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I agree with Penny. The President is reminding us to take personal responsibility. Sick days exist for a reason. If you don't have sick days, then an emergency fund is even more important to have!

Well, those of us who stay at home with our children (and whose school-aged children are homeschooled) will just sit back and relax

Proud DHS radical April 29th, 2009 12:39 pm ET

Didn't Obama told us the other day that there was nothing to worry about and not to get too excited about the swine flu?

No he did not
He said "there is a cause for concern, but not a cause for alarm".

I find it funny that anyone would need to be told they should have a backup plan to take care of there kids no matter what problems may arise from an unknown event or an illness. As a parent your children are your first responsibility.

It seem Americans can't even figure out the simplest things and plan ahead for themselves without somebody in government having to tell them where,when and how to do it.

I can never understand the anomisity that is always expressed when the President speaks. He is just giveing you COMMON SENSE, solutions. He doesn't live in your house, he doesn't know your relaationships but he is saying take a minute to think through your options early so that IF or WHEN it is necessary you will be able to have a place for your children. How do you know you will be fired? Have you spoken to your employer, supervisor, etc. Have you told them you are a single parent and may need to be home with your child until other arrangements are made? Have you talk with other parents? Is their a stay home mom willing to watch your child this time and you help out at another time. There are always soluctions to problem but you have to examine them.

So think before you react. Come on, sometimes it is amazing how overreactive people are to ANYTHING or President says.

What a Crock!

This is like saying we should all have jobs to pay our bills but not telling exactly how we are supposed to do it.

I don't want my child to get sick and thank god my parents are still around to help me but what are people supposed to do?! People do have to work or they have no money to live!!!

This announcement just pisses me off.

President Obama = Being proactive, devising solutions, staying in front of problems. Now that's what I'm talking about!

People, people, people....it's a flu. There's no politics here. If the government didn't warn us, everyone would be yammering. The government warns us and you still yammer. This is BS.

So...if you stay home with your kids you loose your job? What happens if your kid was the one who was sick? I guess you would loose your job then. School is not a day care service for your kid. Since you have kids and didnt think through all of these things before you had kids, I guess that means they were unplanned and you want the government to come up with a solution for you....I am sure you voted for Obama.

Buck up people. Let's not let the swine flu turn us all into a bunch of chickens. Everything the prez just said is common sense. He knows there are alot of people out there without any. There's your public service. This isn't being handled like Katrina. Stop picking your noses and coughing in people's faces for a few weeks. No big deal.

Mr. President,

Can we have ONE day without the fear mongering? I beg of you. Just one.

Smithfield is only 30 minutes away from me. There's not one case of this virus in Virginia which cancels out the virus coming directly from the pig.

I think that the response to this virus has been adequate at all levels of govenment. It is common sense if someone is sick with a flu-like illness, to stay home and rest. I don't understand why some folks want to play the hero, and don't care if they spread whatever virus they have to others. And, yes. there are some employers that are jerks, and give folks a hard time about missing work, but, I don't believe that is the majority of cases. Parents can also look into bringing their well child to work if that is an option. President Obama is reminding parents to have a common sense plan. You can't please all of the poeple all of the time.

Wow. From what I have been reading here everything is one extreme or the other with most people and noone wants a middle ground. The situation is not the same everywhere with everyone. I am fortunately in a place where if my kids get sick I can stay home with them and no problems. However, if this had happened a few years ago that wouldn't have been the case (before I graduated college and got a permanent job). It is easy to understand how someone else's plight is meaningless to yourself, but for the families that are living on the edge of financial disaster it is terrifying not being able to provide and take care of your family. Is it the parents’ responsibility to provide for them? Yes. Is it the government’s job to make sure society doesn't crumble? Yes. By turning their backs on the people who are already hurt by the poor economy the damage will just be exacerbated and their plight could actually cut into those people who are above this initial problem by further harming the economy and housing crisis.

The real crux of the situation is that by hurting people who can't provide it becomes a nationwide problem. We don't have to solve all their problems, but we can't let them fail either. The lower and middle classes are too big to fail.

Some of the responses on here are absurd. It is really beginning to feel like we as Americans expect the gov't to protect us from everything???

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"
–Ben Franklin

Stop relying on the Gov't to run your life. We as citizens of the great country should be telling the Gov't how to run the country.

I repeat in a democratic society it is the duty of the citizens to guid the Gov't. Please people wake up and take responsibilty before its to late.

Larry, Farrell,geecee and Laverne thank goodness for good old common sense! Everyone as parents have the responsibility to take care of their child/children. It is not the Presidents job to plan your daycare.

Back up plans for your children? Don't play the blame game because you don't have grandparents or other resources...

Perhaps many in the nation should have been listening, with respect to children, when there was talk about "It Takes a Village".

