InstantNewsKaty.com

The national Centers for Disease Control now says the swine flu is not dangerous to necessarily close schools, and those already closed may reopen.

At Lamar Consolidated School District, however, school officials were waiting Tuesday afternoon to hear from Fort Bend County health officials before reopening Lamar and Bowie junior high schools, both of which had closed after a single student became a probable carrier of the disease.

The Centers for Disease Control announced Tuesday it no longer recommends schools be closed if one student is confirmed with the disease.

“New information on disease severity warrant revision of the school closure guidance,” the CDC said. “Most U.S. cases have not been severe and are comparable in severity to seasonal influenza.”

The CDC now recommends that the best way to reduce the spread of swine flu in schools is to “focus on early identification of ill students and staff” and then have those people stay home while they’re sick.

“School closure is not advised for a suspected or confirmed case” of swine flu, the CDC statement said. “And, in general, is not advised unless there is a magnitude of faculty or student absenteeism that interferes with the school’s ability to function.”

Schools that already had closed because of past CDC recommendations may now reopen, the CDC said.

“We understand the CDC has issued the statement,” said a spokesman for Lamar CISD. “We are still awaiting word from county health officials as to when we can reopen Bowie and Lamar.”

Katy ISD’s Beckendorff Junior High School, and a private Greatwood school also are closed, and both did so at the recommendation of the Fort Bend County Health & Human Services Department.

Health department officials could not be reached for comment early Tuesday afternoon.