We are in panic mode....

[3girls2luv]

We have one confirmed case of the swine flu and over 400 suspected cases. They have shut down all the schools in this area and store employees are wearing gloves. I don't get what the big deal is, the one confirmed case was a high school kid and he is fine now after taking his meds. The others are also doing fine.

My dd's school is not in this district but I am waiting for the call any minute now. They cancelled their band trip which is understandable since it was going to be in the Valley close to the boarder of Mexico.

Anyone else's city in a state of panic or is it just mine?

[still_me]

Do they have a magic bubble around them that doesn't included their hands? What in the world is the point of no mask, but gloves?

[3girls2luv]

I was thinking the same thing when DH told me about it. I would'nt doubt that they will close the city and not let anyone in or out. Or they might start handing out those TB masks for everyone to wear out in public. The one thing that they did not shut down was the huge parade we had this weekend along with the carnival. That was a perfect place to spread the flu since basically everyone in town was there. I however did not go nor did anyone in my family. I am just trying to stay out of crowded places for now.

[JudyJudyJudy]

The funny thing about gloves is that they are really no different from bare hands if the people touch something and then rub their noses.

[still_me]

Why are there 400 suspected cases? All it takes is a simple swab test to find out if they have it or not.

[3girls2luv]

Why are there 400 suspected cases? All it takes is a simple swab test to find out if they have it or not.


Apparently everyone who sneezed went to the doctor and got swabbed so now the labs are backed up. I went to the doctor with fever, head ache, and cold symtoms and he just looked at me and told me I did not have the swine flu. Now DH and dd2 are at home sick with the same thing I had without the fever though.

[JudyJudyJudy]

From what I've read, about 95% of cases tested are positive, so we'll see if the doctors in your area are overreacting.

[3girls2luv]

Well we know my doctor did not over react. I still don't feel %100 better and my head is killing me right now. I still have a lot of congestion as well. I came back to work today but I am beginning to think I should have stayed home. :(

[RaisingThemLeft]

I don't get why people are going into panic mode and shutting down the school over THIS flu, but when it's the regular flu they don't.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I don't get why people are going into panic mode and shutting down the school over THIS flu, but when it's the regular flu they don't.
Some schools in GA have closed for influenza.

[pawprint]

i was in cvs tonight and had lively conversation about how ludicrous the swine flu fears are with the pharmacists and pharm techs. no one in the us has died of the swine flu. no one. it's not that big of a deal. don't believe the hype.

[Hennyetta]

I think it is ridiculous that they are shutting the schools for 2 weeks close by me for one or two SUSPECTED cases of swine flu. the only other time they shut down the school for illness is if HALF the school is out with the flu, and even in those cases it is just one day.

[tata]

no one in the us has died of the swine flu. no one. it's not that big of a deal. don't believe the hype.

My mom told me tonight that a boy in TX died of swine flu. I googled before correcting you.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518320,00.html

WASHINGTON — The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan made the decision Wednesday to raise the alert level from phase 4 — signifying transmission in only one country — after reviewing the latest scientific evidence on the outbreak.

"Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world," Chan said. “New diseases by definition are poorly understood and influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behavior.”

In Mexico, where the flu is believed to have originated, officials said Wednesday the disease is now confirmed or suspected in 159 deaths, and nearly 2,500 illnesses.

"The good news is that we are better prepared for an influenza pandemic than anytime in our history," she said, adding "it really is all of humanity that is under threat in a pandemic."

She said all countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans and remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.

Phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.

WHO has confirmed human cases of swine flu in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand and Spain. Mexico and the U.S. have reported deaths.

