close schools

[smbrookes]

The hospitals are struggling to cope already, medication is running out, the vaccines don't seem to work and children in at risk groups have not been offered the vaccine anyhow, and when I asked was told that there were not enough vaccines available. With sending children back to school this week, we are all no better than the government. The sitting back and wait and see, as well as it is not so bad mentality, will not work out on this one. No one has predicted that this flu outbreak would be so severe, and it is getting significantly worse every week. Which responsible parent would send their child into school, which is a breeding ground for viruses, especially if the child is in an at risk group. Lots of children will pick this up, and when they get ill, and need treatment, oh sorry, the hospitals are full! What is the problem with leaving schools closed and waiting until it is more clear where this outbreak is heading. Mexico closed the schools last year, and it was very effective. Why not here? This is up to the government to manage, but all they do is re-launch a vaccination campaign, with the vaccine not being effective for 2-3 weeks anyhow, as well as there not being enough vaccines. Plain stupid.

So presumably noone should go to work either, use public transport, or go shopping ....

it clearly is for ignorant people like you that this country always makes the headlines:
highest death rate in the western European countries last year, and the first in the western European countries to have a flu epidemic this year. Oh, and the lowest number of ICU beds per head. Something to be proud of...

I am talking about vulnerable children in at risk groups. Schools are a breeding ground for viruses, and children are in school the whole day. I would say the same for adults in at risk groups. They should stay at home until this is under control. Other European Countries did that last year, and they still have a better economy than Britain.

I think they should close the schools for a few weeks too. In that closure time vaccinations could be given to all children.

Journalistic hype - perhaps not - the fact is that most intensive care beds are filling up and this is not the norm. Healthy people are dying, just wait until Thursday till we get another death count, bet is four times as high.

I cannot believe how the government can shut their eyes to this. There are lots of children who are in at risk groups, who they have failed to offer vaccines to, and who they now deliberately put at risk by opening schools af if nothing is happening. Where will those children get treatment if they do get ill? I hope that all parents with children in at risk groups will decide to keep their kids at home until this is under control.
I am still amazed that we can keep schools closed for a few inches of snow, but not to protect our children from this bug that clearly the governement does not know how to deal with.
Other European countries are nowhere near these numbers and have much better health system, so patients are properly looked after.