Replies

Several issues here. First, the move to ban dodgeball, tag etc. is just silly PC nonsense. Second, kids need some kind of physical outlet during the school-day, especially younger kids. Banning recess, PE etc. will only lead to a school full of kids bouncing off the walls by the end of the day which may even be more dangerous than supervised physical activity.

As for the HIV issue it is true that the rules on HIV confidentiality are extremely strict. I handle blood and body fluids all the time and usually I'm not told about a person's HIV status. I have to assume they're all positive. That being said, I'm not aware of a single case of documented HIV transmission during athletic activity. Due to the nature of the virus this sort of transmission is very unlikely and I would not tell people to withdraw their kids from sports because they would be playing with an infected child.

BTW, among medical people there is really very little concern about occupational AIDS exposure. The disease we really fear is Hepatitis.

The disease we really fear is Hepatitis.

The nurse talked about that at length, as well, but I can't recall everything she said. Is there a type of Hepatitis that is contagious via airborne particules? What is the disease you can catch via air transmission? I know she mentioned one at least, and that was really frightening.

BTW, thanks for your thoughtful post, jalisco. I agree kids need some recess/PE time, but the risk of HIV transmission through contact sports is something that still concerns me. I have seen too many kids with an open wound or easily bloodied at school just by a fall or a scrape or a paper cut, and that's why we all have to wear gloves now, even to put on a band-aid.