Two Indianapolis schools close due to flu concern

[IndianaGreen]

Source: WTHR-TV

Two Indianapolis schools close due to flu concern

Updated: May 1, 2009 04:38 PM EDT

Indianapolis - State and county health officials say two Indianapolis schools will close for a week due to confirmed cases of the swine flu in students. That brings Indiana's confirmed cases of the H1N1 (swine) flu virus to three.

"As a precaution I'm announcing the closing of two schools where we have confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus," said Dr. Virginia Cain, Marion County Health Department.

The schools are closing on a health department order. See Washington Township Schools' site for the latest updates.

IPS School 60 and Spring Mill Elementary School will be closed starting May 4th. The schools will reopen May 11th. All activities are postponed until May 11th. School 60 has around 360 students and Spring Mill has over 700.

"Students in both schools are at high risk for developing the flu," said Dr. Cain.


Read more: http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=10286502

[madrchsod]

1. why do`t we do this every year that the flu hits the usa?

this nation sends kids to school sick and demand workers to work while their sick.

36,000 (?) died last year and no one did anything....i really do`t like the usa sometimes

[hedgehog]

7. This reaction is based on an abundance of caution. Although Mexico

appears to be back-tracking on the original numbers, this flu reportedly had a very high morbidity/mortality rate. Any steps to slow its spread until a vaccine could be produced would save lives if the original information panned out.

[Kittycat]

2. 3 Schools in my district were closed for today.

We're supposed to get more updates on Sunday after the CDC confirms 2 of the 3 cases (one is certain I guess).

[IndianaGreen]

3. The schools that closed are located in well-to-do area

No reports of swine flu in the modest income part of town where I live.

[phantom power]

4. Does anybody know...

why we are still implementing policy for closing schools? Supposedly, the latest assessment is that this H1N1 strain is, if anything, less dangerous than a typical seasonal flu. If I take that at face value, it seems like it would be reasonable to keep schools open.

[24601]

5. Wow - I spent the 2nd semester in Kindergarten at Spring

Mill. The school was just opening (this was the 1958-59 school year). Then we moved back to Delaware Trails ES for 1st Grade. Ah, those great years 2nd grade was the best 3 years of my life!

I absolutely deny leaving any H1N1 virus behind when I left. I did get in a little trouble there - we made "butter" shaking cream in a jar and Mrs. Life (K-teacher) gave us each a cracker with some on it. Tasted like s%*#, so I hid mine in someone's hat which worked well until the end of the day and she put the hat on. I believe she may have cried as the crappy mixture ran down her forehead. As you might guess, she's not who I married....

[IndianaGreen]

6. LMAO!

Mrs. Life is my mom!!!! Now we know who did such a dastardly deed!

:evilgrin:

[24601]

8. Are you a nurse at St. V's? I met one of her kids back in the

80s. She was in something like a student nursing program with a friend of mine named Beth (now Lt Col Beth, USAF Reserve)

Oh, I was caught for the old "Butter in the Hat Caper" and had to apologize to Nancy St. John.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Oh, heaven's no!

I was just jesting with you. I went to grade school in Speedway. It is nice to run across a former Hooser.

[24601]

10. Jesting is OK - I deserve it after the butter fiasco - after all, it's

only been 50 years and the statute of limitations is 51. Good hearing from you, too. I've spent some time in your area too as my dad's 2nd cousin, Ed Bloemker, the track's PR guy way back when, was my dad's 2nd cousin. Before they had all the lights, timers & cameras, Dad would always be a race umpire on race day. He'd sit in a lawn chair between the infield fence and track and watch for "violations" by the racers. Unless there was a rain-out he always came home dragging a** and looking like a boiled lobster with a farmer's tan.

[IndianaGreen]

11. I knew his daughter Kathy Bloemker

They went to the Catholic Church on Central Ave., Joan of Arc.

Small planet!

On edit:

I seem to recall that his name was Al Bloemker, not Ed.

Anyhoo, that was a long time ago, many shock therapies ago!

[24601]

15. I think you're right on the name

and I believe his book was "500 Miles to Go"

One of my coolest memories was Uncle Al driving around the 2.5 mile oval. But since we were in his street car, we never hit 100.

You probably remember all the "Pace Cars" that hit indy in May. Al always got one and one year he came out to find it on blocks, all four tires stolen.

Another uncle, my dad's brother was the 2nd 500 Festival President. Howard (Howdy) Wilcox was the 1st and probably should be considered the festival's creator.

[IndianaGreen]

12. UPDATE: Clarian Health restricts hospital visits

Looks like draconian measures, but they will come in handy when this flu returns in the fall with a vengeance.

Clarian Health restricts hospital visits

Updated: May 1, 2009 10:45 PM EDT

Jennie Runevitch/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - The flu outbreak is causing a major, temporary policy change for some of the largest hospitals in Indianapolis.

In fact, concern about H1N1 is so serious that places that care for the sick are placing restrictions on who can visit the sick.

Clarian Health announced the new policy Friday. It restricts non-essential patient visitors at its downtown hospitals, including Methodist, Indiana University, and Riley Hospital for Children.

The rule means only essential adult visitors: parents, spouses, domestic partners and spiritual counselors, will be allowed to visit patients.

Richard Wilson's wife is at Methodist for a heart attack. Doctors told his family Friday they had to go.

"I've been here for a week and we've been staying in the room. All of us have been able to visit. Today they came in the room and said one visitor per room due to the epidemic of the swine flu," Wilson said. "Now I'm taking them home."

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=10288956

[rainbow4321]

13. Dallas' county hospital has also started restrictions

No one under 12 yrs old can go visit inpatients. How the hell they are going to enforce THAT, who knows. Far as I can tell, there has been no community announcement about it, so we are looking at people heading to the hospital with their under-12 kids and being turned away at the door.

They are also not letting the under-12 kids go back to outpatient rooms (outpatient clinic areas). They have to wait in the lobby. Again, what the hell do you do when a mom shows up with her 3 year old..and NO ONE else.
Basically, this all looks good on paper but I doubt it will be enforceable.

[Jokerman]

14. Indiana schools are under tremendous pressure to complete 180 days.

The current republican regime is already using snow days as an excuse to threaten school funding. Just watch 'em screw the districts and schools over this flu "epipanic" scam.