Flu Prompts Boston to Declare Public Health Emergency

[txsvicki]

Taking kids to a doctor only to get required school excuses is probably spreading some germs. I usually end up making one or two visits per year for that and wouldn't have gone otherwise. Some type of virus or flu has been going around every single year for the past three or so years the first week school starts back in August. My grandson always misses a few days the second week. Then add in a stomach bug or cold later and all excused abscences are used up. He did have mild flu this year after we had been to the doctor for an excuse the week before, but I suppose he could have caught it at school.

 

[Hez]

snipped

Other thoughts:

As far as the cough in your elbow, I still disagree. Teaching children to do so, means they will as adults and spread even more germs as adults. We all know children touch everything, but we also all know if you have children, they are bringing germs home.

I, personally, do not touch any outside doorknobs to bathrooms, if I cannot enter freely or without kicking it, I use a tissue I have or just don't go. I wait. Fortunately, at work it is a sliding door, so I don't have to touch until I get in there and grab a paper towel if I need to go, or just wash my hands with the door open if I do not need to go. I do not touch public door knobs without a barrier of at least tissue.

I also know that when I worked in restaurants and touching peoples glasses, plates, silverware, and where they sat, I did not get sick. Guess the more I was exposed a little at a time, the more I built up a tolerance.

Some people cannot call in sick to work. It is not allowed, if you do even with a note, there can be consequences. When your bosses come in sick, you are expected to also. In fact, you probably got it from them. The bosses can decide if you seem sick enough to go home, note from a doctor or not. It is a fact. Wish the benefits of "personal days" or "sick days" spread to all, but they don't. Then there are those that cannot afford to go get a doctor note even if it is allowed.

Don't know what to say or think, but it is flu season. I did notice that DD lives in the Mid-West, I live on the East coast. It hit Nebraska a few months before it did here. Are the viruses simply living in the air and travel in that manner?

BBM - Again, it's the mist of viruses that spray into the air when you cough in your hand that allows the virus to be easily transmitted to others through the air we breathe. People are becoming more and more diligent about hand washing and using hand sanitizer, yet people are still getting sick because the virus is highly transmittable when it becomes airborne.

 

[21merc7]

BBM - Again, it's the mist of viruses that spray into the air when you cough in your hand that allows the virus to be easily transmitted to others through the air we breathe. People are becoming more and more diligent about hand washing and using hand sanitizer, yet people are still getting sick because the virus is highly transmittable when it becomes airborne.

I understand that, but wouldn't it be better to teach people to use a tissue, cover and cough, then wash. Much like saying "wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands." Can't we add "cover and cough, wash your hands", and repeat to that.

When you work with a lot of people that wear dry clean only, or you just don't know how often they may wash that jacket, you worry about those types of things.

How long do the germs last once expelled? I do not know enough about germs and viruses to know.

Good luck not getting the flu everyone. From what I am seeing on the news there is really no way of avoiding it if you are around a lot of others. The news did say you can still get the shot (if you are not allergic) and that it helps 68% of the people that get the shot, the symptoms not as bad.

If you are lucky and not around a lot of people, carry Lysol wipes and wipe off anything you have to touch when you go out, like the grocery cart handle. I'm back to Lysol, lol. I also am uncertain about those hand sanitizers, does alcohol kill the germs? I don't use them, I wash my hands all the dang time though.

 

[rollinginit]

Thankfully, my daughter's school lets us do 3 days without a dr's excuse. Anything over 3 days has to be excused though.

I had the flu shot at the end of Nov. I got the flu at the end of Dec. It spread like wildfire in my family. I don't think I got it as bad as my daughter did. Maybe the flu shot helped me? My husband is the only one that didn't get the flu. He got his shot sometime in Oct. My brother was visiting when I got it, and he carried it back to home with him. Now his whole family has it. I'm sure he also passed it on to everybody on the plane with him.

I'm pretty convinced Stephen King knew what he was talking about in "The Stand" It is like *Captain Tripps*

 

[killarney rose]

Thankfully, my daughter's school lets us do 3 days without a dr's excuse. Anything over 3 days has to be excused though.

I had the flu shot at the end of Nov. I got the flu at the end of Dec. It spread like wildfire in my family. I don't think I got it as bad as my daughter did. Maybe the flu shot helped me? My husband is the only one that didn't get the flu. He got his shot sometime in Oct. My brother was visiting when I got it, and he carried it back to home with him. Now his whole family has it. I'm sure he also passed it on to everybody on the plane with him.

I'm pretty convinced Stephen King knew what he was talking about in "The Stand" It is like *Captain Tripps*

But was it flu confirmed by a test at the dr? Or a bad, bad cold( I call the crud) or a stomach virus? For so many these illnesses are all called the flu. I'm not criticizing, just curious.

 

[rollinginit]

But was it flu confirmed by a test at the dr? Or a bad, bad cold( I call the crud) or a stomach virus? For so many these illnesses are all called the flu. I'm not criticizing, just curious.

Yes, it was confirmed the flu with me. I had to go to the rapid response b/c of the cough.
The other's didn't go to the doctor, but my Brother took his step daughter and hers was also confirmed the flu.

 

[BeginnersLuck]

Dr. Oz is on right now and doing a very informative show on the current flu situation.

 

[Reader]

How Far Can the Flu Fly?

http://www.wunderground.com/news/how-far-flu-fly-20130205

While most people tend to keep some distance between themselves and those who have the flu, that distance may not be enough, as a new study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases reportedly states that particles containing the flu virus can reportedly be emitted as far as six feet............more.............

 

[Reader]

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Synopsis:

During week 4 (January 20-26), influenza activity remained elevated in the United States, but decreased in some areas.

◦Viral Surveillance: Of 10,581 specimens tested and reported by collaborating laboratories, 2,701 (25.5%) were positive for influenza.

◦Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality: The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold.

◦Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths: Eight pediatric deaths were reported.

 

[not_my_kids]

Everybody at hubby's work has the flu. Literally everyone. They are working at half-staff, and hubby was the last one to get it. I can't prove that he has it yet, but he woke up this morning with a sore throat and his ears plugged up. I figure he'll be home by noon...and I really wish he's just stay at work. Everybody there already has it. On the flip side, the four kids and his pregnant wife at home have been spared so far this year.

Darn it.