Swine flu shots at school: Bracing for fall return- Should We Pull Our Kids Out Of School?

[Isis Wisdom]

WASHINGTON – U.S. swine flu vaccinations could begin in October with children among the first in line — at their local schools — the Obama administration said Thursday as the president and his Cabinet urged states to figure out now how they'll tackle the virus' all-but-certain resurgence.

"We may end up averting a crisis. That's our hope," said President Barack Obama, who took time away from the G-8 summit in Italy to telephone another summit back home — the 500 state and local health officials meeting to prepare for swine flu's fall threat.

No final decision has been made on whether to vaccinate Americans, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stressed. That depends largely on studies with experimental batches that are set to start the first week of August — to see if they're safe and seem to work and to learn whether they require one or two doses.

But if all goes well, the federal government will buy vaccine from manufacturers and share it for free among the states, which must then "try and get this in the arms of the targeted population as soon as possible," Sebelius said.

First in line probably will be school-age children, young adults with risky conditions such as asthma, pregnant women and health workers, she said. Unlike regular winter flu, the swine flu seems more dangerous to these groups than to older people.

"Schools are natural places" to offer those vaccines, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said.

Go home and get schools, mayors and other community leaders to spread that message, Sebelius said.

"The last thing we want is millions of parents to be surprised" the day the get-your-kid-vaccinated-at-school note comes home, she said.

Schools do occasionally team up with local health officials for special flu vaccination clinics, but it's not common. More than 140 schools around the country scheduled flu vaccination days last fall, some providing free vaccine. Some vaccinated only students bearing parent consent forms; others opened their doors to entire families.

It will be a confusing fall, Sebelius acknowledged. Doctors' offices, clinics and even grocery stores will be in the midst of dispensing 100 million-plus doses of regular winter flu vaccine — and the swine flu vaccine, which will roll out slowly, will require at least one completely separate inoculation.

"We know a mass vaccination program of even modest scale will involve extraordinary effort on your part," Sebelius told state health workers.

She also announced $350 million in grants to help states prepare, money to be used partly to brace hospitals for a surge of demand from the truly sick and the well-but-worried.

"We want to make sure we are not promoting panic but we are promoting vigilance and preparation," Obama told the gathering.

State officials welcomed the funds but had more practical questions for the feds, starting with what they learned from the chaos when swine flu first burst on the scene last spring and schools around the country closed because of sick students.

Since then, the virus has infected an estimated 1 million Americans and still is spreading, remarkable considering influenza usually can't tolerate summer's heat and humidity.

"What I need from all of you is an idea of when it is best to close, when it is necessary to close and when it's not," said Belinda Pustka, superintendent of Texas' Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District.

"Closing school is a last resort not a first resort," Duncan stressed, but he said schools need to plan how they'll keep students learning if they do have to close for extended periods.

Pustka's schools posted assignments online. But Sue Todey of Wisconsin's Department of Public Education said that between rural geography and poverty, many students don't have the necessary Internet access and she's exploring using public television or old-fashioned sending home of paper assignments.

An even bigger problem: When schools close and working parents need to stay home — or any worker gets sick — too often, they don't get paid, said Paul Jarris of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. So they come to work, spreading infection.

"How are we going to assist people who don't have benefits?" he asked.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said she was working with the Labor Department to address that question, and she urged employers to allow telecommuting and make other provisions should swine flu hit their workplaces this fall.

Swine flu outbreaks in the fall are all but certain given its continued spread here — 50 outbreaks in children's summer camps so far — and abroad, with major problems in parts of the Southern Hemisphere.

What doctors can't predict is how bad it will be during the U.S. flu season, but Obama's team of heavy-hitters spent Thursday warning against complacency.

Even if swine flu proves no more deadly than regular winter flu, that kills 36,000 Americans a year — and with swine flu, teenagers and young adults are being disproportionately hit, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And both types could very well spread at the same time this fall.

"If it doesn't happen, we'll be fortunate," Sebelius added.
Source

[Carolina Redd]

GTFOOH! Not going with my seed.

[PoetikkApoztle]

Let me tell u something. I have had the flu one time in my life!!! My daughterhad that shit once. U aint stickin me with shit and u def aint sticking my daughter with shit. FUCK OUTTA here!!! I'm not trying to here it....Furthermore how are people with asthma and pregnant women at risk??? I thought they dont give vaccinations to people with disorders at birth or pregnant women!!!! U barely can take aspirin when u pregnant. I aint beat !!!!

[PoetikkApoztle]

SOUNDS LIKE CONSPUUUURACY...lol COnspiracy I tell u!!!

[Lee Sullivan]

I have a play daughter who home-schools all four of my god sons and her family thinks she's crazy, while I support her in everyway that I can.

I home-school by son because of "bullying". Unless they changed the laws, in Georgia, you only need a high school diploma to home-school, and it ain't that hard, but the lazy and the ignorant will willingly give their children over to the enemy, the wise will not. Unless the people begin to work together as a community against the wilds of the devil, we will be defeated.

[sincere2k]

@Lee: I find it strange that they have the vaccines ready & just in time for the fall. Did they even test them to see if they are safe? Who is to say the H1N1 virus isn't in those vaccines? Who is to say the chip isn't in those shots as well? Unfortunately, I can see the lazy & ignorant falling for this trap & their children will be crippled, sick or drop dead. The 1976 Swine flu disaster showed that. A lot of our troops died or were forever cripple due to those shots.

But in some communities across this nation. I can see some HEAVY RESISTANCE. The NWO media will demonize anyone who resist the vaccinations. (I.E WACO, RUBY RIDGE) I see Obama & his gestapo buddies using force if necessary when the public resist. This gov't needs to disarm the public b/c they know americans will defend themselves from tyranny. There are already ppl commenting on other blogs & on radio shows basically saying if the gov't tries to force vaccinations on their families They will DEFEND themselves with force. I don't blame them b/c it's no different from an armed robber pointing a gun to your head telling you to give me your money or your life. That is why they are pushing all of these anti american bills to have more control over all of us. They even want control of our OWN BODIES. They need a dumb down, defenseless, drugged out, slave populace. I'm not calling for violence but with the way the gov't is carrying on. I can see a lot of ppl finally standing up & having enough of this bullshit. Then again a lot of them are so brain dead & still drinking the kool aid. I can see them rolling over & giving in. Last year, I had a very deep conversation with a friend of mine who told me to leave america b/c he had word from his father who still talks to his army buddies on how bad shit is going to be in this country in the next year or so. I still have some time left. Maybe, I better start packing LOL

[Isis Wisdom]

I was told by my elders I had until december for me and my daughter to get out. And that's no bullshit.

[sincere2k]

@ISIS: I definitely believe you. We are living in some very scary times.