Teens rebel against quarantine (SARS)

Globe & Mail ^ | Thursday, May 29, 2003 | CAROLINE ALPHONSO

[Grig]

Public health officials struggled to keep about 1,500 teenagers in quarantine yesterday, a task that proved insurmountable when some left their confinement to have fun.

On the first day of quarantine for students of Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy, just north of Toronto, one was already out shopping, while another invited friends to a concert where he was going to be playing last night.

Murray McQuigge, a spokesman for York Region's public health department, knows all too well that grounding an entire school without any supervision is far from easy.

"I'm sure that after this the parents of those kids will get together and write a book called How I Kept my Teenage Child Home for 10 Days, Dr. McQuigge said. "It will be quite a trick, but it will be absolutely necessary if we're going to contain this."

The school closed its doors yesterday because a Grade 11 student attended the school for three days last week with symptoms of SARS.

The 17-year-old boy's mother is a nurse on the orthopedic ward of North York General Hospital, the site of the latest outbreak. Both she and her son were admitted to North York on Friday after showing symptoms of the virus.

Officials said both are classified as suspected SARS cases and are in stable condition.

The boy's father has been calling them every day to check on their condition. He said his son still has a bit of a cough and a fever but is doing better. His wife, however, is having difficulty breathing. The man, who didn't want to be identified, is in quarantine right now, saying he has an "on-and-off cough."

"I'm just worried about what's going to happen to them. This kind of sickness is terrible," he said. "I always think about my family. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know."

In the meantime, students and staff at the school located in Markham are in quarantine till Tuesday. If another person shows symptoms, this quarantine period could be extended, health officials said.

Reached at their homes yesterday, many students were sleeping in, playing video games or surfing the Internet. A few were even catching up on homework.

But news quickly spread that some had broken quarantine. One girl, for example, took a shopping trip to the city.

"You can't expect people to be isolated for 10 days. We have quite the social life," said 15-year-old Rachel Gunasingham, whose friend went shopping. "It's very difficult. It's summer now, and we're off school early."

Rachel has resisted the temptation to wander outdoors herself. Her day was spent playing guitar, sleeping in, taking a quick trip to the back yard, and, of course, convincing her friend to return home.

"I'm not sure my parents will let me go outside. It's kind of selfish for me to do that," she acknowledged. Masks that health officials had promised had not been delivered to many students by yesterday afternoon. That means family members were unprotected in contact with the students.

Dr. McQuigge said that quarantine entails not leaving the home, spending as little time as possible in the room with others -- "teenaged kids will love that part" -- and wearing a mask around other family members.

While the students who were contacted yesterday said they are already bored at home, Tushar Basu, a Grade 9 student, said he wasn't about to start doing any chores either. "I don't even do that when I'm well," he said.

He walked around his house yesterday, trying to figure out what he could do next after exhausting his time on the Internet and watching television. "I'm trying to get caught up on the homework that I haven't done in class."

While teenagers may think of this quarantine as a few days to have some fun, Dr. McQuigge said they must stay indoors, preferably confined to their bedrooms, and watch for symptoms.

[Grig]

SARS is NOT contained any longer.

[goodnesswins]

"He walked around his house yesterday, trying to figure out what he could do next after exhausting his time on the Internet and watching television. "I'm trying to get caught up on the homework that I haven't done in class."

My kid would not be "BORED." He'd be REALLY busy! Homework would be first, the cable/internet connection would be CUT, and my garden would be weeded....for starts.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks for making this a separate post...the more who see it, the better.

[goodnesswins]

I just saw THIS.....STOOPID PARENTS is all I can say.....

"While the students who were contacted yesterday said they are already bored at home, Tushar Basu, a Grade 9 student, said he wasn't about to start doing any chores either. "I don't even do that when I'm well," he said."

[Grig]

Yup, my kids from my 9 year old up do their own laundry and rotate through a set of household chores weekly. My oldest (13) also delivers flyers 3 times a week. Then there are piano lessons (and practicing) scouts, etc.

There are so many poor parents these days, the fruits of liberalism.

[StriperSniper]

Throw them all together in a big warehouse or hanger someplace with a bunch of kegs and condoms and the whining will change to moaning. ;-)

[stars & stripes forever]

But news quickly spread that some had broken quarantine. One girl, for example, took a shopping trip to the city. "You can't expect people to be isolated for 10 days. We have quite the social life," said 15-year-old Rachel Gunasingham, whose friend went shopping. "It's very difficult. It's summer now, and we're off school early."

Why should people obey a SARS quarantine when politically correct transmitted diseases like AIDS have never been quarantined?

[jerseygirl]

Bump..! "Dr. McQuigge said they must stay indoors, preferably confined to their bedrooms, and watch for symptoms." Unfortunately many young people believe they are invincible...

[Timesink]

This lax enforcement will stop the moment the US border is closed to all Canadians ... which WILL happen if any of these little brats actually do come down with SARS.

Canada's government just doesn't get it.

[OXENinFLA]

Maybe these kids need to be informed on how CHINA is going to KILL those who infect people.

[Grig]

"Throw them all together in a big warehouse or hanger someplace with a bunch of kegs and condoms and the whining will change to moaning. ;-)"

And an outbreak of a whole other kind.

[CathyRyan]

If this happened when I was a teen I would whine until my parents said yes to..... a phone, iternet access, 20 books ordered from Amazon with next day delivery and just leave the junk food outside my door. And in exchange they would not see, or hear from me or have to give a second thought to my breaking quarantine for two weeks (just to be on the safe side). LOL

[AD from SpringBay]

Why should people obey a SARS quarantine when politically correct transmitted diseases like AIDS have never been quarantined?

As much as I appreciate the point I think you're making we need to admit there are different transmission methods between SARS and AIDS. I'm no expert but I'm guessing it's much easier to get SARS. It takes a little more to acquire AIDS.

[LurkedLongEnough]

You can't expect people to be isolated for 10 days.

(Unless they have access to Free Republic!)

[Chemist_Geek]

I'm no expert but I'm guessing it's much easier to get SARS. It takes a little more to acquire AIDS.

Correct. I'm not going to dispute the kid-glove handling of the AIDS phenomenon, but, the diseases are vastly different.

[I'm ALL Right!]

What a bunch of ignorant, selfish teenagers.

[Grig]

LOL!

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

SARS is NOT contained any longer.

You are correct. The rule that whoever breaks quarantine will be executed needs to be put in place.

[Mears]

I come from a generation where we were quarantined and we did it because those were the rules.Period!

When anyone contracted any of the childhood diseases the names and addresses were made public and,in the case of scarlet fever,the whole household was quarantined.When my brother contracted scarlet fever we were all quarantined,no school,no work,and we survived.There was even a sign put on the front door.

These kids are spoiled.self centered brats and need a "boot in the fanny" from the adults in their lives.

[radiohead]

your comment brought back memories. my sister and i got scarlet fever and the family was quarantined. i remember people dropping of boxes of food at the front door, ringing the bell, and running back to their cars.

do people even get scarlet fever anymore?