When my kids were sick, I took vacation time to stay home with them.
Too many parents think that schools are there to provide day-care!
If you have to use some vacation time, big deal!!!
Some of you need to think of the big picture in these types of situations.

One of the reasons the chicken pox vaccine was such a big hit was that parents didn't want to have to take off work (career driven or economic reasons) for 10 days to deal with it.

It is not unreasonable to point out to people that they should be thinking about this. You'd like to believe they don't need to be alerted, but the plain fact of it is that plenty of people don't think it could happen to them. And they will complain loudly if it does.

Also – not all of the cases are derived from the New York school trip, which an earlier poster implied. The last count I saw was 16 cases in Texas, and I'd expect that number to grow as well. I doubt that the NY and TX cases are connected.

Didn't Obama told us the other day that there was nothing to worry about and not to get too excited about the swine flu?

To Baze – it is the Bush Administration which stockpiled anti-viral drugs, masks, etc. and wote the federal pandemic plan and requires the state and local governments as well as private business important to infrastructure to have a pandemic plan. The idea of funding the NIH to research pandemics is kind of silly. Since the virus is constantly mutating you could never come up with meds to fight the particular strain.

David I agree.... It's not normal for viruses to jump from animal to human.

if this gets out of hand, you won't think this is quite such a crazy idea

geecee –

Thanks for your moment of clarity.

I'm not sure you intended this but your admission that what Obama stands for smacks of Socialism is truly a statement that I can agree with.

With that said, I'll take personal responsibility and Capitalism over the nanny state and Socialism every time.

Thanks again!

Let's use some good old fashion common sense – take precautions and if you have symptoms seek help immediately as suggested by the numerous announcements and commentaries in the media. Stop playing the victim, stop pointing the finger, stop blaming Obama. Stay well. God bless.

The pig farm is actually owned by an American Company> What about an investigation into the differences between how this farm is run in Mexico compared to those in the States?

Ultimately, if the origin of this virus is at this site, this company has to take responsibility.

I would think that contingency plans for daycare for sick kids would be the responibility of cities and states not the President of the United States.

Just because the schools close doesn't mean the education has to stop. Hell we got all this technology that lets us have online classes. Why not put it to use in situations like these where the kids can't go to school?

The CDC announced they have traced the source of the swine flu to the foul effluence that spews from Rush Limbaugh's mouth. Sources say that the only way to stem a pandemic is to sequester him at Guantanamo Bay and provide hourly water boarding treatments.

First of all I laugh at the two party sheep that play a blame game on here when there were GOP and Dems that shot down vaccines. Then I laugh at people that actually thing this virus occured naturally. It is impossible for this strain to exist naturally. It is synthetic folks.

Imagine that – Parents needing to be told THEY have to have a back up plan. Hello and seriously – there used to be such a thing as a stay at home mom- that's what my Mom did until I was about 13 or 14 and I was the youngest of four. People with children – small,teen or even adult – always need a back up plan.

@ Farrell, Houston, TX:

Thank you for the wonderful post.

No kidding. Thanks for the useless advice. Please don't spend any money making sure I have a contingency plan.

Yeah, it's called staying home from work and losing our jobs, dimwit!

NewsFlash Jax,

Your children became your responsibility when you decided to bring them into this world. It is not the government's responsibility to find childcare for your children should this flu cause schools to close down. Most of us who work for a living have children. When my children are sick, I have to take off work and keep them. It is what parents do. I predict that is this flu gets to that level, employers will have to make concessions.

Notes from Texas: There are lots of people I know who have had the flu in the last few weeks in Houston and at Texas A&M. But people recover after 2 or 3 days of bed rest, none have gone to doctors to see if it was Swine Flu. So, no big deal.

After eight long, dark years, It is a breath of fresh air to have an administration that actually thinks out its responses in advance, responds to challenges quickly as they occur, and doesn't base its health care policy on religion or political ideology.

Good employers are also now communicating to employees about staying at home if they think they may be sick or getting sick, if family members are already sick, and explaining contingency plans to stay at home or work from home. Good parent(s) who have kids in school and/or child care always have alternative plans – yes even staying home and using sick days or vacation days. It's called common sense and responsibility. It is what normal people do.

Educated Americans know what to do at this time. Wash your hands while singing the happy birthday song with soap and warm water after rest room use or touching public utilities like computer mouse etc. use paper towel to open doors since some people do not wash their hands. eat your own food because you know how clean your containers are.
And for those who have to kiss as a way of greeting someone its time to reconsider it. Know where your friends go for holidays before you rush to meet them when they return. If they mention areas that are hard hit wait for a few days before meeting them, you never know.
For those with kids who will have to stay home after schools get closed, there are so many unemployed people looking for jobs get someone to care for them at your home. At least each one of us knows a relative or a friend who is jobless and smart enough to care for kids.

