A Definite Concern.

I know we've all heard about H1N1 and the media is talking out of both sides of their mouths - successfully whipping up a frenzy while also saying that the public shouldn't panic.

Normally, I wouldn't really concern myself with this. I am relatively young and relatively healthy. I am exposed to these sorts of things more regularly than most, but I tend to believe that just builds my immune system a little more quickly than the average person.

Being pregnant though has put this all in a different light for me. First, information like this started coming out. It isn't entirely surprising given that the immune system is dulled a little when you get pregnant so that your body doesn't reject the pregnancy. That said, the fact that women are dying in higher numbers than average and are miscarrying and experiencing stillbirths is still very scary. This is only compounded by the fact that I work in a school....a veritable breeding-ground for viruses. Since that information came out, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases in New Brunswick and, all over North America, summer camps (schools in miniature :P ) are dealing with a good number of cases alone.

Given the information we have about the increased risk to pregnant women and their babies, are schools going to be sending pregnant women home the way they do when cases of Fifths Disease are found in schools? Are they going to close schools the way they did in Mexico and are in other countries in order to control the disease in general? Or are we going to continue on our merry way, claiming this is "just another flu" and all we need to do is wash our hands and everything will be A-OKAY? I am honestly inclined to contact our school district to see if there is a plan in place. I would like to know what to expect and if anyone other than me is going to advocate for me and my baby.