**Swine flu prompts UIL to postpone all athletic & academic competitions**

[KFDM COOP]

Swine flu prompts UIL to postpone all athletic & academic competitions

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April 29, 2009 - 11:13 AM

Scott Lawrence

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas officials are postponing all high school athletic competition until May 11 because of the swine flu outbreak.

The move suspends the baseball season and eliminates the regional track championships, said University Interscholastic League Executive Director Charles Breithaupt. He said UIL officials acted on the recommendation of public health officials.

The state golf and tennis championships are scheduled to begin May 11.

The state track meet, one of the largest high school track and field competitions in the country, remains scheduled for May 13-14. But it will require shuffling the schedule significantly.

All UIL academic competitions are postponed as well.

[Bigdog]

That stinks, but is probably a good idea.

[Guest JoesBros]

It's better to overreact then underreact espically if you have kids participating in UIL events.

[coachtroy8]

Does this effect spring practices?

[KFDM COOP]

Believe so!! May have to ask the UIL on that.

[Guest JoesBros]

I was just wondering the same thing??????

[KFDM COOP]

May be able to do Spring practice, i'm just not 100% on that.

[Gtj007]

According to the article and the UIL website it says "all high school athletic competition ".  Spring practice is not a competition, so I would think it's still on.

[bullets13]

this seems like a gross overreaction.  36,000 people die every year from regular flu, which amounts to about 100 a day.  65 die over a few weeks in mexico from the swine flu, and we're cancelling events, stockpiling vaccines, and just generally freaking out.  i wonder how the stories on the news would look if the media didn't make so much money selling fear.

[PURPLE 4EVER]

this seems like a gross overreaction.  36,000 people die every year from regular flu, which amounts to about 100 a day.  65 die over a few weeks in mexico from the swine flu, and we're cancelling events, stockpiling vaccines, and just generally freaking out.  i wonder how the stories on the news would look if the media didn't make so much money selling fear.

Agree....

36,000 die from the flu every year...

Got to make you wonder if they are really telling us everything.

[KFDM COOP]

Yes you can have Spring Practice!!

[WOSHIGHc/o2001]

"interschool" competition is cancelled.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

this is crazy. I hope this doesnt reach alaska :'(

[KDOSullivan]

It makes you wonder if the government knows something and is not telling us???? :-\

[Guest DickVitale]

You mean to tell me that even the swine FLU could not stop Spring Football from going on??......I need to call Austin!!!! 8)

[TexasHSFootball]

OFFICIAL TAPPS RESPONSE

Swine Flu Notice

The TAPPS Board of Directors met in Executive session on Wednesday, April 29, to determine the TAPPS response to the Swine Flu Pandemic. After discussion and deliberation, the TAPPS Executive Board unanimously determined the following:

At this time, the TAPPS Spring Athletic Playoffs remain intact with no changes. TAPPS continues to monitor the situation and will advise member schools should changes be deemed necessary.

TAPPS is supportive of our member schools and parents. The welfare of students is best determined by parents and individual member schools. No sanction or penalty will be imposed by TAPPS should a school choose to not participate in the TAPPS playoffs in response to health concerns.

[rapayne]

You mean to tell me that even the swine FLU could not stop Spring Football from going on??......I need to call Austin!!!! 8)

Are you kidding me???

Anyway I do think the entire thing is an over reaction and that I am also amazed we will have it all cured in just a couple of weeks anyway, oh well!!!

[tvc184]

this seems like a gross overreaction.  36,000 people die every year from regular flu, which amounts to about 100 a day.  65 die over a few weeks in mexico from the swine flu, and we're cancelling events, stockpiling vaccines, and just generally freaking out.  i wonder how the stories on the news would look if the media didn't make so much money selling fear.

X2

It may come to that but for now, it seems to be overreaction. Maybe they are giving an out to schools that voluntarily don't compete in order to keep them from forfeiting.

[Bigdog]

I think the lack of a working vaccine is what is scaring everyone. The regular flu vaccine doesn't work on this strain.

[baddog]

I think it is a good thing and not really overreacting. When do we take proper preventive measures, when half the school is sick? I don't think this is a panic situation, but the WHO and CDC need to stay on top of things. Swine influenza is a terrible virus.

[stang4life]

Although it may be inconvenient and untimely for some, better safe than sorry because if an outbreak were to occur, everyone would be looking at the UIL and school districts wondering why someone did not do something that might have prevented it.

It may be being sensationalized, but I would rather that than be the 23-month old baby's family in Houston who are probably wishing someone would have overreacted.

Chances are that most will be ok, but I think that it is well-worth waiting a couple of weeks than risking even one child.

[rapayne]

I think the lack of a working vaccine is what is scaring everyone. The regular flu vaccine doesn't work on this strain.

I just got finished watching a show that says this strand of the flu can be fought off easier with tamiflu than the last regular flu strand, so would someone just tell the truth or figure it out.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

I think the lack of a working vaccine is what is scaring everyone. The regular flu vaccine doesn't work on this strain.

I just got finished watching a show that says this strand of the flu can be fought off easier with tamiflu than the last regular flu strand, so would someone just tell the truth or figure it out.

it can be cured by over the counter meds but if you have a somewhat bad immune system you can get VERY ill/die from this strain.

[marler1972]

Although it may be inconvenient and untimely for some, better safe than sorry because if an outbreak were to occur, everyone would be looking at the UIL and school districts wondering why someone did not do something that might have prevented it.

It may be being sensationalized, but I would rather that than be the 23-month old baby's family in Houston who are probably wishing someone would have overreacted.

Chances are that most will be ok, but I think that it is well-worth waiting a couple of weeks than risking even one child.

I hate the baby died but I just read where the baby was from mexico visiting familing in brownsville and the child had some underlying health issues. I found the article in the Dallas Morning news.

By CHRISTY HOPPE / The Dallas Morning News

[email protected]

First swine flu death in U.S.

State and local health officials said the Mexican boy, who had underlying health issues, flew to Matamoras, Mexico to Mexico City with his family on April 4. The boy then traveled across the Mexico-U.S. border to visit relatives in Brownsville.

He became ill on April 8 and was hospitalized on April 13. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he was transferred the next day to a Houston hospital, where he died Monday.

The cause of death was pneumonia caused by the flu virus, Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos said.

Officials declined to release the name of the hospital but said more details would be provided later today. Texas Department of State Health Services said the boy was 22 months old and Houston officials said he was 23 months old.

The child's relatives were being monitored and appeared to be healthy, said Dr. David Persse, a Houston health official

[stangchain]

I agree with repayne....is the darn thing going to be cured by May 11?  How do you put a date on it?  How ridiculous UIL looks at this point!!!!!  And why not cancel school entirely, instead of just games, meets, etc.?  I know they've cancelled some schools in SA, but good gracious, what's going to happen when it spreads to the other schools by May 11 and SA schools are all cured?  Just clearly inappropriate in my opinion.