The change comes as the fast-moving flu spreads to at least 10 U.S. states from coast to coast Wednesday and swept deeper into Europe, extending its global reach as President Barack Obama mourned the first U.S. death, a Mexican toddler who had traveled with his family to Texas. Total American cases have surged to nearly 100, and Obama said wider school closings might be necessary.
Related Stories

* 'Patient Zero' in Swine Flu Outbreak Identified as 5-Year-Old Mexican Boy
* WHO Calls Emergency Meeting, Eyes Pandemic Level
* Mexico City Shuts Itself In Amid H1N1 Fears
* USDA: Please Call It H1N1, Not Swine Flu
* New York City Health Commissioner: 'Many Hundreds' of School Students Sick With Suspected Swine Flu
* RAW DATA: State and Country Tracking of Swine Flu Cases

The cases include 51 in New York, 14 in California and 16 in Texas. Two cases have been confirmed in Kansas, Massachusetts and Michigan, while a single cases have been reported in Arizona, Indiana, Nevada and Ohio, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Manny Answers Your Questions on Swine Flu

Maine reported three confirmed cases Wednesday, which are not included in the CDC figures.

And the U.S. government says the first shipments of the drug Tamiflu from the federal stockpile arrived in New York state, New York City and Indiana Wednesday morning, and all states will get their share by Sunday.

Related: 10 Ways to Protect Yourself From Swine Flu

As a precaution, the government has decided to ship to the states enough medication to treat 11 million people — just in case the new swine flu takes off.

Labor union president Colleen Kelley said Wednesday the government should allow border officers to wear protective gear at all times and to take frequent breaks to wash their hands, a precaution recommended by health experts.

A Mexican boy died at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston Monday night from a variant of H1N1 swine flu.

He was about 2 years old. Houston officials said he was 23 months old, but state officials said he was 22 months old and could not immediately explain the discrepancy.

Health officials say a family member and others who had contact with the child are not sick. The child lived in Matamoros, on the Mexican border with Texas, an official said.

Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the Houston Health and Human Services Department, said Wednesday that the child had traveled with family from Mexico to Brownsville in south Texas.

He had underlying health problems when he traveled to the Texas border town to visit relatives. They did not specify what underlying health issues the boy had before arriving in the U.S.

The cause of death was pneumonia caused by the flu virus, Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos said.

Health officials in Brownsville are trying to trace his family's trip to find out how long they were in the area, who they visited and how many people were in the group, Cascos said.

He was admitted to a Houston hospital a few days after developing a fever and other flu symptoms and died on Monday night.

In related news, Texas officials are postponing all public high school athletic and academic competitions until May 11 because of the swine flu outbreak. Some private schools are planning to continue with their athletic and academic competitions.

In California, dozens of Marines are in confinement after one came down with the disease.

South Carolina health officials have identified eight additional 'probable' cases of swine flu, bringing the total number to 10. Rhode Island was added to the states that have suspected cases.

Health officials say two probable swine flu cases have been found in Milwaukee, and four of the city's public schools have been ordered closed.

A Massachusetts health official says two siblings in that state have tested positive for swine flu after traveling to Mexico. The children from Lowell — about 35 miles northwest of Boston — are the first confirmed cases in New England. Health officials have not released the names or ages of the siblings, but said they are not hospitalized and are recovering.

State public health officials in Illinois said Wednesday that more than one case is being sent to federal authorities for confirmation.

An IDPH spokeswoman Melaney said one case is located at a North Side Chicago school. A Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman confirms that the school is being closed.

President Barack Obama said Wednesday that wider school closings in the U.S. may be necessary, adding that local schools across America should consider temporarily shutting down if conditions worsen.

Dr Keiji Fukuda, WHO's Assistant Director-General ad. Interim for Health Security and Environment, said it is clear at this point that the virus is continuing to spread from person to person with no evidence of slowing down at this point.

“As the outbreak evolves, it’s clear that we are moving closer to a Phase 5 alert, which is a significant milestone,” said Fukuda, speaking during a late morning news conference.

The WHO called an emergency meeting Wednesday to assess the global outbreak of swine flu and to reassess whether it should move up its pandemic alert level from 4 to 5. The current level is two levels below the threshold for a full pandemic.

Fukuda said as soon as the WHO concludes that there is sustained transmission of the virus in two or more countries it will raise the level to one level below a full pandemic.

Emergency Response

There is no vaccine to prevent infection but U.S. health officials aim to have a key ingredient for one ready in early May, the big step that vaccine manufacturers are awaiting. But even if the World Health Organization ordered up emergency vaccine supplies — and that decision hasn't been made yet — it would take at least two more months to produce the initial shots needed for human safety testing.

