We were informed today that if anyone at our school is verified to have swine flu, we will be closing for FOURTEEN DAYS. Seriously, people? I mean, I get that they're trying to nip this in the bud, but that seems excessive.

We have several students out with flu symptoms right now and a number of verified cases in LA County, so...yeah. We shall see.

We've gotten a bunch of "stay sanitzed" instructions (I just got back from sanitizing the ladies' room) but no mention of what to do if we feel sick.

We were informed today that if anyone at our school is verified to have swine flu, we will be closing for FOURTEEN DAYS.

Yipes. There are 4 or 5 schools in this area that have closed for a few days since Wed. Most are only closing for 3 school days (plus the weekend). It's only a matter of time before it hits my district. I just hope if we close that it won't add more days at the end of the year, but I suspect that it will.

The CDC is recommending 7-10 day closures for schools and professional cleaning/disinfection of the building for verified cases, so the school decided not to take any chances.

And I think in terms of cost/benefit taking precautions make sense. Right now not that deadly. But the 1918 epidemic started out mild and mutated into something deadly. Somewhere between 20 and 40 million people died in it. U.S. life expectancy was lowered by ten years. Each person who catches it is a chance of a mutation into a 1918 level of virulence. Lowering the chances of that happening is worth considerable economic cost. Not panicing is one thing. Taken precautions is worth while. And yes even a worst case scenario may not be quite as bad as 1918. We have anti-virals now, and know more about public health. But, better not to go there.

I see what you are saying, but I feel a bit mixed. Prepare, tracking , moving stores of anti-virals.... that makes sense. Closing down schools? not so sure. Esp since there really isn't any alternative for kids. Who is staying home with the kids? Some of the schools that close could have younger kids. I've had jobs where people are reasonable about sick time, and jobs that aren't -- and staying home with kids , boarderline.

Yeah, not saying it is cost free. A whole lot more than an inconvenience. But if swine flu is actually verified at an institution ....

If the CDC is saying suggesting a shut down in that situation, they are not just doing it for shits and giggles. I mean Mexico is a whole lot poorer than we are, and they have essentially shut down large parts of their country to minimize the risk from a virus that evolved in factory farms run by our major corporations with their borders. So pretty much I'd say that if the CDC says we need to do it. We need to do it. And you are right that we ought to have some compensation this. Our parental leave and health care system sucks. And if a pandemic develops, the latter fact will cost us a lot of lives. But in the meantime, , to prevent this, we should do what we have to.

Our parental leave and health care system sucks. And if a pandemic develops, the latter fact will cost us a lot of lives.

this. I could probably get coverage for two days but to be out for a week we'd have to borrow managers from another theatre.

Laga, was it you saying you are partial to Abyssinian cats but would likely go with a shelter baby next time you were looking for a cat? How do you feel about breed-specific breed rescue organizations? [link]

Fort Worth school district is closed for 2 weeks, and the city cancelled the ArtFest, weekend festival of crafts, concerts, etc.