Swine Flu May Be Behind 191 Illnesses at School

 

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She felt no reason to panic, Laswell explained. Taylor didn't have other health-related conditions, and her doctor prescribed the simple flu treatment instructions: stay home, rest and drink fluids. Taylor's two siblings – an 11-year-old and a Pius X grad – poke fun at her, warning her to stay away, but have avoided the virus.

So far only one Pius X teacher has shown flu symptoms, coming to school on Monday, Korta said, and planning "to toughen it out." Administrators shooed the teacher back home.

The principal said he considers complete school dismissal out of question – unless many more teachers get sick. "If you get to a point where you are not being able to staff your classes, that is a good reason to close the school," he said, adding that Pius X isn't in need of such a "significant step" yet.

Korta couldn't estimate how many absent students it would take to force him to lock down the school. "I do think there is an importance in offering some normalcy through something like this," he explained. "So, to the extent that we feel we can maintain a normal day-to-day education, we're certainly going to do that."