Flu

There was a blurb on the news this morning that Rockville High School was the first in Maryland to shutter its doors because of a diagnosed case. What will these families do? At least you can leave high school aged kids home alone, but what about when this spreads to the elementary schools? How many parents have enough leave to stay home with a child ‘indefinitely’ until the school figures out what to do? How many parents have jobs that will allow them to stay home indefinitely?

Everyone is talking about this. A lot people are panicking about this. My head wants to explode. IT’S THE FLU!

How is this any different from flu season during the year?

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that “about 36,ooo people die from flu-related causes” every year.

EVERY YEAR!

When this scare of H1N1 reaches thoses levels then we can talk.

We’ve all had our flu shots this year. I try to wash my hand reguarly for the predescribed “20 seconds with hot water and soap”. I do fail in the “avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth” category – I always have my hands on my face, but that is just another reason why I try to wash my hands often.

So far, the CDC is reporting that there have been 109 cases in the US and 1 death. One. And he was a little boy – not that the death of a child is ever OK, but it is the very young, very old and chronically ill that make up the 36,000 deaths number. As of today, the World Health Organization is reporting 330 cases in the ENTIRE WORLD.

I feel like I am writing a book report of a high school social sciences class right now, but I can’t help it. Maybe Grace will find this interesting in 10 years and laugh about how silly people were. Maybe I am wrong and the whole world is going to fall on this Influenza Plauge, but I don’t think so. And I am beside myself with the hype and media coverage over the flu.