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Swine flu cases rise to 528 as schools told it's pointless closing
Anna Davis, Health Reporter23.06.09
Swine flu is so widespread in London - with more than 500 cases - that schools experiencing outbreaks are no longer being advised to close, it emerged today.
The Health Protection Agency says there is little point shutting schools. Instead, it is targeting individual children, telling them to stay at home until they have recovered.
Some 78 more patients were diagnosed with swine flu yesterday, taking the total to 528.
A spokeswoman for the Health Protection Agency said schools that have closed have done so because of "operational reasons," such as not having enough teachers or students.
She added: "There is now community transmission in London, which means it is being passed from person to person outside schools.
"If you close a school and the pupils end up meeting in cafés and playgrounds they will just pass it that way.
"There is so much swine flu about in London that closing schools will not help to slow the spread. There is no public health benefit in closing."
At least nine London schools have already closed as a result of the virus. Dolphin School in Battersea was advised to stay open by the HPA after three pupils were infected but governors chose to shut it last month.
Other schools that shut but have now reopened include Alleyn's School in Dulwich, Hampton School and Lady Eleanor Holles in Hampton, Barnes Primary in Richmond, Eaton Square nursery in Westminster and Blackheath nursery and prep school in Greenwich.
Eton College and Castle View School in Canvey Island have also opened their doors again.
Dr Brian McCloskey, London regional director of the agency, said: "We have always said we would monitor this situation closely and adjust our approach as necessary.
"The approach we have taken up to now has been vital in slowing the spread of swine flu, which has also given us time to learn more about the virus. We will continue to look at each school on a case-by-case basis."
Schools are still being shut outside London and the West Midlands.
West Midlands is the country's swine flu hotspot - 1,095 of the 2,773 cases of swine flu in the UK are in the region.
Reader views (3)
It is notable that the schools that have closed are schools that could reasonably be called upper class schools.
So does a bigger danger exist in those schools than working class ones
- Jackie Wallace, London England
Swine flu seems to have a better survival rate than the many other flavours of flu available on the open market; I think we should stop using the tag Swine and refer to swine flu as flu. Man flu is the one you need to avoid.
- Gary, brentwood
Widespread?!?! There are over 7.5 million people in London, and an infectious illness that affects 528 people is classed as widespread?!?! There are more people walking around with undetected STD's!!
- Wise One, London
