Bangalore reacts

Published Mid-Day Tuesday August 11

Bangalore reacts
The first two cases of the H1N1 have been confirmed in Bangalore and the city is slowly reacting. Frank Anthony Public School on Cambridge Road bore the brunt of media attention as the first recorded case is a student there. The other victim is a 13-year student of National Public School.
 
Schools react
Parents outside the school expressed mixed feelings about the flu. Lionnel A Coulter who has two sons in 7th and 8th standard said that he “would not be afraid to send his kids to school”, on the other hand Geraldine Philips who has a daughter at the school said that she is “afraid because the school is closed through Friday and her daughter will have to go to work with her now.”
While an earlier message sent to parents of children at Frank Anthony Public School reported that the school would remain open, they have now announced that the school is to remain closed till the 17th. Students at the nearby St Meera’s school said that they “are very scared of getting sick”. A parent at the school said, “the school does not know what to do and neither do I.”

Pharmacies react:
While other countries are quickly handing out treatment for the swine flu virus, pharmacies in the city shake their head and pay little attention when asked about the drug.

When asked whether they stocked or would now be interested in stocking Tamiflu or Relenza, they responded mostly in the negative.

Sai Health Pharmacy on 8th Cross, Thippasandra gave us a blunt, “No!” while Maya Medical, also at Thippasandra told us clearly that they weren’t interested. “Not now, but if the demand grows, then yes,” said Arihant Medicals on Cambridge Road.

Govt hospital keeps mum:
A spokesperson from the Government hospital on Cambridge Road declined to comment.