What are your thought on.........

[grandgathering]

Just seen a report on CTV news tonight that the gov't and school boards may cancel school in September for the children due to H1N1 - to alieviate the spread for flu season.

What are you thoughts on this?

Also, we are planning to go to WDW in October - this may just be the worst time to go do to this flu????

Cheers everyone

 

[Miandrea]

Your trip will be perfect! Make sure your family washes their hands and maintains a healthy lifestyle (lots of sleep, good food).

When we had the SARS outbreak, cancelling school was not even considered. No worries!

I wish I was going in October!

 

[minnie56]

I saw this too on the news tonite..while I try to not get too worried..having many friends in the medical field I know they are very apprehensive what Fall & Winter will bring as far as this flu in concerned. They seem to think it might come back with a vengeance.

 

[braydensmom]

we had the flu, we lived to tell about. I realize that people die from it, but i also realize that more people die from the regular flu. Perhaps the City health workers should go back to work and help with the situation.

 

[minnie56]

I think much of the problem is that they seem to be having problems coming up with a vaccine for this one..and that has them scared. Come flu season..it could become rampant. I'm not overly scared, I am on alert though.

 

[braydensmom]

But honestly, what would cancelling school for a couple of weeks in september do??? its not flu season at that point, and if they are truly concerned, why not have a nurse on hand at each school to screen the children. Yes, having a nurse at each school will cost money, but so will keeping children home from school and having to extend the school year. I really think that there are better solutions than cancelling everything.

On a side note, I have a friend who is going to work tomorrow completely sick....this is the problem, perhaps the gov't should step in and start telling people "Stay in Bed"! I run my own business and had to cancel everything for 10 days, it was a hassle for some, but people understood.

 

[drag n' fly]

It is very widespread here. My son had it, then I got it now dh has it. ds15 and dd13 never got it...yet

Even when it was at a level 6 they never cancelled school. It will never happen in Alberta imo.

 

[minnie56]

But honestly, what would cancelling school for a couple of weeks in september do??? its not flu season at that point, and if they are truly concerned, why not have a nurse on hand at each school to screen the children. Yes, having a nurse at each school will cost money, but so will keeping children home from school and having to extend the school year. I really think that there are better solutions than cancelling everything.

On a side note, I have a friend who is going to work tomorrow completely sick....this is the problem, perhaps the gov't should step in and start telling people "Stay in Bed"! I run my own business and had to cancel everything for 10 days, it was a hassle for some, but people understood.

Oh, I got the impression they were 'thinking of' cancelling for a longer duration?

They talked about classes being available via live stream online..not in a classroom setting?

I really do agree that workers and students going to school sick absolutely do NOT help at all with the spread of any viruses!

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

If more people would start using some common sense and NOT going to work sick or sending their kids to school/daycare sick then we could minimize the impact. That and teach people how to wash their hands properly. I haven't ever had the flu shot and I typically only get the flu every 6 or 7 yrs (knock on wood!! )

I think the gov. is over reacting with this one - we made it through SARS without closing the country down and the flu kills people every year!

I really hope they don't shut the schools down as it will make my life rather difficult with all the older siblings of my younger daycare kids that will need care.

 

[jtdl]

No, closing the schools is not going to do much in the way of stopping the spread - people staying home when they are sick will!!!! Why is it that people just refuse to stay home when they are sick????? Do they think their boss will see them as the ultimate employee because they come to work sick??? I don't get that - never have. Used to work with a girl who would send her daughter to school even if she was vomiting!!!! Someone, whether it be management or whomever, has to step in and start sending sick people home - not sure how that could ever be regulated but it would help much more than closing schools IMHO.

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

I don't see it happening. In our Bd. school is very rarely shut down. Even on terrible winter days.
I do however wish that parents would keep children home when they are ill to help reduce the spread of these viruses. I cannot tell you how many times a child comes to school with a note saying they are sick and that they were up vomiting etc. if they seem tired etc. My immediate thought is WHY are they here??

