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Posted: Tuesday, 05 May 2009 4:14PM

KCBS Expanded Coverage: Swine Flu

ATLANTA, Ga. (KCBS) -- The federal government is no longer recommending that schools close if students come down with swine flu.

Last week, schools were advised to shut down for about two weeks if there were suspected cases of swine flu. Hundreds of schools around the country have followed the government's guidance and closed schools, giving students an unexpected vacation and leaving parents scrambling for child care.

"We no longer feel that school closure is warranted," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the swine flu virus had turned out to be milder than feared and the government decided to change its advice. So far, the virus has not proved to be more infectious or deadly than the seasonal flu.

The CDC said parents should still make sure to keep sick children with flulike symptoms at home for seven days.

Local school officials still have the ultimate say in whether to close or not, CDC officials noted.

In the new guidance, the CDC recommends that when children or school staff are sick, they stay home. Those who do go to school should practice good hygiene - like coughing into their sleeve or shoulder instead of their hands or the air, and washing their hands well and often.

A Complete List of School Closures by County

Contra Costa County
Coyote Creek Elementary, San Ramon Reopens May 6
Lone Tree Elementary, Antioch Reopens May 6
Brentwood Elementary, Brentwood Rep Reopens May 6
Shore Acres Elementary, Bay Point Reopens May 6
Highlands Elementary, Pittsburg Reopens May 6

Santa Clara County
Ruskin Elementary, San Jose Reopens May 6
Challenger School, Strawberry Park campus, San Jose Reopens May 6
Branham High, San Jose Reopens May 6
Delphi Academy, Santa Clara Reopens May 11
Daves Elementary, Los Gatos Reopens May 6

Marin County
Tamalpais High, Mill Valley Reopens May 6

Alameda County
Malcolm X Elementary, Berkeley Reopen May 6

Swine Flu Info

RESOURCES:

How do I know if I have swine flu?

Symptoms must include a fever above 100F or 37.8C, plus one or more of the following symptoms:

Headache and body aches
Cough
Sore throat
Chills
Trouble breathing
Vomiting and/or diarrhea

If you are experiencing a fever along with one or more of these symptoms, you should call your doctor or clinic.

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Featured Audio

Bay Area Schools Reopen

KCBS' Tim Ryan reports schools that were closed because of the swine flu outbreak are reopening. (5/5; :55)

Schools Reopening Sooner Than Expected

KCBS' Tim Ryan reports schools are reopening sooner than expected because the federal government is no longer recommending closing schools because of the swine flu. (5/5; :67)

Raising the Outbreak Alert Level

The World Health Organization has begun shipping millions of anti-flu drugs to various countries. (5/5; 4:18)

Expanded Coverage

190 H1N1 Flu Cases in Calif.

KCBS' Tim Ryan reports on the latest developments concerning the swine flu. (5/4; :57)

Back to Normal For Mexico?

CBS News reporter Adrienne Bard on the re-opening of public places in Mexico after the recent swine flu outbreak. (5/4; 4:14)

CDC Swine Flu Briefing

CDC Briefing on the Public Health Investigation of Human Cases of H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu). (5/3; 37:39)

Internet Thieves Take Advantage of Swine Flu Fear

As the number of swine flu cases increases and public fear becomes more heightened, Internet thieves are taking advantage of the hype and are sending out e-mail spam with ads for flu vaccine and more.

KCBS’ Dave McQueen reports

More Ships Dangerous for Whales

Mary Jane Schramm with the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary warns that more cruise ships diverted by H1N1 from Mexico into the port of San Francisco increases the risk of ship-strikes on whales. (5/1; 3:13)

Swine Flu Phobia

Brian Levin, Director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at CSU San Bernardino, discusses how the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus has sparked hateful sentiments towards Mexican immigrants. (5/1; 5:35)

Virus Looking Less Ominous

New York City officials reported Friday that the swine flu still has not spread beyond a few schools. In Mexico, very few relatives of flu victims seem to have caught the virus. (5/1; 2:30)

Advice Offered Amid Swine Flu Outbreak

As the swine flu outbreak developed, we've been inundated with reminders about washing our hands and covering our mouths when we cough or sneeze. Do we follow the advice? KCBS' Susan Leigh Taylor reports. (5/1; :55)

Probable Case of Swine Flu Prompts School Closure in Marin

A Marin County elementary school has been ordered closed for one week to check for the spread of swine flu. KCBS' George Harris reports. (5/1; :55)

Cover Your Cough!