"We're working together at 100 miles an hour to get material that will be useful," Dr. Jesse Goodman, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration's swine flu work, told The Associated Press.

Obama asked Congress for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to help build more drug stockpiles and monitor future cases, as well as help international efforts to avoid a full-fledged pandemic.

In Washington, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was questioned closely by senators about whether the U.S. should close its border with Mexico, repeated the administration's position that questioning of people at borders and ports of entry was sufficient for now and said closing borders "has not been merited by the facts."

In a bit of good news, Mexico's health secretary, Jose Cordova, late Tuesday called the death toll there "more or less stable."

Swine Flu vs. Seasonal Influenza

“The illness is consistent with seasonal influenza and has generally the same symptoms of seasonal influenza,” Fukuda said. “Our information to date shows that the infection can range from very mild, requiring no hospitalization and recovering after a few days, to fatal, which is also in keeping with seasonal influenza."

Fukuda said there is no evidence that the virus is spreading from pigs or that it is unsafe to eat pork.

Authorities sought to keep the crisis in context: Flu deaths are common around the world. In the U.S. alone, the CDC says about 36,000 people a year die of flu-related causes.

Children, especially those younger than age 5, are particularly vulnerable to flu and its complications, and every year children die from seasonal flu.

According to the CDC, more than 20,000 children younger than age 5 are hospitalized every year because of seasonal flu. In the 2007-08 flu season, the CDC received reports that 86 children nationwide died from flu complications.

As of April 11, CDC had received reports of 53 seasonal flu-related deaths in children during the current seasonal flu season.

Still, the CDC calls the new strain a combination of pig, bird and human viruses for which people may have limited natural immunity.

Hence the need for a vaccine. Using samples of the flu taken from people who fell ill in Mexico and the U.S., scientists are engineering a strain that could trigger the immune system without causing illness. The hope is to get that ingredient — called a "reference strain" in vaccine jargon — to manufacturers around the second week of May, so they can begin their own laborious production work, said CDC's Dr. Ruben Donis, who is leading that effort.

The first doses of a swine-flu vaccine could be available about 15 weeks after the World Health Organization decides what kind of vaccine it wants companies to produce, Sanofi-Aventis SA's chief executive said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

[tata]

Oh, and for the record: I'm not panicking :)

[Amy_G_]

1 death in the US of a boy from Mexico who came here for treatment.
no residents of the US have died.

The state of Arizona is ramping down it's concerns and not closing schools and reopening schools that have closed.
Usually when schools are closed for the flu it's because more than half the school is out sick with the flu. It is rediculous to close schools for 7-14 days when the kid that was sick has already returned to class WELL.

I think the message the CDC and media has been sending with screaming about how dangerous this flu is, has done public health a big disservice. Everyone has said after the first few days that if this flu is going to be deadly, it will be after it mutates this fall and comes back to get us.

If people catch this version of the flu, they'll have some measure of antibodies against it if it does mutate--that would be a good thing in the big scheme of things. Yes some will get very sick and may even need supportive care in the hospital, just like happens to people in the US every year with the flu and the hospitals are able to handle those numbers---of course 30,000+ people die of the flu every year in the us, but that doesn't usually have us all in a panic mode buying up hand sanitizer, tamiflu and face masks and closing the schools after only one case.

[Nipple_nectar]

I think I would prefer my state to take a vigilant stance when it comes to closing schools. The stsate of Delaware is a perfect example, they have 20 reported cases and all of them contracted it at the same school.

Since we know that students are particularly vulnerable, because of their lack of adequate hand washing coupled by the social setting which encourages germ swapping, I think we should shut a school down, to keep it from getting out of control.

[3girls2luv]

I agree amy g. I think its crazy to close the schools down. My dd's school is among those that are NOT closing and they have 4 suspected cases. DD2 is still sick and I may take her to the ped tomorrow if she is not better. She is fine during the day but runs a low grade temp at night. I am avoiding the peds office right now because of all the hype.

[Hennyetta]

NN, would you also support closing school down if it were 20 cases of seasonal flu? This is proving to be no more deadly than seasonal flu.

