A swine flu pandemic isn't a "foregone conclusion," according to the new alert level issued yesterday by the World Health Organization. But things are starting to get a little scary. Cue the travel warnings. The United States said not to head south of the border. The European Union said stay away from the United States. Anyone flying from North America to Hong Kong will have his temperature taken upon arrival. While the death toll in Mexico is up to 152, nobody has yet died stateside.
HISD has announced two schools have closed until further notice because of possible -- but not confirmed -- cases of swine flu.Harvard Elementary and Hamilton Middle School, both in the Heights, are the schools."Late last night the City of Houston Health Department informed HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra of two probable, but not confirmed, cases of swine flu and advised the district to immediately close both schools as a precaution," HISD spokesman Norm Uhl said. "The principals of both s
Unlike in 1918, when the flu really bitch-slapped humanity, leading medical experts have the ability to immediately update us with information on how to stay safe, and how to separate myth from fact. For example: By now, unless you're a vapid hotel-fortune heiress who answers the cell phone during sex, you know that you can't get this brand of cooties from eating pork; there are, however, some rather interesting questions among the scores of FAQs lists that have popped up in the last few days.We
Another HISD school has declared total victory in the battle against swine flu (No political correctness here, pork industry!!). Harvard Elementary in the Heights, one of the first district schools to close down, will reopen tomorrow.The city's health department has given the OK for the move, HISD spokesman Norm Uhl says. So blame them if anything goes wrong.And we're betting the Harvard kids will be hearing a lot tomorrow about washing their hands.
Even more kids are out at Travis Elementary today, HISD spokesman Norm Uhl tells Hair Balls -- of the 712 registered, 378 stayed home today. Another dozen felt sick at school, went to the clinic and were sent home.Oddly, teachers don't seem to be affected: Only two are out sick. (Another two are home with sick kids.)Two cases of swine flu have been confirmed."We don't know how much of the kids staying out is the concern parents have caused by seeing stories in the media," Uhl says. "But we under
Photo courtesy of WikipediaWe told you last week that Travis Elementary, the school that was so afflicted with swine flu and/or the fears thereof, was starting its summer session of classes.
This morning we heard from Houston ISD spokesman Norm Uhl who tells us the "water samples tested last week are clear. Travis Elementary is back on city water."
And most importantly: "Water fountains and bathrooms are back in operation."
The World Health Organization has declared swine flu to be a pandemic, the first in over 40 years.It's doing it mostly on the basis of a sharp growth in cases in Australia, Japan and Chile, but just about every story on the subject -- at least in America -- mentions Houston.We were, of course, the first American city to have a swine-flu death; we also had Travis Elementary close after a bunch of kids came down with stuff, some of which included swine flu.But all that seems to have calmed down la
Photo by Robb WalshThe paella at Rioja restaurant on Kirkwood is one of the best I've ever eaten. You can get it at lunch with two tapas appetizers for $13. Paella is one of those dishes that can leave you completely indifferent or knock your socks off, depending on the skill of the cook and the quality of the ingredients. I remember taking a detour while driving in Spain to eat a definitive version of paella at a little inn. It turned out to be old-fashioned Valencian paella made of cheap white
