Center Moriches Taxpayers Community Discussion Forum

Over the weekend, when news about the swine flu broke, the superintendent of Amityville schools felt a wave of panic about his students who recently fell ill.

"Of course when you see the story on the swine flu, the first thing you think is, 'Holy cow, we have a bunch of kids struck with the flu,' " John Williams said Monday.

On April 16, more than 30 middle school students went home sick. Most were diagnosed with a minor respiratory virus. At the beginning of last week, five other middle school students were diagnosed with type A influenza. Of that group, two tested negative for swine flu, Williams said. Results were pending for another student and two family members, he said, adding that it wasn't known whether the other two students took tests.

"We have no reason to believe any of these illnesses are connected to the swine flu," Williams said.

As a precaution in finding other possible sickened students, Williams said officials are trying to determine whether any students or staff traveled to Mexico City over spring break.

"We don't know exactly who went where," he said.

Meanwhile, companies catering to student spring break travel are reaching out to those who recently took trips to or through Mexico City.

Patrick Evans, a Dallas-based spokesman for STA Travel, said the firm will waive fees to change dates for future travel to Cancun, a popular destination among teens.

Jason Chute, director of operations for GradCity of Peabody, Mass., popular among Long Island teens, said about 100 students returned from Cancun on April 18.

"We want to make sure everyone was OK and happy when they got back," he said.

He said the company will know by the end of the week what options are available for those who have upcoming trips to Mexico.

The Associated Press reported that some of the infected students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows went to Cancun for spring break.

Connetquot superintendent Alan Groveman said he will monitor developments at the private Catholic school, which will remain closed Tuesday. As of Monday afternoon, there were 28 confirmed and 17 probable cases of swine flu among St. Francis students.

"We're an interconnected island," Groveman said. "Whatever is in Queens will end up on the Island."

Long Island districts will mostly monitor the situation and continue to reinforce healthy hygiene habits, said Great Neck superintendent Ronald Friedman, who is also president of the Nassau County Council of School Superintendents.

"Nobody should panic," he said.