TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Church tries to keep swine flu at bay

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 20, 2009

BRANDON - Bell Shoals Baptist Church is asking members with flulike symptoms to stay home after a child attending its vacation Bible school was identified as a possibly having swine flu.

Members on their way into church Sunday were handed fliers advising them to stay home if they have such symptoms.

Bell Shoals Baptist, one of Brandon's largest churches, also posted a notice on its Web site asking anyone who developed flulike symptoms in the past week not to attend services, classes or events and to stay home for seven days after the onset of symptoms.
Church officials contacted the Hillsborough County Health Department late last week about the child's illness, said Warren McDougle, the department's epidemiology program manager.

The child tested positive for Influenza A, and roughly 97 percent of Influenza A cases convert to H1N1 or swine flu, McDougle said.

"As far as I know, the child's fine," he said.

Anyone with flulike symptoms who has been at Bell Shoals or its vacation Bible school is asked to call the church office at (813) 689-4229, ext. 504.

A staff report

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT