to think parents who refuse to let their children mix with my ds because he goes to a school closed for pig flu are idiots

[TheDullWitch]

DS1's school is closed because of pig flu, he's taking Tamiflu - although he has no symptoms whatsoever. The health advice is, he can go anywhere, mix with anyone. DS2 is going in every day to his different school. Even so friends have cancelled their visit because they're worried about catching it! The hysteria is ridiculous.

i think i'd cancel tbh.

I am sorry, but I can see their point.
The hysteria being whipped up is ridiculous, but if your have young children/babies why take the risk?

But they saw us last week! When he'd already mixed with the children who went on to get it. He has no symptoms. None of us do. It is perfectly safe according to government advice.

YABU to think so little of your friends.

i would be wary of exposing my family to people exposed to swine flu, why put yourself in harms way? i know lots of othjer things we do daily carry risk, but i think mixing with potential swine flu carriers without a second thought is not the best idea

It is daft but that's easy to say when it's not your dc. I don't think I'd take dd anywhere that there was even a tiny risk, even though my sensible head says it's nonsense.

Why is his school closed if the advice is that he can go anywhere and mix with anyone?

God, what a bunch of over reactors!

YANBU - I'd carry on as usual.

The school is closed, the pupils themselves are on Tamiflu, but no one else is - I'm not, nor is my dh or other ds. The children - the 99.9 per cent who are well - are allowed to travel, go about their normal lives, except go to school.

We are not infectious!

I understand you because you know your DS isn't ill. But I'd be a bit wary aswell, especially when we don't know exactly whether it will mutate or whatever. I know it probably won't but.... I know I sound a bit wet by the way

TheDullWitch - I'll bring DS round to play if you like

VLR> you are most welcome!

Apparently one of the girls who has it has been receiving threatening phone calls. I don't think this is fear of contagion is bringing out the best in people.

Can we come over?
Not that it would likely do any good - but if the flu mutates for the worse, then historically the ones who catch it in the relatively mild first wave are the lucky ones.... since they are (hopefully) immune to the later, more deadly version (should it emerge)

It's their call.

If I wasn't pg I'd personally be very gung ho about catching it now. There are so few cases at the moment you'd be sure to get all the treatment and drugs you need. Chances are that it might come back with a vengeance in the Winter, and people who have already had it will be immune.

In fact I'd be tempted to get it now even though I'm pg, as I think the risks to the baby are less while its inside me than out!

Sorry but why are they closing the schools, then? Can someone explain?

x-posts with fellow pessimist Donk

the Dullwitch are they going to close JAGS and Dulwich too do you know?

To the untrained eye it seems like it's no worse that your average dose of man flu so if it's going to come around again in the autumn (as rumoured) I rather get it over with now. But then I'm the sort of "bad" mother who happily let her DS play with friends who had chicken pox.

oooh, such an interesting point, donk and madameant.

I'm with Donk & MadamAnt - I feel a MN get together coming on here .

I'll bring the dc round too.

Total silliness.

Why are the schools closed then HMMMMM?????

MP - Because in any flu epidemic (be it normal winter flu or whatever) there is a risk to vulnerable groups - and if it gets going properly, and the normal 0.1% die, that's a lot of people! (60,000 if everyone caught it in the UK. So I can understand the powers that be trying to stop it spreading whilst they still have a chance of doing so effectively.

It would also be completely politically unacceptable!