Why are the Republicans being so hateful? Now you're objecting because Obama wants money to combat a potential plague by getting proper medical care for people? Whats wrong with your brains?

Contingency plans sound good. There's no money going into that. Its just smart and Obama has influence over people so they may listen to him.

You keep this up, you're ensuring that no one is ever going to vote Republican again.

Parents are the frontline in the protection of their children. Most parents are responsible. Unfortunately, people without brains are great breeders. They will always need guidence from outside the family, because (as comedian Ron White says) ya can't fix stupid!

April 29th, 2009 12:06 pm ET

Jax April 29th, 2009 11:30 am ET

NewsFlash Mr President – Some folks don't have the luxury of a grandmother to stay at home with a sick child, I do but my parents are too frail to handle the virus, I couldn't infect them.

There needs to be a sick child daycare that will be available to low income folks. For some missing work means missing meals.

How about this, what's your contignecy plan for countless Americans who can't afford sick child care and will get fired or not paid if they stay home from work to care for their children.

*******************************************************************
so are you saying you want the government to take care of it for you? sounds like socialism to me.

Way to go BHO. let's close the borders and activate the secret police under the guise of an emergency. One small step for America, one giant leap for a Socialistic state.

To GEECEE

Well said!

KC you may have it covered but looking at some of these others here , they expect the government to come up with a solution if their kids schools came home. Cant complain about socialism folks then expect Uncle Sam to take care of your kids...... you had the kids your responsiblity. When my son had chicken pox while grandma was on vacation I stayed home for two days, then got my sis to help out .

wow...lots of whine in here. Back-up plan seems like a pretty reasonable suggestion – if you are seeing more into it, look at yourself.

This event relatively shuts down the G.O.P. opinion for good. First they said spending on volcano early warning systems was pork, and then a major eruption occured in Alaska of all places (bravo Palin). Now there's a flu outbreak after the G.O.P. lambasted spending on NIH and pandemic research. Maybe a Magic 60 wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Robin in Tampa, FL April 29th, 2009 11:42 am ET

The Republicans stripped $900 Million Dollars from the Stimulus bill which was for building up a vaccine stockpile in-case we have an epidemic. Because they didn't act back then it will now cost more money to deal with this virus."

You can't stockpile a vaccine when you don't have one. Part of the reason the $900 million was stripped was because there were no specifics as to what would be done with the money if an epidemic did occur.

Jax,

I'm a Republican, but you can't blame anyone for this. Your kids are your responsibility and when they get sick, you can't send them to school.

We have had one since you took office Sir...

Been hiding money for months

@ Jax: This president is doing everything he can to try and get a sensible and reasonable healthcare plan passed so when things like this occur the financial burden will be less. Why don't you direct some of your anger towards your congressman and the senators who represent you to get off their throne and high horse to get something done in Washington. The POTUS can't do it all, there are people who can and will hold up progress. He is absolutely right to tell the American people to start thinking NOW if something more serious were to happen. It is up to the parent to get creative to help find a solution if something more agressive were to happen. I thank God our president is being a real leader to be honest with the American people, would you prefer he lied to you just because you are use to it?

Wow – all you people who hate the President and his plans sure do want him to find a plan to take care of your kids if you can't stay home from work and they get sick. That's called socialism, isn't it? The government taking care of your every need? Aren't you against socialism? You're all screaming that Obama proposes socializing the entire country with every word he speaks? Well, you have to take responsibility for your own child care and work, etc. That's what capitalism means. So, take your pick? You want the government to do everything for you – or not?

Many of us don't have the time and resources to play the blame game, we are busy making contingency plans for our children in the event schools close. We opened our home to hurricane victims and we will open our home to help out with childcare if the schools close and their parents need us. This is about People Helping People and not casting blame.

Jax April 29th, 2009 11:30 am ET

NewsFlash Mr President – Some folks don't have the luxury of a grandmother to stay at home with a sick child, I do but my parents are too frail to handle the virus, I couldn't infect them.

There needs to be a sick child daycare that will be available to low income folks. For some missing work means missing meals.

How about this, what's your contignecy plan for countless Americans who can't afford sick child care and will get fired or not paid if they stay home from work to care for their children.
--------------------------–

How about you do what the rest of us do...deal with it yourself. What's next? Do you want the govt to create a new agency to come clean your toilets? How about washing your hands for you? You're a parent...that means you have to be responsible for your kids! Its not anyones or any govt. program job to take care of your kids!!!! And yes, I am a parent.

this personality driven presidency is all we can expect

Wow, imagine that? Parents need to be told to have a backup plan. Duh....that is something a parent of a child (especially one in school) knows from day 1. So thanks for the "parenting advice" but I think I've got it covered.

How about the U.S. having a viable contingency plan?