[Ilovemonkeys]

I read a good point - if they close the schools down, the kids will still be getting together, still congregating, little kids will have to go to daycare, older kids will still hang out, not only would they still spread it to each other, being out in public, at daycare, going to work with mom etc. would likely spread it even more.

As far as confirmation a drs office can only confirm if it is flu, the positive sample has to be sent to a lab for swine testing.
Here they go to the State Health Dept and from there to the CDC. In the early days all of the samples had to go to the CDC and turn around time was 5 days.

[Amy_G_]

from what I understand the doctor's office swab can only confirm if it's flu.
the state health department can confirm if it's "normal flu" or doesn't match "normal flu"
at this point is when the number of reported cases will not match the number of confirmed cases of this new flu. this is where schools were being closed before there were confirmed cases in a particular state or area.
if it doesn't match "normal flu" then it goes to the CDC for confirmation that it's this new flu.

If we close the schools for 7 days it's a hardship on the working parents.
and the kids start driving parents nuts, staying at home, and they aren't on quaranteen, so it can't be enforced that the kids have to stay at home. so the kids are playing with friends, going to movie theatres, the mall, and such.

Then when they close the schools for 14 days, many working parents are really gettting slammed and their works are not being very supportive. In this economy, parents can't afford to lose their jobs.

[Camille]

Five schools in SO's neighborhood are shut down right now. He lives about 40 miles from me. He also thinks he has it, but thought he had avian flu back when that was the hip thing to freak out over.

There's one confirmed case in my county. I'm not freaking out yet.

[JudyJudyJudy]

If people catch this version of the flu, they'll have some measure of antibodies against it if it does mutate--that would be a good thing in the big scheme of things.
If this flu really does get stronger during our flu season (winter) as some people suspect will happen, this is very true. I told dh that people who are getting the milder version now may be better off than the rest of us.

This is the latest in the news:

Officials tell schools not to close for swine flu (http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/05/swine.flu.main/)

[Tweet]

Judy, DH and I said the same thing last night.

I'm a lot more concerned about it during the flu season than right now.

AmyG, do you remember in 2006 in AZ how incredibly sick everyone was?! The flu had come early that year and then came around AGAIN and it was just nutty for a while. At the kids' ped ( that is ONE office) in Gilbert,AZ there were 19 kids on the waiting list for the hospital because of the flu. My kids were the sickest they've ever been and it scared the shit out of me. I remember having to go to the ER because my csec incision came open..I was at the top of the list at 8 am and then still wasn't seen my 11pm that night because people kept coming in and man, many looked close to death! It was just terrible.

[3girls2luv]

Well they re-opened the schools according to a teacher I just talked to. These people need to get it together. If you are closing the schools and re-opening them the next day then whats the point? They sure as hell did not have enough time to clean all the schools, which is what this teacher told me. He said the whole reason to close the school was so they could disinfect. Either they worked really fast or no cleaning was done.

[pawprint]

Yes Tata, that boy was not american and only came here for treatment. I have also seen articles that said he was immunocompromised.

[3girls2luv]

Well we had our first death in Texas due to the Swine Flu. She was from the Valley area and was in her 30s and apparently they said she had other chronic conditions as well.

The schools will officially re-open tomorrow. DD2 is much better and I sent her to school this morning so hopefully she will do ok. Dh on the other hand is not doing so well, he came home from work yesterday and has been laying around most of the time. My mom made him some homemade chicken soup yesterday and he ate a heaping bowl of it. So far dd3, dd1, and my mom have not gotten sick.

[Amy_G_]

When they close the schools for 24 hours, they pull in the cleaning crews from everywhere they can and then disinfect all the hard surfaces quickly and get it done. Schools are paying tons of overtime to custodians to do it pretty fast. Our elementary has about 4 daytime and 6 nighttime custodians and they'd all come in for a cleaning at night if that occurs. They will wipe all the door surfaces, table surfaces and mop all the floors. Wiping all the glue off the kid's desks would be the thing that takes the longest.

[3girls2luv]

We have over 8 elementary schools, more that 5 intermediate and I think 6 high schools plus some private schools so they are gonna have to get a lot of people to help clean all these schools in just a few days. :)