that age. It will make it very hard not to contract such a contagious virus as H1N1.

Yes, it's an elementary school, so 5, 6 & 7 yr olds are doing this. Those kids have their hands in their mouths non-stop- wiggling teeth & everything. They can't be trusted to go wash their hands without prompting afterwards, and there isn't prompting.

The older kids can be relied upon to handle the job better, but for the purposes of this thread we are talking about the risk factor for contagious illness, so I'm picturing the little ones touching all those straws...and I'm cringing.

When I was in school everyone cleared their own tray. Is this no longer the norm?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hard for me to fathom that people think that clearing a table is disgusting.

But ok...

If you can't get them out of it, have them a) ask the kids at the table to place their straws in a napkin or bag and if kids refuse or can't otherwise comply, have them b) use a clean napkin to pick up anything that might be contaminated.

And as always, don't touch face while doing this and wash/sanitize hands afterward.

An opportunity exists here for kids to learn leadership and problem solving. Take it away and it's lost.

 

[Embel]

Hard for me to fathom that people think that clearing a table is disgusting.

It used to be that clearing a lunch tray meant dumping it all in the trash. That's not gross. What is gross is picking through each tray to separate the plastic utensils & straws & the paper napkins. I truly believe that if this job were given to a paid lunch employee that person would be wearing gloves. That person would also be old enough to be held accountable for washing their hands & having purell. 5, 6, maybe even 7 years old- not so much.

And again, my point is that in a school whipped into a frenzy over the possibility of H1N1, I think it's ironic that 5 & 6 yr olds are touching each other's straws & napkins.

 

[Embel]

I truly believe that if this job were given to a paid lunch employee that person would be wearing gloves.

I want to be clear- I think each child should be responsible for their own tray. I'm not saying the job needs to be done by an adult, only that if an adult were doing it they'd very likely choose to put on gloves.

 

[DisneyMom81]

Last year for Disney, I got my DDs hand sanitizer that clipped onto their pants. I was looking all over for that stuff this morning so I could clip it to her and she could use it when she needed. I'll have to keep looking tonight, because I didn't find it. Shes only 4 1/2 so I don't know if she will actually use it (no matter how many times I tell her to), but hey, it helps! Anything to keep away that horrible swine flu!!!!!!

 

[taximomfor4]

LOL - So true!! There are only 8 other kids in my DDs class, and other than me, only 3 kids were represented by parents. I was really suprised no one showed.

I'm sure they just stayed home, because they were sick.