Flying Pig Flew?

Coming into the room the other day, the littlest made a comment about that “flying pig flu”. Ummm….yeah. Thinking she must have mixed her metaphors or having some word placement problems, I corrected her misplaced wording. “Swine Flu”, I said.

Stopping what she was doing, she looked at me with exasperation, one eyebrow cocked, and said, “Well, it’s a PIG flu and has BIRD flu in it, so its Flying Bird Flu!”

Well, DUH!!

In all seriousness, our little corner of the world has officially been swined upon.

City Schools superintendent’s letter to parents

Posted April 29, 2009 9:58 PM

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Late this afternoon, we received information that there have been two probable cases of swine flu in City Schools. In both cases, the children attend Heritage Elementary School . After talking with the local pediatrician and the County Health Department we were joined in a conference call with the Alabama Department of Public Health, Governor Riley, State Superintendent Joe Morton, Mayor Finley, Council President Tommy Overcash, governmental officials from Huntsville and Madison County and other health and emergency officials. This conference call was to assess the situation, determine a plan of action, and guide in the release of information. It was determined that Chairman Gillespie, Mayor Finley and Mayor Battle would release this information at a joint press conference with Madison County Health Department Director, Dr. Robey.

Heritage will be closed for seven days. The other schools in the district will be closed until Monday. These closings could be extended. That would be determined if other students are infected. We will take advantage of this period of closing and use it as an opportunity to clean the schools with measures prescribed by health officials and as an opportunity to break the cycle of infection. I urge you not to allow your children to play and gather with other children during this time. Person to person contact, coughing and sneezing, are the main avenues that this virus uses to spread.

This is not a time for panic. However, this is a serious situation. Common sense and good hygiene are critical. If you have the symptoms of flu: fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue please contact your physician.

I am pleased to tell you that both children are recovering. Neither was hospitalized.

We will release more information when it is available and when we are permitted by the Departments of Public Health.

Associated PressMore than two dozen suspected influenza specimens

from around Alabama are being tested.