Schools and universities in El Salvador to close for two weeks
Beginning on Monday, July 27, classes at El Salvador's schools and universities will be suspended for two weeks until August 9 according to news reports. The measure was put in place by Salvadoran health authorities to stop the spread of H1N1 flu. (Classes would not have been in session during the week of August 2 in any event since that is the week of August vacations associated with the feast of El Salvador del Mundo, the patron saint of the country). El Salvador has 469 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu, including 6 deaths.
Story heard in El Salvador last week:
Story heard in El Salvador last week:
A wolf, a lion and a pig were debating who was the greatest and most fearsome animal.
The wolf declared, "I am the greatest. When I howl the people shake with fear."
The lion retorted, "No, it is I who am the greatest. When I roar, all of the people run away."
The pig then said, "That's nothing. When I sneeze, everyone dies."
Comments
People of all ages are falling ill and dying, and many countries with limited health care facilities can easily be overwhelmed and we'd have a human castatrophe at hand.
But if you must laugh, perhaps this fall the HINI virus will affect you or a loved one, and you can laugh to your hearts desire because, as you, no one will care either.
I'd seriously suggest you let the health care professionals take care of health related issues, and professors and teachers take care of clssroom issues.
How can you be too careful when there is a pandemic at hand that no one understands, and which is not a common cold. This pandemic is killing people, young and old, around the entire world and is out of control. You live in a country whose healthcare system can easily be overwhelmed and any preventive measure taken is very wise.
I absolutely respect the Salvadoran health professionals for their concern and oversight of this contagious desease. They are wisely following indications from the World Health Organization (WHO).
You as a teacher should understand that schools and universities are especially vulnerable and at risk becuase these bring together into close contact many children from different sectors and places, and infections can easly spread in this environment.
It's important in life that we each know our own limitations.
Because the swine flu virus is new, most people haven't developed an immunity to it. So far, most of those who have died from it in the United States have had other health problems, such as asthma.
The contagious swine flu virus has caused an unusual number of serious illnesses in teens and young adults; seasonal common flu usually is toughest on the elderly and very young children.
And despite fears that the virus will mutate and turn more deadly, genetic sequencing shows this influenza remains virtually identical to what is circulating in the U.S. and Mexico, making it more likely that a single vaccine can work around the world.
With more than a month still to go in the southern winter flu season, swine flu infections have peaked in Argentina. Doctor visits by people with flu symptoms have declined sharply. Hospital beds are available for the first time in weeks.
The A-H1N1 virus has probably spread so widely now that there are fewer susceptible people left to infect, flu experts say. And while the global epidemic is still in its early stages, there have been no signs of resistance to antiviral drugs in Argentina, so it's possible that Tamiflu will remain effective in patients who get timely treatment.
The bad news: Young healthy people are getting sicker and dying more often than other age groups, just like they are elsewhere in the world.