94 replies to this topic

[john]

http://folsomtelegra...ail/126836.html

[folsom500]

I certainly would hope that those with active cases of swine flu stay home- but shutting down the school is non productive - as has been cited by the CDC-

[MissMeliss]

This flu is scary because it can kill those who would normally not have complications from regular strains of flu.

I think that in the interest of those people, the schools should be shut down, that have discovered cases and those with active cases should be made to stay home.

It's easy to talk about how this would be an extreme action, until you speak with a person who has lost a loved due to Swine Flu.

Too many young people have died with this flu already. It seems to be a type of flu that is so hardy, it can survive the heat of summer!

It would seem to me that if the case was confirmed then the child was tested a while ago and therefore was probably not at the school today. Any good physician and parent would have had the child stay home until the case was confirmed or denied. In that case I would say the school does not need to be shut down.

[bordercolliefan]

The SacBee has a front-page story saying how experts think this flu is going to explode now that schools are back in session.

Also, the most recent fatalities in the Sacramento area have been in middle-aged, healthy people (one was a triathlete). The experts quoted in the article said they don't know why, in some people, this flu turns deadly. They did recommend that if you feel shortness of breath, you go to a hospital immediately, as that suggests the flu may be becoming life-threatening.

The experts are very concerned about possible overloading of hospitals over the next few weeks. They are talking about delaying elective surgery to save capacity for flu victims.

All in all, it was a very sobering article.

Where are the people who bet me that this whole illness was just "media hype" and would fizzle away? I sure wish that were true. The only bright side is, it doesn't look like I have to buy anyone lunch.

[bordercolliefan]

It would seem to me that if the case was confirmed then the child was tested a while ago and therefore was probably not at the school today. Any good physician and parent would have had the child stay home until the case was confirmed or denied. In that case I would say the school does not need to be shut down.

The high schoolers have been attending orientation for the last week or so (not full days). So, there was plenty of opportunity for other kids to be exposed.

I agree with Maxine. Mexico significantly curtailed the spread of flu by shutting down all schools and businesses for 2 weeks. Our government made a decision not to do the same. The result may be a very deadly fall for our young people. As much as I love Obama, I predict that if many young people die, there will be a devastating critical appraisal of the decision to forge ahead with "business as usual."

[Lisa in Folsom]

Where are the people who bet me that this whole illness was just "media hype" and would fizzle away? I sure wish that were true. The only bright side is, it doesn't look like I have to buy anyone lunch.
[/quote]




Still here! You do realize that the headline is not that someone DIED from swine flu at VDL, just that someone got sick? Absolutely no disrespect to families who have lost someone, but there still have not been very many. People die of the flu every year, never a happy thing, but the numbers still aren't big. It is something to pay attention to, but not panic. I, quite frankly am more scared of driving near VDL than catching swine flu there.

[bordercolliefan]

Ok, a recorded message just came from FCUSD. The girl who has swine flu did not attend orientation last week, and did not attend school today.

Although this is good news, who knows how many friends she came in contact with over the last week or two.

That is the difficult thing with kids. You think... well, I'll keep them home from school and home school instead. But then: do they go to church? do they go to gymnastics? do they go to friends' birthday parties? etc. etc. etc. Kids nowadays are literally exposed to hundreds of other kids every week.

It is very difficult to make a decision to isolate your kids from society for what may be 3-4 months. You end up with very stir-crazy kids!!

[M.E.G.]

Just got a recorded msg from the district: saying that the girl had not attended school today or at the Friday assembly. She will be out at least this week.

M.E.G.

[mary56]

http://www.sacbee.co...ry/2098389.html
There are various other articles in the Bee, but this has to do with Folsom, I am sure this is not the only confirmed one here, since the outbreak.
After the 30 year old was healthy and died, we need to be advocates for our selves and our children.
She went to the ER 3 times and then when she could not breathe they took her to the hospital and she died 9 days later. It was a hospital in Woodland run by Catholic Health Care WEst, aka Mercy Folsom, sister hospital.
So the moral here, if you or your child have had flu symptoms and have trouble breathing MAKE them give you a test and MAKE them give you a chest x ray. They are too complacent here and California has the highest death rate. We have too many cuts and no one cares.
Stay safe. This has no intent to be a scare tactic, it is intended to make you all aware.

[stacycam]

What about the grocery store, the gym, sporting events, retail stores, parks, restaurants, etc? I'm just wondering how we can honestly avoid exposure. I've just taken the stance that we are most likely going to catch it and we should hope for the best. I'm vigilant about hand-washing, but honestly, with kids, there isn't a lot you can do short of sequestering them.

As for the triathlete, I read somewhere that she had MRSA. I don't recall where I read that, or if it was confirmed, but that would mean she had other health issues.

eta: Also, avoid the ER as much as possible. If you think you or your child may have the flu (H1N1 or other), call the doctor, rather than going to the ER.

[bordercolliefan]

After the 30 year old was healthy and died, we need to be advocates for our selves and our children.
She went to the ER 3 times and then when she could not breathe they took her to the hospital and she died 9 days later. It was a hospital in Woodland run by Catholic Health Care WEst, aka Mercy Folsom, sister hospital.
So the moral here, if you or your child have had flu symptoms and have trouble breathing MAKE them give you a test and MAKE them give you a chest x ray.

Good advice, Mary. I saw the same thing and could almost hear the medical malpractice attorneys getting out their business cards...

I'm the first one to say we can't sue doctors for every inadvertent mistake, but come on... in the middle of a pandemic, someone comes to the ER with flu symptoms and you just send them home??!

[bordercolliefan]

What about the grocery store, the gym, sporting events, retail stores, parks, restaurants, etc? I'm just wondering how we can honestly avoid exposure. I've just taken the stance that we are most likely going to catch it and we should hope for the best. I'm vigilant about hand-washing, but honestly, with kids, there isn't a lot you can do short of sequestering them.

As for the triathlete, I read somewhere that she had MRSA. I don't recall where I read that, or if it was confirmed, but that would mean she had other health issues.

You are right about public places, although casual contact, like passing someone at the grocery store, is less likely to transmit it than the kind of intimate contact little kids have. Already today, they were all hugging each other, whispering in each other's ears, passing around pictures, etc. Uggh. So, I think you are right: the vast majority of us (with school-age kids) will get this virus.

You are also right that one of the recent fatalities was reported to have MRSA. But it was not made clear whether she had this before entering the hospital, or got it at the hospital as a complication.

All I know is that in a few of the recent deaths, family members said things along the lines of, "She was so young and healthy... no one could ever have expected this to happen." In fact, I believe there was another fatality reported in the SacBee today where the family said exactly that.

Definitely scares me.