It's Starting Already!

Generally, I have a pretty healthy family. Rarely get the flu. We usually are okay until January. I get walking pneumonia, my girls get bronchitis. Last year we all had a form of Strep instead. I figure, we live in the northeastern part of the country, it is COLD here in winter, of course we get sick. Walk outside and take one big gulp of cold air and if you're really unlucky and it goes straight to your lungs BAM! Pneumonia almost overnite! I know because I have DONE it.

School has been back in session for about six weeks and when I say everyone I do mean everyone has some variation of sickness. I have been commenting for the past two week on how empty the playground has been in the morning. When my daughter goes to lineup with her class and the line consists of ten kids rather than nineteen- it's bad. When quizes are postponed because too many kids are out sick to give a quiz- it's bad.

The thing is, the kids that are there, most of them are teetering, mine included. A mild sore throat, a cough, congestion galore. No one is really full-blown healthy! A neighboring school district shut down completely at the end of last week because 30% of its' students were out sick. Over 850 kids! Flu shots are just becoming available here. Usually families get them BEFORE there is a hint of sickness. The school district has sent home letters directing parents on new protocol. Kids MUST be home for 24 hours after a fever has broken. A bout with the flu equals at least 3 days off, if not five. I wonder how this will affect truancy issues here. Normally 6 or 7 days absent without a doctors excuse and you risk a letter threatening to drag you to the magistrate for truancy. That general rule, I would think, would have to be revised.

I've been told that our entire school distric was approved for the Swine Flu vaccine. I'm not sure how if they intend to make it mandatory or even if they should. I know many parents are equally divided on the issue. Many moms that I've talked too are going above and beyond to keep their kids healthy and to them it means any and all vaccines will be administered. Others are extremely worried about sickness, but equally concerned about a vaccine that has been rushed into existence.

I would love feedback on this. Are you experiencing a similar increase in sick kids in your area? Where do you stand on the Swine Flu vaccine? It's my opinion that everyone is entitled to do what they believe is in the best interest of their child, but I love fielding opinions and being challenged to thing about things differently.