Closure of schools no solution to control swine flu - Azad

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said closing down schools was no solution to control the spread of swine flue even as a number of them shut down after some students tested positive for the disease.

This decision, Azad said, should to be based on the situation prevailing in the affected areas and 'therefore, it would be for the state governments to take a decision about closure of schools'.

'However, mere closure of schools would not solve the problem, unless the children restrict themselves to their homes,' Azad told reporters here.

'If they (infected people) continue to move around and socialise, go to parties and the market, closure of schools would not serve any purpose.

'Therefore, it is more important that parents ensure that children who show signs of influenza like illness stay at home and do not socialise. This holds equally good for adults also. Even parents, businessmen, politicians, media persons and others should restrict themselves to their homes if any symptom appears, separate themselves from others and and should go for a clinical examination.'

The Maharashtra government on Monday decided to close down all schools, colleges, cinema halls and malls in the Pune-Pimpri-Chinchwad region to arrest the spread of the swine flu.

However two Mumbai schools -- St. Dominic Savio National Open School in Andheri East and Arya Vidya Mandir school in Juhu -- were shut for a week on Monday after three students were found positive.

Last week, the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Bandra-Kurla Complex and the J.B. Vachha School, Matunga, were shut for a week after some of their students were detected with H1N1 virus.

In Delhi three schools closed down for at least a week after some students tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

In Bangalore, the Frank Anthony Public School announced it will remain closed for a week from Monday as a 14-year-old boy tested positive