San Diego County health officials have closed three schools because of the threat of Swine Flu, affecting about 5,000 students.
The schools include Kearny High School in Linda Vista, San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts in Paradise Hills and Mission Hills High School in San Marcos. Health officials say each school has one probable case of swine flu.
"About 97 to 98 percent of probables end up being confirmed," San Diego County Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten said.
All athletic competitions are canceled and state testing will have to be post-poned.
"Teachers will be able to come back to the schools on a daily basis to work, as long as none of them exhibit signs of the flu," San Diego Unified School Superintendent Terry Grier said.
The schools will remain closed for 14 days and will reopen the first Monday after the closure expires, May 18, Grier said Friday.
Health officials have not recommended that other schools in the county close as a precaution. “If they recommended to us that we close the district down, we’d be standing here telling you that,” Grier said. “It’s business as usual throughout the district.”
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Student athletes at the affected schools say the closures are devastating.
"I feel mad and upset because it's going to be the end of our season and we have CIF on the 15th and we can't play," Kearny High student Lisa Li said.
Parents were notified about the closures after school on Friday afternoon. Kearny High parent Jackie Toney says health officials are overreacting.
"If we continue down this path everybody is going to be at home, even people who work," Toney said.
Health officials say if the cases turn out to be negative for swine flu, then classes will immediately resume.
