Monday, June 8, 2009

Will postponing classes be sufficient to prevent Ah1n1?

This years biggest issue worldwide is, one, the economic crisis and second, the Ah1n1 virus spreading all over the world. Although there are several kinds of strains, there are some precautionary measures that can be applied to prevent Ah1n1.

Just last week, a student from De La Salle University was found to be positive with the Ah1n1 virus. This was when the Commission on Higher Education declared that all colleges and university postpone their classes opening date to June 15, 2009.

The ultimate question is, won't the younger kids (grade school and high school) get infected with the Ah1n1 virus? Why did they not postpone the classes of the grade school and high school students?

In my opinion, classes should be postponed further and I think that it's better that they lessen the students' summer next year since they had a long vacation this year. This will keep everyone safer. Also, the information campaign is not sufficient. This Ah1n1 virus is overrated. Though the death rate is low, what's scary is the mutation capabilities of the virus. But, people should also know that there are far more deadlier viruses out there that can be more deadlier than the Ah1n1. Dengue is an example.

If you look at the chart below, the percentage is really low and we hope that it stays low or even become lower. (Source: WHO)

Country Cumulative total
Newly confirmed since the last reporting period

Cases Deaths Cases Deaths
Argentina 147 0 16 0
Australia 876 0 375 0
Austria 2 0 1 0
Bahamas 1 0 0 0
Bahrain 1 0 0 0
Barbados 1 0 1 0
Belgium 13 0 0 0
Bolivia 3 0 0 0
Brazil 28 0 8 0
Bulgaria 1 0 0 0
Canada 1795 3 265 1
Chile 369 1 56 1
China 89 0 20 0
Colombia 24 0 4 0
Costa Rica 68 1 18 0
Cuba 4 0 0 0
Cyprus 1 0 0 0
Czech Republic 2 0 1 0
Denmark 4 0 3 0
Dominican Republic 33 0 22 0
Ecuador 43 0 4 0
Egypt 1 0 0 0
El Salvador 49 0 8 0
Estonia 3 0 2 0
Finland 4 0 0 0
France 47 0 21 0
Germany 43 0 15 0
Greece 5 0 0 0
Guatemala 23 0 9 0
Honduras 34 0 32 0
Hungary 3 0 2 0
Iceland 1 0 0 0
India 4 0 3 0
Ireland 8 0 4 0
Israel 39 0 6 0
Italy 38 0 8 0
Jamaica 2 0 0 0
Japan 410 0 25 0
Korea, Republic of 41 0 0 0
Kuwait 18 0 0 0
Lebanon 3 0 0 0
Luxembourg 1 0 1 0
Malaysia 2 0 0 0
Mexico 5563 103 534 6
Netherlands 4 0 0 0
New Zealand 11 0 1 0
Nicaragua 5 0 4 0
Norway 9 0 5 0
Panama 173 0 18 0
Paraguay 5 0 0 0
Peru 47 0 7 0
Philippines 29 0 13 0
Poland 4 0 0 0
Portugal 2 0 0 0
Romania 8 0 3 0
Russia 3 0 0 0
Saudi Arabia 1 0 1 0
Singapore 12 0 3 0
Slovakia 3 0 1 0
Spain 218 0 38 0
Sweden 13 0 6 0
Switzerland 10 0 0 0
Thailand 8 0 6 0
Turkey 8 0 4 0
United Kingdom 428 0 89 0
United States of America 11054 17 1001 0
Uruguay 15 0 0 0
Venezuela 4 0 1 0
Viet Nam 3 0 0 0
Grand Total 21940 125 2667 8


It is also important that the government do not disclose the information and location of people infected with the said virus to prevent it from spreading further. Doing so, they are risking more people to be infected with the Ah1n1 flu strain.



On another note, I guess that the postponement of the classes in the college level might have something to do with the con-ass independence day rally that would be even bigger this Friday if the classes in the college level would already start. Otherwise, why didn't they also postpone the classes in the grade school and high school level?

For those planning to join the CONASS independence day rally, go! Let's not give chance to the government to do whatever they want. It is impossible that President GMA has no "hidden agenda" with this CONASS thing.

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