Swine flu is sweeping through county schools. It’s basically like any other flu in its effects, but it sure is contagious. #
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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RIP Carson Raymond, 9 yr old , former Woodbrook Elementary student.
Waldo, H1N1 is different in that it is more serious for young people and less serious for elders thana typical flu- worth noting.
My thoughts today have been with the Woodbrook Elementary family who lost their child, and the grieving school community.
What a wonderful family –the way they are reaching out to the community
Courteney Stuart has a moving interview with the parents:
http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2009/10/12/remembering-carson-parents-of-woodbrook-student-urge-flu-calm/
I certainly wouldn’t claim that it’s identical, Gail, just that it’s basically the same, which I think is an accurate description. As Courteney writes about this young boy, he nearly died from seasonal flu a couple of years ago. As the boy’s father says, “[t]here’s no evidence to support that the swine flu is worse than the regular flu.” Not worse but, yes, it is different.
Waldo, We really don’t know if it’s worse yet. It may be worse for certain populations such as pregnant women and young children. Time will tell
I haven’t seen any evidence that H1N1 is any harder on certain populations than it is on other populations, nor any evidence that it is harder on certain populations than “regular” flu is. It’s a different virus than “regular” (seasonal) flu. The usual groups are considered to be at higher risk. A pregnant woman would always be at a higher risk for complications from flu. Infants would always be at a higher risk.
My heart breaks for this family that lost their nine year old son. My son is nine years old. Sue is right that they are amazing people to be able to look outward and address the community at a time like this. I don’t know that I could do the same.
I tried calling my pediatrician this morning and was on hold for a long time; they were getting slammed with phone calls, more than they normally get even on a Monday morning. After I gave up and called back later, they had changed their answering machine message so that they were basically addressing questions about the availability flu vaccine on the message itself. That tells me a lot of parents are panicking in the wake of the news of this little boy’s death. (In my defense, I wasn’t calling about H1N1 vaccine–I was calling about seasonal flu vaccine.)