Health, Safety & the Environment

Citing concerns over exposure to swine flu, a Greenwich private school, Greenwich Academy, cancelled an upcoming fourth grade field trip to New York City, according to the Greenwich Time. Will GA parent take a cue from the school and cancel planned family outings this weekend to the theatre and the ball park? Has GA taken to heart Vice President Joe Biden’s advice to his family that he would not fly on a commercial airline or ride the IRT subway in Manhattan to avoid contracting illness?   Biden’s website does not report on last week’s flu gaffes and correctly links readers to authoritative sources of scientific information about swine flu.  Reasonable precautions that families can take to protect themselves from flu are discussed in a thoughtful article by Lauran Neergaard that appeared in the Greenwich Time last week.  Her common sense advice. Cover your coughs and sneezes, with a tissue that you throw away or by sneezing into your elbow rather than your hand. (Yuck!)  Wash hands frequently; if soap and water are not available, hand gels can substitute. Stay home if you’re sick and keep children home from school if they are.