Swine Flu Prompts US School Closures
By Michael Bowman
Washington
30 April 2009
Scores of schools are closed in several U.S. states to combat the spread of the influenza virus being called swine flu. The virus has now been detected in at least 10 countries, and the World Health Organization is warning that a worldwide outbreak could be imminent.
One day after President Barack Obama suggested closing any schools where flu cases are confirmed or even suspected, a rapidly expanding number of school districts are taking the president at his word.
In Fort Worth, Texas, which shut down its entire public school system for 10 days, parents are scrambling to tend to their children, as one mother told ABC's Good Morning America program.
"I know that some families are taking their children with them to work. Others are advertising for baby sitters on Facebook [the Internet]," she said.
In Mexico, where thousands of people are suspected of having contracted swine flu, the government has ordered all non-essential public activities suspended until May 5.
President Felipe Calderon said he is asking all Mexicans, without exception, to stay at home with their families. The Mexican leader said home is the safest place to avoid contracting swine flu.
The Obama administration continues to defend its decision against closing the U.S. border with Mexico. At a news conference Wednesday, President Obama said there would be little benefit to a border shut down, since the flu is already spreading in the United States.
US VP Biden delivers a speech after meeting with Central American leaders in San Jose, 30 Mar 2009
US Vice President Biden (file)
Appearing on NBC's Today show, Vice President Joe Biden said the U.S. government's priority is to prevent transmission of an already-established virus.
"Closing the classroom and closing the border are two fundamentally different things," he said. "This [virus] is in other countries now. Which borders do we close? Do we close the Canadian border, too? Do we close [suspend] flights coming out of countries in Europe where it has been identified? We should be focusing on mitigation."
The vice president added that he would tell his own family to avoid public transportation and confined places. It was the first time a U.S. official has suggested that Americans keep away from mass transit, and a spokesperson for Mr. Biden later stated that the vice president's admonition applied to those who are suffering flu-like symptoms, not the public at large.
The number of U.S. states where influenza cases have been confirmed has more than doubled to 11 in recent days. Dozens of other states are investigating suspected cases.
Wednesday, the World Health Organization raised its pandemic threat warning to its second-highest alert status, level 5. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.
"It really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic," Chan said.
The higher threat warning does not indicate a pandemic, but denotes sustained human-to-human transmission in communities in different geographical locations.
The influenza virus is a new strain to which humans have no immunity and for which no vaccine currently exists. Health officials say anti-viral treatments appear effective in reducing the severity and duration of flu illness.
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