When I hear of high absentee rates lately, I can't help but wonder how many are really "sick enough" (in traditional terms) to stay home, and how many are cowed by the media's constant exhortations to stay home if you have a cough or a sniffle . . .
In any case, I saw on a medical site (forget which) that the swine flu is contagious a full day before symptons appear.
Actually you're contagious 3 - 5 days before symptoms......
Lots of kids have been really sick at my kids’ school. One girl had a high fever (104) for a whole week. Another was out for 2 weeks (fever, cough). My 15 year old son has had had quite a few friends with high fevers. I’ve never seen this many kids this old get sick at the same time and get such high fevers.
I think though it peaked at my kids’ school about 2 weeks ago (after homecoming). The had about 20% of the kids out sick.
Of course, my son’s school has a dance coming up in a few weeks, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more kids get sick at the dance.
I agree that a number of the reported work/school absences may indeed be just “colds” and not actual swine flu—they are not testing here, so could actually have a situation where there could be both under and over reporting.
I think because there is little immunity in the young, schools are recommending kids stay away—both in IL and MI, schools have been shut down taking “snow days” early just because so many absences, they wanted to allow the kids to get well, and to disinfect schools. We had one freshman pass away at our local high school who had diagnosed H1N1 flu btw, so tho there is lots of hype, there is also reason for exercising caution.
Regarding being contagious day before show symptoms, wonder if that is not typical of most flu. Just read today that they are saying may be contagious longer than a day or two after fever ends.