FWIW, here is a reason given to us at work in the Texas Medical Center..
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[SIZE=4]School Closures[/SIZE]
More K-12 school closures are expected, even if the relative number of flu cases are small. CDC currently recommends the closure of a school if there is one confirmed case in that school. The length of time that school would remain closed depends on the extent and severity of flu in the affected school.
Health officials consider K-12 schools to be at higher risk for transmission of disease than schools of higher education because of the ways in which younger children interact, they're less-developed sense of personal hygiene habits and the constancy of daily close interaction.
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Children do tend to put fingers in mouths, touch everything, share alot of things.. etc. More risk for spreading the flu quicker, but in the end, this thing is proven to just be a mild flu as said in this following text sent as well at work:
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What we know as of 5-3-2009: information from the School of Public Health Rapid Response Team (which works closely with the city and county health departments) reports:- 40 confirmed cases in Texas
- 3 confirmed in the Houston area
- An estimated 20 more cases of suspected or probable cases in Houston, awaiting confirmatory testing
- An estimated 5 more cases of suspected or probable cases in Harris County, awaiting confirmatory testing
- 1,500 samples have been sent to the City Health Department for testing
The good news is that the flu itself appears to be relatively mild but contagious, with a significant potential for spreading. At this point, community containment strategies are focused on places where children congregate, such as schools, because in situations like these, children are recognized to be the “engine of transmission”. This is not due to any particular susceptibility, but rather they are less likely to maintain rigorous hygiene habits.
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