This looks like the same kind of fear mongering we saw from Obama just before he that bloated "stimulus" package. Must be gearing up for a bloated health care package.

What good would closing the border do? The virus is here, especially in NY. You -could- prohibit all travel, but that would of course send the economy into a tailspin.

Get off the teleprompter!, people! I would rather President Obama read the teleprompter than listen to the infantile yammering of "W"!

I usually don't double-post.. but..

contingencies @ 11:24:
"how about closing the border"

Fox News much?
As far as I can recall, we actually raise pigs in America too. But no, the disease has to have come in from those dirty Mexicans, right? I mean, white people never develop any kind of diseases, right? I mean, that's a good excuse for some old fashioned racism.

While we're at it, let's ignore the fact that the people who brought the disease into the country – innocently inside their bodies as carriers, and not in a suitcase – lived in Queens, New York.

Racial differences have nothing to do with this disease. Closing the border will do more harm than good.

Thank you Dutch for a meaningful response. How refreshing!

Here's the thing. This swine flu may fizzle out. A few hundred cases, a couple of deaths, about as serious as aspirin overdose. BUT, if 4 million people get sick and 12,000 die, all of us will be hollering about why didn't the government take strong steps months ago, before it was apparent that it turned out to be serious.

Remember Katrina? None of us gave a moment's thought to those levees until they failed. Then, it was "How could the government have allowed this to happen?"

It is best to take preventative steps and hope that they are not needed.

FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR BE AFRAID FEAR FEAR

13,000 die of influenza of some sort or another every year in the US annually. This Pig Flu crap is getting to be just media scaremongering akin to the GOP propaganda push that was the "Terror Alert" system.

Pig and Human immune systems are extremely similar. This is exactly why pig organs can sometimes be transplanted into humans. This is also why diseases like this mutate to transfer species. If this was a "pandemic" on the scale that required all this fear mongering, it would be at the point where billions of livestock internationally were dropping dead – considering something that deadly has a good chance to be communicable to humans.

Middle School level understanding of biology > Fox News

contingencies,

Closing the border is ridiculous. Millions of legal workers on both side of the borders would be affected, as would our supply of many fruits and vegetables. The spread of this bug has come from TRAVELERS, many traveling on business or vacations. I think much of that will be cut back due to common sense or fear.

How come Obama hasn't blamed Bush or America's past for the flu? What's he waiting for?

The Republicans stripped $900 Million Dollars from the Stimulus bill which was for building up a vaccine stockpile in-case we have an epidemic. Because they didn't act back then it will now cost more money to deal with this virus.

Translation: You need to be scared, and I'm using your concern for your children as the tool to create that fear. You will accept nationalized healthcare, if I even have to scare you about your dog. that is all. Big Brother, out.

Yes, those contigency funds that were crossed out as an earmark would come in handy just about now, wouldn't they Senator Collins? Didn't think that targeting money for a possible epidemic would bite you in the butt so fast, did you?

President Obama is correct...just closing the schools if the children end up in day-care facilities will do nothing to stem the spread of the flu. While I doubt that the swine flu will be as impactful as the alarmists are fearing, we do need to consider, as Dr. del Rio of Emory Medical School comments, that the worst may come next fall. Plans should be made about when a school or day-care should close, and parents need to be prepared to find alternate care if they, themselves, cannot stay home with their children.

We need research in order to try and create an immunization against it, although that might be difficult with the mutation rate the virus has. However, common sense rules do work:
1) if you feel ill with the symptoms of the flu, see your doctor
2) if you are ill with the flu, STAY HOME, stay off of mass transit, and do not expose others at school or work.
3) stay hydrated, rested, and if you develop secondary illnesses, get additional treatment
4) the most violated common sense rule, but the one that can be most effective: WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY AND FREQUENTLY! Ordinary soap can be just as effective as antibacterial soap.

I doubt that this flu will have even the impact that the Hong Kong flu had in 1968, but if it does, we are much better prepared to handle it now. And I seriously doubt we will have a repeat of the pandemic in 1918 that killed tens of millions across the world. The tricky part is that with the increase in travel, the bug may spread faster than usual.

This is leadership I can believe in. If kids miss too much school, they can make up the missed days this summer. It is towards the end of the school year anyway.

the President needs a contingency plan for when his teleprompter breaks down. He looks totally clueless.

NewsFlash Mr President – Some folks don't have the luxury of a grandmother to stay at home with a sick child, I do but my parents are too frail to handle the virus, I couldn't infect them.

There needs to be a sick child daycare that will be available to low income folks. For some missing work means missing meals.

How about this, what's your contignecy plan for countless Americans who can't afford sick child care and will get fired or not paid if they stay home from work to care for their children.

I have a contigency plan, but I'll need to ask congress for 1 billion dollars for it to work.

how about closing the border