Attorney at law.com identified AP Mitch Wiener's death as the seventh swine flu death.
There is dispute as to whether the Corona, Queens toddler's death was from the swine flu. If Jonathan Zamora Castillo's death was from the H1N1 virus, then he would be New York City's second swine flu death, and the nation's eighth swine flu death.
Click here for WABC TV's interactive map on the swine flu-related school closings in New York City and Union City, New Jersey.
As of Tuesday, 8:44 PM, WABC TV identified 22 NYC public and private schools as closing due to the swine flu.
Here is a chance to vote, albeit, in an unscientific poll, on the question of closing New York City schools.
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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS COLUMNIST QUESTIONS MAYOR'S / CITY'S VIGILANCE IN RESPONSE TO SWINE FLU ISSUE
Daily News columnist Michael Daly
wrote a long opinion piece questioning the pace of the city's response to the flu epidemic.
Here are the most cogent points that Daly makes:
He begins with suggestions to city policy makers:
Figure out some definite rules and let us know.
Even if the number is a little arbitrary, pick one.
Say that if a certain percentage of the student body reports flulike symptoms, or if the absentee rate suddenly spikes a certain percentage above the usual rate, you will close the school.
Meanwhile, issue daily reports of illness at each school.
Fight rumor with fact.
Fight unreasoning fear with a clear policy.
He then goes on to upbraid the city for not responding more forcefully, and he argues that the city teachers' union, the UFT, is taking a greater lead in responding to the flu than the city is.
The best you are doing now is this: "If the number of children with fever and flu-like symptoms at the medical room increases or there is a sustained number of cases over a number of days, we recommend closure."
If the number of kids with flulike symptoms increases from what? And a sustained number of cases over how many days?
Vagueness leaves parents wondering if the city is only shutting schools when the teachers union makes noise.
Read more of his column at:
"City education officials fumble creation of clear swine flu school-closing rules"
Indeed, it was after the UFT launched its telephone highlight on the disease, that the city opened its own hotline, late today. (Tuesday, May 19, 2009)
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