There are no confirmed cases of swine flu in Hillsborough County, but officials say there are five probable cases. That’s good enough to shut down Freedom High School and Liberty Middle School – both in New Tampa and Wilson Middle School in Hyde Park.
While cleaning crews are scrubbing down all three schools, administrators are working to get homework assignments up on the websites.
All extracurricular activities at these schools have also been suspended for the week.
For those of you in other schools, stay informed through the School District of Hillsborough County website, or follow their tweets at http://twitter.com/hillsboroughsch.
The rest of us can keep up on the latest from the CDC Emergencey Preparedness site, or find their updates via twitter at http://twitter.com/cdcemergency.
To help keep the swine flu in check, follow some simple rules:
And wash your hands again.
Rich
10 months ago
Just the government using fear to control their population again. Just like Thomas Payne said they do. Didn’t we have a swine flu pandemic in the 70’s where the government conned us into mandatory inoculations? I believe 1 person died of the swine flu and 25 died from the inoculations back then. They suspended it after 40M were inoculated. Made some pharma company some big bucks though. I bet there were some big donations to the congress people who passed that law. 36,000 people die in this country every year from the flu. Your garden variety flu.
jason
10 months ago
So now that the CDC says it isn’t a serious flu are the schools going to reopen? Not really sure of the Thomas Paine quote you’re searching for there Rich but I don’t know it. Also how does the CDC announcement that the flu is nothing to worry about fit into your little anti-government rant? What exactly was the sinister goal behind closing three schools again? It sounds like you might be transposing your own anti-government mindset on an unrelated issue.
Meredith
10 months ago
Google Tamiflu & Donald Rumsfeld. Flu is being hyped for profits. It’s being manipulated just like the non-existent weapons of mass destruction resulted in big profits for those who declared the hype. You can ridicule this, but watch for the problem-reaction-solution pattern in future events, because it’s obvious once you’re aware of it.
Rich
10 months ago
A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.
-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man
“…the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think.”
-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man
“‘Tis surprising to see how rapidly a panic will sometimes run through a country. All nations and ages have been subject to them.”
-Thomas Paine, The American Crisis
“Every lie is welcome that suits its purpose.”-Thomas Paine
When an objection cannot be made formidable, there is some policy in trying to make it frightful; and to substitute the yell and the war-whoop, in the place of reason, argument and good order.
Thomas Paine
Fear as a tactic to hold power and manipulate people is one used by tyrants, fools, and bad presidents. It does not serve the good of the people.
Jason,
Why all the panic to begin with? Didn’t we go through that in the 70’s? 40M inoculations and 25 deaths for the swine flu that killed 1 person. Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in the United States on Apr 26 with 21 confirmed cases. Really? A state of emergency??
36,000 people die every year from the flu in this country. Do we close the schools during flu season??
jason
10 months ago
Those are all great random Paine quotes, but none address the use of fear to control the public. “slavery of fear had made men afraid to think” is actually a comment on the success of the American government that was not possible in the established governments of old Europe. I am not sure what connection that has to your point but I feel you likely googled Thomas Paine (like I did) to find some quotes.
CDC declared an emergency, the media picked it up because it was news and ’swine flu’ sounded scary, then it was shown the flu wasn’t that bad and everybody stood down. Don’t fall into the trap of reading too much into this.