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The Federal Plan For H1N1 Flu And Schools

By Michael Scherer | @michaelscherer | August 7, 2009 | +

The federal government released its updated guidance for schools and flu this morning, a relatively short document with few surprises. As I laid out in my story this week in the newsstand version of TIME, schools will not be encouraged to close just because some students begin coming down with H1N1, a shift in policy from the recomendation when the flu first hit the U.S. this spring. The final decision on whether or not to close a school will be left to local school districts.

There in another big change to the official recommendations: Whereas in the spring, people with flu were asked to isolate themselves at home for seven days. Now the recommendation is for people to isolate themselves–and for parents to isolate children–for only 24 hours after flu symptoms, like fever, go away.

That said, the flu recomendations are not fixed. If the virus itself changes behavior, the recomendations will change. Take a look at my story for a fuller picture of how the government is preparing for a fall spike in pandemic flu.

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  • 53_3

    Smaller Government! Less interference in our lives! It’s a plot by that Kenyan who is posing as POTUS! Blacks are taking over America! So are Mexicans, because they invented it! It’s socialism! They’ll tax us to death and use this as an excuse!
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    Where’s the outrage!

  • 53_3

    I should have used all caps, huh?

  • Paul-no not that one

    Repeating what I wrote yesterday.
    This is a really well done story.

    .
    The amount of preparedness is impressive. A lot of “if this then that” thinking.

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    SARS, West Nile, Avian Flu, Swine Flu! Lock your doors! Give me a break. Many more people die each year of the standard flu than are projected (based on the first 8 months) to succumb to Swine Flu this year. The hysteria surrounding the need to constantly have some new pandemic to fear is ludicrous. What of malaria, chagas, tuberculosis, hundreds of millions affected each year, millions dead…wait…these do not affect the Western world, so no worries. A hundred may fall to Swine Flu, we must be vigilant. We must strike back. Funding, funding, funding. Research. Research. Research. Global Pandemic!!

  • Paul-no not that one

    Did you read the story or just riffing?

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    Yes I read it, but no, I did not need to. This is hardly the first article on swine flu. Over the past 8 months I have been steadily becoming more and more cynical about the ridiculous overreaction to a relatively insignificant swine flu, that pales in comparison to even the common flu. This is not a political statement, so no need to get all defensive about our President, in case that was the next reflective response by anyway. My critique is aimed at Western societies, not simply American leadership.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Ah Neo you’re so worldly wise. Can’t tell you anything that you don’t already know.

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    Thanks. You’re too kind.
    ~
    Glancing back it is not clear that you ever attempted to tell me anything. Does asking questions constitute making a point?

  • Paul-no not that one

    For you Neo it absolutely does.
    Every time.

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    I’m not sure where the antagonization here is coming from. Swine flu, and its fellow ‘pandemics,’ is an insignificant threat filling the voids in people’s overly empty heads. My criticism of the irrational fear is in no way a political statement, merely an observation about the fickleness of western populations.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Neo you keep bringing up “political statement”, why?

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    Because the only logical reason I can come up with as to why you are antagonizing me over my view of the pandemic episodes is if you have construed my criticism of this response as simply an attempt to snipe at the Obama administration, which it most certainly is not. This is a social issue.

  • Paul-no not that one

    “no need to get all defensive about our President”
    .
    “My criticism of the irrational fear is in no way a political statement”
    .
    “if you have construed my criticism of this response as simply an attempt to snipe at the Obama administration, which it most certainly is not.”
    .
    These are all of your construction. I only asked if you had read the story.
    .
    If there is a “political statement” being made it is not coming from me.

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    Ok, since I so badly missed the mark, then why this:
    .
    Did you read the story or just riffing?
    .
    Ah Neo you’re so worldly wise. Can’t tell you anything that you don’t already know.
    .
    For you Neo it absolutely does.
    Every time.
    .
    I’m just curious as to why you became so critical of my point of view. I, wrongly I suppose, assumed that you misconstrued my motives. Care to explain your position to me on this issue so that we may be clear?

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