Dr. Peter Katona, professor of infectious disease at UCLA, talks about the fear factor involved with swine flu and how it's affecting people's habits. (5/1; 4:01)

Swine Flu Impacting Elections

State-level elections in Mexico are still two months away, but KCBS' Joe Rogers reports that the flu situation in that country is already having a direct impact on the campaign. (5/1; :38)

Bay Area Churches Respond to Swine Flu Fears

Bishops are temporarily changing the rules for Mass and Holy Communion, in response to the swine flu outbreak. (5/1; :52)

Swine Flu Fears Prompt School Closures

Santa Clara County officials have closed a small number of schools, because of suspected swine flu cases. KCBS' Margie Shafer reports that Bay Area parents are very concerned. (5/1; :59)

Cruise Ships Make SF Detours

San Francisco's waterfront will be bustling with thousands of unexpected visitors over the coming days and weeks. KCBS' George Harris reports that cruise ships that would have sailed to Mexico are coming here instead. (5/1; :49)

Airplane Air Quality

David Castelveter, spokesman for the Air Transport Association, on the airline industry's dissatisfaction with V.P. Joe Biden's statement about avoiding air travel. (5/1; 5:14)

Sorting Out Swine Flu Statistics

Adrienne Bard, a CBS News correspondent in Mexico City, discusses why there's confusion of number of people who have actually died from Swine Flu. (4/30; 3:34)

Santa Clara School Closures

Dr. Martin Fenstersheib, health officer for Santa Clara County, on the latest number of probable swine flu cases in the county and school closures. (4/30; 14:16)

Swine Flu and Travel

CBS' Peter King speaks with Roger Dow, Pres. of the US Travel Assoc. about the VP's remarks and travel industry reaction to the Swine Flu story. (4/30; 4:53)

Flu-Related Deaths

Dr. Christopher Olsen, molecular virologist from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, says it's too early to tell the fatality potenial of the swine flu. (4/30; 4:46)

Federal Response To Outbreak

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee comments on the federal response to the outbreak of the H1N1 virus. (4/30; 4:02)

Reacting to Flu-like Symptoms

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, chief of infectious diseases at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, points out that 20,000 to 30,000 people die from the regular flu each year. (4/30; 3:45)

Home Is Haven

KCBS Editor Joe Rogers is in Cuernavaca, 50 miles south of Mexico City,with an update on health precautions being taken in light of the swine flu. (4/30; 3:48)

TSA Workers Denied Masks

Some bag screeners at SFO brought masks to wear to work because of concern over the spread of swine flu, but they have been told not to wear them.

KCBS’ Margie Shafer Reports

Hand Washing Ditties

They keep saying it over and over again, the best way to avoid getting swine flu is to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds each time. In this Cover Story, KCBS reporter Doug Sovern discovers that's an awful lot of hand-washing.(4/30; 1:32)

State Aims to Help Schools Shuttered by Flu

Swine flu cases have closed some Bay Area schools, and now the state is working on keeping funding flowing to schools that were forced to shutdown.

KCBS’ Dave Padilla Reports

Santa Clara Declares Swine Flu Emergency

KCBS' Mark Seelig reports Santa Clara County has declared a local emergency because of four probable cases of swine flu. (4/29; :57)

More California Cases of Swine Flu

KCBS' Doug Sovern reports on developments in the swine flu outbreak, including more cases confirmed in California. (4/29; 1:12)

Swine Flu Suspected at Another Pittsburg School

KCBS' Dave Padilla reports eight students at Marina Vista School in Pittsburg have flu-like symptoms. (4/29; :54)

WHO Raises Pandemic Flu Alert

World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan raises the pandemic swine flu alert level to the second highest level. (4/29; 50:09)

More Swine Flu Cases in California

KCBS Team Coverage of the swine flu developments in California and the Bay Area; more cases confirmed or suspected. (4/29; 2:47)

Learning From History

Author and freelance journalist Wendy Orent, who writes about infectious diseases, says we are better prepared for the Swine Flu, than past outbreaks. (4/29; 6:01)

Preventing the Spread of the H1N1 Virus

The California Department of Public Health has released a list of “everyday actions” that can help protect against the H1N1 virus and prevent the spread of germs.

South Bay Day Laborers Educated on Swine Flu

Health officials are reaching out to the immigrant community in Silicon Valley to inform them about the virus, still many are reluctant to go to the doctor.

