Influenza Causes People to Stay Home :: Journalism Media Studies Health Medical Essays

Influenza Causes People to Stay Home Yesterday the influenza record was broken as the highest number of [cases] in New York City alone was 5589 in a single day! The numbers are staggering and many people are looking at taking more precautions at preventing the disease to spread to them and loved ones. People everywhere are wondering if enough is being done to prevent influenza from spreading. The board of health has passed a sanitary code which includes the following sections: "Section 89 of the sanitary code requires isolation and quarantine of persons infected with infectious disease. Section 98 of the sanitary code provides that no person in the city of New York, without a permit therefore issued by the Board of Health, carry, move, or caused to be carried, or moved in any matter whatsoever in any public place or street any person infected with infectious disease, nor shall any person remove or cause to be removed in the City of New York any such person from any building or vessel, without a permit therefore, issued by the Board of Health. Section 100 of the Sanitary Code provides that no person shall by any exposure of any individual sick with an infectious disease or by any negligent act connected therewith, or by a needless exposure of himself cause, contribute to, or pr omote the spread of disease to any such person." However even with these strict sanitary codes people are taking further measures. Many parents that I interviewed reported that they were even avoiding sending their children to school because of fear of catching influenza. Jack Smith of Manhattan stated, "Why would I want to put my children at such a risk? I would rather sacrifice a small portion of their education for their protection and even lives." Schools are however making serious efforts at preventing the spread of disease amongst students. Dr. William L Ettinger who is the Superintendent of Schools, sent a letter of instructions for all school officials on how to deal with influenza in the schools. Some of these instructions state that "proper and adequate ventilation of classrooms must be maintained" and that "pupils be required to hold their pocket handkerchiefs in front of their mouths and noses when coughing and sneezing." Another rule given amongst the long list is that "each teacher be instructed to inspect her class of pupils carefully each day and to refer to the school doctor or nurse any child showing acute cold, congestion of the eyes with watery secretion from the nose, acute sneezing or coughing.