 

[tjbaggott]

Our policy at work is "if you are sick stay home", yet when someone calls in SICK, they are frowned upon!!!!! (staff members talk behind their back questioning if they are really sick ect). I quit a job (I work in nursing), because I called in sick upon waking in the morning feeling very ill, and had a fever, and this was an hour before my shift started. The supervisor on the other end of the phone started to complain to me about how it's going to be hard to find a replacement with me calling in this close to my shift, she went on and on, I felt SO guilty, BUT I WAS SICK! I worked at that time with elderly people in their homes. Working near them/with them, and one of the worse things that you could do was be near them when sick! I was given such flak over my calling in sick (the first time in a year I did that), that I QUIT! I wonder how many other places treat people the same way, and perhaps that one reason people still go to work sick.

 

[tjbaggott]

I don't see it happening. In our Bd. school is very rarely shut down. Even on terrible winter days.
I do however wish that parents would keep children home when they are ill to help reduce the spread of these viruses. I cannot tell you how many times a child comes to school with a note saying they are sick and that they were up vomiting etc. if they seem tired etc. My immediate thought is WHY are they here??

I have my own policy with my own children. If they have are ill and or have a fever, I will not send them to school till them have been 24 - 48 hours fever free, vomit free ect....
One of my children had cancer, and during her treatment, this is how the hospitals treated her. If she developed a fever we had to rush her to emerg. If her counts were low, they would admit her and put her in isolation. She would have to remain there till 48 hours after the last fever spike. This was to protect HER. But I started to think that this is most logical even for kids who don't have a life threatening illness. It's a common sense way to stop the spread of illness. Why don't most schools also use Hand Sanitizer? We installed one at our front door during my daughters cancer treatment, and we still have it there. It gets used a LOT!

 

[murcor]

Just seen a report on CTV news tonight that the gov't and school boards may cancel school in September for the children due to H1N1 - to alieviate the spread for flu season.

What are you thoughts on this?

Also, we are planning to go to WDW in October - this may just be the worst time to go do to this flu????

Cheers everyone

We are in Nova Scotia so I dont even know if this is an issue here but if it is cancelling school is fine with me. I take this flu very serious.

We have airline tkts, park tkts, accomodations and a 4 day cruise booked for December since mid January 11.5 months. Right now I dont know what we will do The idea of having to canx is dissappointing but my families health is top priority.

 

[minnie56]

I agress, flu kills thousands every year. But the fact that the WHO is putting forth this recommendation is making me pay attention

 

[mtmbyck]

They also said on the news this morning that they are testing a vaccine for it now so hopefully it exists this fall. I have already had travel agents tell me they anticipate H1M1 will come back much worse this fall/winter and some don't reccommend Mexico at all.

Our school has had 2 or 3 cases of Fifth Disease where pregnant teachers had to be off and there were warnings on the doors. Some kids got it but most were fine. School never closed.

We went to WDW last October and if you read these boards last fall, you'd think that there was SARS at WDW....clearly there was a flu virus...there were reports of vomit all over the parks and I personally knew of 3 families who went and got it while there. We thankfully did not.

I have heard H1M1 is all over the camps in the Muskokas. Over 200 cases reported.

Will I cancel our trip abroad in January - no. Will I say a prayer and pack gravol, medicines, handwipes and lysol - yes.

 

[minnie56]

Well, I am not sure that travel agents are in the know about it but I do trust the medical people on the front line and if they are concerned, good enough for me. The fact that the WHO are also making a statement about school closures being possibly recommended and saying that now, there are too many cases to count, well, it's just something that needs paying attention to.

 

[two*little*birds]

when someone calls in SICK, they are frowned upon!!!!!

I totally agree, and I find it even worse now that I'm in a management position. God forbid a manager ever takes a sick day!

 

[bbangel]

Fever and cough - seven days off.

This should be non-negotiable! People need to remember that just because they feel fine or don't feel that sick, that doesn't mean the people that they give it to won't have a worse case.

Between that and handwashing many more illnesses could be prevented.

 

[LSmith]

Our school has had 2 or 3 cases of Fifth Disease where pregnant teachers had to be off and there were warnings on the doors. Some kids got it but most were fine. School never closed.

Fifth Disease is very common.

"Fifth disease is a mild rash illness that occurs most commonly in children. The ill child typically has a "slapped-cheek" rash on the face and a lacy red rash on the trunk and limbs. Occasionally, the rash may itch. An ill child may have a low-grade fever, malaise, or a "cold" a few days before the rash breaks out. The child is usually not very ill, and the rash resolves in 7 to 10 days."

They would never close the schools for Fifth disease. Only pregnant women are at risk. Most people over the age of 7 have had it and many have shown no symptoms.