H1N1 parties: a bad idea

Some parents in the UK are organizing H1N1 parties so that their children can contract the virus. They think that it is better for their children to catch it now when the H1N1 virus is mild, than for them to catch it in the fall, when the virus is expected to come back stronger.

 

Experts think this is a very bad idea. Lyne St-Martin, MCH Infection Prevention and Control Practitioner, warns that the virus has to be taken seriously. "We are working hard to avoid transmission. Even if most of the cases are benign, we have had hospitalized patients." She adds that we don't know enough about the virus, so we should continue to avoid its spread by washing our hands, staying home if we feel sick and practicing respiratory hygiene.