CDC Advises Calm Course For Schools And Swine Flu

Just because swine flu crashes a classroom or two doesn't mean the principal should send everyone home.

But to prevent the flu's spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adults and kids should stay home for a least a day after their fevers have gone away.

That's some of the advice just released by the CDC for schools and health officials on what to do when swine flu strikes again — and everyone expects that will happen this fall.

The full set of recommendations, in the works for several months, is fairly tame and reflects the current thinking that so far swine flu doesn't look much worse than seasonal flu.

 

In updates on the flu, CDC reported that flu-like illness for the week ending August 1 decreased from the previous week but that cases were still running higher than normal. Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine and Puerto Rico reported widespread flu activity. To date, 436 deaths have been linked to the swine flu and there have been 6,506 hospitalizations for the illness.

Closure remains an option when there are lots of kids and teachers sick or a large number of people with other health risks in a school.

"We hope no schools have to close, but realistically, some schools will close this fall," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in an Webcast this week, the Associated Press reported.

Still, the CDC, citing experience from outbreaks this spring, says "the benefits of preemptively dismissing students from school are often outweighed by negative consequences," such as kids being left home alone and the interruption of their education.

One thing schools should do is set up an isolation room where kids and staff who fall ill can stay until they are able to go home.

Everyone should pay more attention to cleaning their hands. And, if you please, cough and sneeze into an elbow or sleeve. Thanks.