KCBS’ Matt Bigler Reports

Pandemic Alert Levels

CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton on the criteria for the World Health Organization's pandemic alert levels on influenza. (4/29; 5:40)

San Mateo Co. Confirms 2 Swine Flu Cases

San Mateo County health officials confirmed two cases of swine flu Thursday morning involving a 50-year-old man who lives out of state and a 46-year-old woman who showed no symptoms and had not traveled to Mexico.

KCBS’ Margie Shafer reports

Swine Flu Strain Studies

Dr. Charles Chiu, head of the viral diagnostics laboratory at UCSF, on his studies on strains from the current swine flu outbreak. (4/29; 3:49)

Swine Flu Reaches Pandemic Level 5

Dr. Charles Chiu, the head of the viral diagnostics laboratory at UCSF, discusses the latest research on the swine flu virus. (4/29; 4:52)

KCBS Expanded Coverage

Swine Flu & the Economy

Axel Merk, president of Palo Alto-based Merk Investments, says the virus couldn't have come at a worse time with regards to the already slumping economy.(4/28; 5:35)

Bay Area Doctors Busy

KCBS' Betsy Gebhart reports Bay Area pediatricians are busy taking calls from parents worried about the swine flu. (4/28; :61)

Bay Area Schools Re-Open

California Superintendant of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell is happy to err on the side of caution when it comes to public saftey and the swine flu. (5/5; 4:06)

Expanded Coverage

Bay Area Swine Flu Cases

KCBS Team Coverage on the confirmed cases of swine flu in Marin County. (4/28; 2:39)

Swine Flu Spreads

Dr. Anne Moscona, infectious disease specialist from Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, breaks down the virus' origin and how it can manifest itself. (4/28; 5:02)

Meds to Tackle Swine Flu

Dr. Jeffrey Goad of USC on the antiviral drugs the Obama administration is releasing to deal with the Swine Flu outbreak. (4/28; 5:39)

CDC Tracks Swine Flu on Twitter

KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid discusses the new Twitter page for the Centers for Disease Control, which provides information about the swine flu. (4/27; 1:58)

Swine Flu Outbreak

Virginia Hinshaw, chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, discusses why the body’s response to the swine flu may vary among geographical regions and age groups. (4/27; 7:51)

Swine Flu Confirmed in Sacramento Co.

Dr. Glennah Trochet, Sacramento County public health director, confirms one child had swine flu, and three classmates may have it. (4/27; 24:00)

Swine Flu Investigation

John Swartzberg, a public health clinical professor of medicine at UC Berkeley, discusses what scientists are doing to identify new cases of the swine flu. (4/27; 5:26)

11 Cases of Swine Flu in California

KCBS Team Coverage: 11 cases of swine flu confirmed in California and other developments. (4/27; 4:01)

Spreading Fear?

Andrew Holtz, CNN Medical Correspondent now with Association Health Care Journalists, takes a look at how the media is covering the swine flu. (4/27; 4:48)

How Bad Is It?

Infectious disease experts are having a tough time assessing the precise nature of the threat. Infectious disease expert Dr. Christian Sandrock comments. (4/27; 4:12)

Swine Flu Update in California

KCBS Team Coverage on the 8th confirmed case of swine flu in California and other developments locally. (4/27; 3:44)

Bay Area Airports Reviewing Protocols

Bay Area airports are reviewing protocols in light of a potential swine flu outbreak. As KCBS reporter Holly Quan tells us, San Francisco emergency officials say no big changes are planned for now but they will be keeping an eye out for passengers who appear ill. (4/27; :51)

Schools on Swine Flu Alert

Fears about the spread of swine flu have put school officials on alert. KCBS's Matt Bigler visited Anne Darhling Elementary in San Jose where teachers are making sure kids are washing their hands while keeping an eye out for symptoms. (4/27; :54)

Calif. Officials Confirm 8th Case of Swine Flu

Public health officials say a seventh grader in Sacramento County is confirmed to have had the eighth case of swine flu in California. Debra Greene reports from Sacramento. (4/27; :38)

Clinics Called on in Contra Costa

Just as the swine flu turns up in communities from coast to coast, Contra Costa County is phasing out its healthcare services for thousands of undocumented immigrants. KCBS reporter Tim Ryan tells us nonprofit clinics are being asked to fill the gap. (4/27; :55)

Swine Flu in the Spotlight

Images of people in Mexico City wearing respiratory masks underscore how seriously everyone is taking this outbreak of swine flu. KCBS' Susan Leigh Taylor reports that image, as well as some coverage of the story, could stir up overblown fear among the audience. (4/27; :59)