No sooner had the Manatee County School District looked unprepared and almost caught off guard by the swine flu epidemic than the situation completely turned around.
Just last week, district officials awaited the arrival of parent consent forms for vaccinations, apparently yet to be printed. That begged the question: Since districts around the country saw this coming way before the school year began, just when did Manatee officials order the forms?
Just as suddenly as that issue came up — and after Manatee County commissioners expressed some alarm over the untimely delay — it disappeared. Like magic, the consent forms showed up. Just as swiftly, the school district and county health department scheduled a series of clinics to provide the immunizations. Those began Friday, with elementary schools in line first.
Kudos to the county commission for stepping up and pushing a greater sense of urgency on immunizing some of the most vulnerable to the swine flu. And to the health department and school district for the quick execution.
Keeps kids out of hospitals
Speaking of swine flu, we remind parents to refrain from taking their young ones to hospitals for visitation hour. Both Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center recommend anyone younger than 18 not visit lobbies and patient rooms because they are at higher risk of both contracting and spreading the disease.
Both hospitals are posting signs about the recommendation — far less drastic that the outright bans on child visitors that some medical centers are enforcing, especially on mother-child units.
So remember, parents: Find a baby-sitter to care for the youngsters while you visit family or friends at the hospital. Be mindful of everyone’s health and well being.
Developments on drywall
A significant development occurred in the case of defective drywall this week. A Chinese manufacturer, Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd., agreed to be served in one class-action lawsuit by American homeowners.
That opens the door, finally, to possible relief over property damages. We suspect the ongoing pressure from such torchbearers as Florida Sen. Bill Nelson finally convinced the Chinese that this issue was not going away and drywall manufacturers must answer the charges.
Knauf only agreed to defend against one class-action lawsuit, to be filed by Dec. 9. Homeowners must submit proof their homes contain KPT drywall by Dec. 2 to: Levin, Fishbein, Sedran & Berman, 510 Walnut St., Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA 19106.
On another drywall front, on Wednesday Nelson and Sen. George LeMieux joined a bipartisan group of senators in introducing a resolution imploring mortgage lenders and banks to delay or suspend mortgage payments for homeowners grappling with the tainted drywall.
In yet another development, last week Rep. Vern Buchanan pushed for federal disaster assistance for homeowners — in the form of low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration to pay for repairs. Nelson requested the SBA look into such a loan program in July. Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, filed an amendment to an SBA bill and the House approved the measure last week. Now the Senate must adopt the change before sending the bill to President Obama.
Meanwhile, a federal task force investigating the drywall expects to have results of additional tests sometime later this month.
While progress on this issue has been agonizingly slow, homeowners with contaminated residences can take some solace in the fact that our political leaders are hard at work on their plight.
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