current event #5-Obama declares swine flu national emergency

As everyone knows, swine flu is becoming an epidemic. kids in schools all over the nation are getting it and becoming severely ill and out of school for a week or more, effecting their education.people have been encouraged to take precautions such as washing their hands thouroughly and using hand sanitizer or not sharing food or drink with anyone. many people are not really listening however and taking this seriously.when it spreads around so quickly to the point where lots of kids are out of school because of it, its not something to be taken lightly.

this article talks about how Obama has declared swine flu a national emergency. This order has given the health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to protect noninfected patients and speed treatment for those infected so it doesn't get worse. the chief is now able to bypass rules for opening alternative care centers at schools or community centers. Hospitals have now started to open up drive-thrus and drive up tent clinics to screen and treat patients with swine flu. theyre trying to keep swine flu patients out of regular ER's and hospitals so as to not affect the patients with other illnessess. hospitals are now allowed to modify patient rules so as to get to treatment more quickly. though there are regulations still that if not followed, could mean the federal government won't fund the treatment, it is not stopping hospitals from doing as much as they can.

Swine flu is speading so fast and has already cost more than 1000 deaths in the U.S. so far. there have also been more than 20,000 hospitalizations for it. I am completely for the hospitals doing all that they can to treat as many as possible while trying to prevent more infections.we need to fight this as much as possible before it gets worse.hoever, even with the deaths and so many home sick, people still are not taking this as seriously as it needs to be taken. there are probably still kids who are infected but have not been tested yet that are walking in our schools, unknowingly spreading the virus. people need to be taking precautions.while the H1N1 vaccine is not available to everyone yet, there is the recent flu shot that while it will not prevent you from catching the virus, it will help if you do catch the flu because it may help to reduce the symptoms. In the past, many people have never paid much attention to getting their seasonal flu shots but beacuse of the H1N1 epidemic, they are becoming more aware of taking precautions.even the seasonal flu causes deaths every year.many americans are not hygeinic enough when it comes to washing their hands after using the bathroom.it takes like 2 mins to wash your hands thouroughly so I'd say it's not a big sacrifice to spend 2 mins of your time.

I feel terrible for the young children in america right now whos parents wont immunize them. now with the H1N1 epidemic going through schools, its even more of a problem especially with young children who are more likely to catch it.