Holy Moly! My 6-Year-Old's Elementary School Has Just Been Closed Due To Swine Flu!

[AzDar]

Just got an e-mail... one of the kids tested positive, so the school's going to be closed for 7 days.

It is a pretty small school; 800 students (K-6).

Luckily, AzKid is healthy as a proverbial horse...

Very weird and scary!:wow:

[CreekDog]

1. Small School = 800 kids

:wtf: i love Arizona!!! :banghead: :bounce: :crazy: :rofl:

[Mike 03]

2. I'm in your general vicinity. It is getting weird. Good luck to you and your family. NT

[AzDar]

7. Thanks! My goofy 13-year-old and his friends are burning incense

and chanting in hopes that their Junior High (just a few blocks away) is next.

I LOVE how Janet Napolitano says everyone should have a "backup plan" for childcare, etc., if something like this happens...
I guess I'll have to call my 'contingency nanny'.:eyes:

[xchrom]

3. May The Wellness be with you and the family. nt

[AzDar]

14. Many thanks!

:hi:

Strange days, no?

[xchrom]

21. oy -- i tell ya --

i'm checking in with my friends in san francisco a lot more often.

[Atman]

4. It's turning into hysteria. Really.

At lunch today I spoke with a couple of colleagues whose kids school was shut down because two kids had -- listen closely -- returned home from Mexico last weekend, yet had not even been back to school because they were sick. The kids came home from a Mexico vacation, became ill almost immediately, so saw no one and hadn't been back to school yet. But their school closed down because two students might have swine flu.

Point being...use common sense. This thing is getting just plain nutty. (BTW, I also live in a very small town with very small schools).

.

[seabeyond]

8. isnt that something. that is just weird. no more time outs for kids, gonna

have them all summer in just a month. i get one more month, by gosh

[sam sarrha]

10. they might have contacted other students, it is just a liability move.. to see if other students get

sick.. they will probably wait the incubation period and re open the schools.. i think they did exactly the right thing..

[AzDar]

12. There has been one *confirmed * case at my son's school.

Rumors are flying, though, that there are many more closings to come:-(

[marybourg]

23. Yes, just heard on NPR that 2 Valley schools are closed.

It only makes sense, since we're so close to Mexico, that we'd be among the first at risk. I hope you can manage it O.K.

[seabeyond]

5. it is showing up in amarillo texas. teachers cannot go out of town....

really, what hubby said. not sure exactly what that is about. he did say they werent allowed to go to infected area, but a wow to tell a teacher what they can do outside of school.

but we have at least 3 confirmed cases i think, at the highschool

[sam sarrha]

13. i think they should put 100's or even 1000's of kids at risk.. out of stupidity..

[seabeyond]

16. *. so they have to go to san antonio for a funeral..... ooooops, no. there are a couple cases

there you go, putting 100's or 1000's at risk. nothing like over stating.

we have a couple cases in amarillo, .... then per your theory we should have marshal law and all must stay in their homes

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/043009/web_aisdtravel.shtml

correction. just school sponsored events.

but

i am leaving my post per your post on info it is all travel

[AzDar]

15. Unbelievable! Can they DO that?

[seabeyond]

18. nope, i guess they cant. just school sponsored trips.....

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/043009/web_aisdtravel.shtml

[Mike 03]

6. AzDar, do you happen to know any more than the rest of us about the number of confirmed cases?

Last I heard was one confirmed, three likely, and it was in the East Valley.

That's all I know.

[AzDar]

9. That is the info I got, as well. The confirmed case is at my son's school (in Chandler).

One of the parents today said they are testing students from Hamilton (High School) and two Junior Highs as well.
Probably wont be long before the entire district is down...

[Mike 03]

17. Thank you for the info! I appreciate it very much. I know this must

be an unsettling time for you and your family: my heart goes out to you.

[AzDar]

20. Thank you, Mike03

:hi:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. Are they still paying the teachers?

I'm willing to bet a lot of these closures are just excuses to cut spending.

[justabob]

22. I am curious about that too

I wondered about the cost cutting, but then I wondered how the fed money gets doled out according to attendence.... The next county over, Ft Worth, shut down their whole district for a week. Are they going to have to extend the school year by a week? That negates any cost cutting that might be had because come june it is really hot here and the ac will have to run that much harder etc.

[Cha]

24. The teachers I know get a lot

of sick days each year so they would get paid.

[Ilsa]

19. Look at it this way: Everything there will be disinfected for the kids

while they are out.

Lots of parents are going to need help with child care. I hope some families around there can help.

[uppityperson]

25. It is getting weird. Seems it is all over the USA and world.

Don't panic and keep thinking "this is weird". I've a young adult working in a very public tourist place with lots of exposure to people from all over the world, having just gotten over the flu and now is sick again. It is weird.

I'm glad hini flu isn't turning out as deadly as feared.

At least your kid will get a clean school now.