And Now For Something More Pleasant ...
Like the swine flu.
The head of Student Health at my uni recently announced that he expected up to half of our uni students to get the swine flu. That would be approximately 14,000 students. Now, what exactly, are they doing about this? From what I can tell, next to nothing.
Other schools have a "sick dorm" where students live and have meals delivered until they're considered well enough to come back to campus. When this uni had its first two confirmed cases, they wouldn't release any details except under pressure. I don't think it's right to ask for names, per se, but if the student lives in a dorm, then that floor needs to be notified. They finally did just that and then said that one other person with a confirmed case was a commuter.
It probably doesn't matter anyway. The vaccine won't be ready until October, if then. There really isn't much you can do besides wash your hands. But given the uni's typical response to disaster, whether it's scandal or administrative wrongdoing, my money is on the fact that they'll botch any potential response to outbreak as well.
However, since the head of Student Health didn't mention faculty, I believe that must mean I'm immune ....
-- Dante's "swine flu" Virgil
posted by contemplator at Tuesday, September 08, 2009
6 Comments:
An old friend from college who's now a teacher is 99% sure she contracted the swine flu. Her middle school had over 100 sixth graders out of school the first week and one confirmed case. (It was all over the Pittsburgh news.) When I talked to her, she was recovering well and said it felt like any other flu. She said the most important thing is to stay home until the fever has been broken for 24 hrs. My conversation with her comforted me a little simply because I figured if she's still alive and doing well then if I get the swine flu, I just might be okay, too. The way the news lets on it's like swine flu = death. Not that I'd ever want it to begin with, but I feel a little more relaxed now.
-LD
yeah, I actually think that's important to remember. It's the flu. We're maybe less resistant to this one, but it's still the flu. It has killed some people, but from what I understand, there were a few other things going on with them as well.
It's not like supertuberculosis has breached Siberian prisons and is spreading like wildfire all over the earth .... yet .....
Ah At Hubby's school getting Swine flu is a 2 week Free Pass for students/staff/and Faculty.
Hubby is figuring on coming down with it for finals. We're on Trimesters so the next finals are the week before Thanksgiving....
Meg
I've gotten my first "it might be swine flu" excuse this morning, actually.
Feels like something to blog about ...
At least your DH's school has a policy. Ours is, as usual, slow to respond.
My new university has an emergency plan too. I just got it in the mail. I have to admit - they're pretty on the ball. There are two hotlines, a poster campaign with hygiene tips, a link on the school website with info, hand sanitizer stations being set up, and a scheduling plan in the event of a pandemic.
Actually, it's starting to seem like overkill just a bit.
Heh. Here in London, it's now become the 'in' thing. Everyone knows someone who has had swine flu (unfortunately not me).
At work, we've been tempted to throw the old 'we have swine flu' - unfortunately now that everyone knows someone who has had it, the 5 days period they recommend you stay away from people doesn't count anymore. In fact, I'd suspect they'd make you work from home.
Bah.
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