More schools close over swine flu

Geeky Swedes Ballard

Updated 8 p.m. Three Seattle schools have closed due to “probable” cases of swine flu linked to students: Madrona K-8, Stevens Elementary and Aki Kurose Middle School. There are now ten probable cases of swine flu in King County. We’ll keep you updated of any impact in our neighborhood.

Earlier report: Public health officials report three “probable” swine flu cases in Seattle, one being an 11-year-old boy who attends Madrona K-8. My Ballard reader Jennifer said the school started notification calls late Wednesday alerting parents of the possible case. “It is important to know that the student did NOT attend school during the time that he would have been contagious,” a message on Seattle Schools’ website explains. “Out of an abundance of caution, Madrona K-8 will be closed for 7 days.” All other schools remain open. Public health is not revealing where the other two ill people work or live, only to say it’s in the City of Seattle. All three people are improving. More details and swine flu information in this press release from public health, and we’ll keep you updated of any impact here in our neighborhood.

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36 thoughts to “More schools close over swine flu”

  6. Can we address how thousands of people die a year from the regular old flu? Just sayin'. It's being blown WAY out of proportion.

  7. Federal Department of Fatherland Security officials suggest that citizens can use duct tape (remember – they TOLD you to buy duct tape) to help address mounting concerns over the swine flu pandemic and the associated panic.

    Here's how to use that duct tape:

    1. Tear off two small strips of duct tape, each approximately 6 inches long.
    2. Turn off your television.
    3. Place the first strip of duct tape over the power button on your television's “remote” so as to prevent the button from being pushed.
    4. Place the second strip of duct tape over the power button on your television so as to prevent the button from being pushed (yes, there's a power button on the TV itself, too, although you probably have never used it).
    5. Put the duct tape away, in that junk drawer in the kitchen or the cabinet in the living room with all the other loose crap that you can't find another place for, so it will be available for the next home repair project that you're faced with.
    6. Make a note for your next trip to the grocery store: with pork prices falling rapidly, this is a good time to stock up on pork products.
    7. Go outside and take a walk. It's a nice day.

    I can attest to the effectiveness of these steps. I followed this advice yesterday, and I've never felt more healthy. And as an added bonus, I've got a nice supply of Oscar Meyer Center Cut Bacon in the fridge, too.

    Mmmm, bacon. I think I'll go make a BLT.

  8. Yup, it IS time to freaking panic. Upon reading the obits today I see where many people are dying daily. Yes indeed folks “daily”. In fact the blue states and their big cities have massive deaths daily due to illnesses etc. Is this reported in the MSM? Crisis? Time to regulate even more? After all, Obama and his ilk don't want to “waste a good crisis” do they? What a way to control the sheople. Scared today? Do NOT drive your car then. Do NOT breathe. In fact, don't even leave your house. Got control?

  9. Estimates are that 36,000 people died from “regular flu” last flu season.

    The reason this “swine flu” outbreak is big deal is that is the same flu strain that was the cause of the 1918 flu “Spanish flu” pandemic (estimated at 50 million). And, the death rate from Spanish flu is higher >2.5 % (normal flu has a death rate of <0.1 %).

    I'm still going out to dinner tonight and taking my kids to their gym classes. I am a germ weirdo anyway, so we're just stepping up frequency of our hand washing and making sure the little germ factories (my blessed children) are minding their cough/sneeze to the elbow manners.

  11. In preparation for the coming aporkalypse, I had bacon on my burger last night. Just trying to do my part of getting them before they get us.

  13. Apparently, they found a way to put lipstick on a swine too ;-)
    Relax people, the media hypes, and the Mayor wipes…
    …hey, wash your hands!

  15. You don't get it from eating pork, but you probably already know that.

    Of the 36,000 flu deaths from last year, if those same 36 million people were infected from the “swine” flu, the 36,000 dead jumps to 900,000 dead (or greater).

    So, chew on that–along with your bacon!

  17. Weird. I got a phone call last night saying the Madrona school would be “OPEN” they must have changed their mind over the course of the night.,

  19. True, but this is a different flu. More contagious and if this is anything like the 1917 flu that killed millions, it isn't just deadly for the elderly or already compromised.
    I'm not saying that we should all freak out, but don't just dismiss it either.

  20. In no way did I “just dismiss it.” In fact, I work in a LAB, and I am on the “swine flu” committee. In this instance, I have way more access to information than the general public. Believe me when I say, I am not talking out my ass here, this is being blown out of proportion.

  22. Yeah, I don't think anyone is saying to dismiss it. Just not to freak out. The news networks are making it sound like the black plague. Take ordinary precautions (wash hands, sneeze into your arm, take vitamins) but you don't have to stop interacting with your fellow humans.

  24. Well it's a good thing we keep cutting spending on public health. After all, who needs epidemiologists? I'm sure the free market will come up with a much cheaper and more effective solution. After all our free market health care system is cheaper and better than those nasty government socialist systems in other countries, right? Not like cheese eating surrender monkeys in France have a lower infant mortality rate and higher life expectancy than the US of A. Oh wait, they DO have lower infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy rates. But our system is cheaper, right? Oh, it's not? We spend MORE on health care than any other nation? Peachy. Oh well, so long as I have my guns, Bible and cheap gas everything is A-OK.

    I agree with Angelatini, right now the media is blowing this way out of proportion just like they blow so many other “dangers” out of proportion (“stranger danger”, pit bulls, assault rifles, etc., etc.)

  25. The “free market solution” would be….buy your own hospital. Can't afford your own infectious disease center? The devil take the hindmost!

  28. UPDATE: Seattle schools just called and Aki Middle School and Stevens Elementary have closed for a week as a precautionary measure (not sure what that means)…

  30. the media almost seemed happy to have some cases in seattle. It was kind of creepy. Like they had been waiting and waiting for it to get here so they could report on it….But hey, at least the recession is over.

  31. Not to bring it up, but have you ever wondered if these tranisents might spread the virus like mules across Seattle and Ballard. Why do we have such high numbers compared to the rest of the country? Huge transient population is the answer.

    I saw one hacking a bad cough on the steps of Carnagie Library earlier. Real sick acting. Not even covering his mouth and his hands were filthy too….

  34. Well, maybe we should insist the Food Banks, Shelters, and Soup Kitchens require basis cleanliness as a condition for luring trainsients into Ballard. At least clean hands. There is a reason most neighborhoods don't wan't transients. They carry all sorts of viruses and diseases.

    How many millions of microbes of bacteria are on the hands of some of these grimy meth heads sleeping in Marvin Gardens or eating out of dumpsters? You're telling me they constantly wash thier hands and never touch anything the rest of us do, or our kids. (IE – Things in the Library and Coffee Shops they live in all day)

  36. really – sometimes I tune in to see if I can recognize you just by the cadence of your freak out. How many aliases are you up to by now?

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