Posted at: 10/14/2009 10:53 PM
Updated at: 10/15/2009 7:55 AM
By: Kristin Martin

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Long Weekend Brings H1N1 Concerns

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- The M.E.A. weekend is bringing new concerns regarding the H1N1 flu.

The health department says 215 Minnesota schools reported outbreaks last week, that's up from 125 the week before. While some smaller schools still haven't been hit, some are worried this long weekend could change that.

"This weekend we're going to the cities,” says one student.

"We are heading up to a water park in the cities,” says Marla Kassel, mother of three.

It's M.E.A. Weekend and families are planning to travel, and that has some teachers worried.

"I think it'll actually increase the spreading in the next 5-7 days,” says Michael Keefe, a science teacher at Grand Meadow.

Since the beginning of the school year students at Grand Meadow have been working hard to stay healthy, by washing their hands, practicing safe sneezing and cleaning.

"I Clorox a lot of desks so everyone can stay healthy,” says 4th grader Peyton.

They're also taking extra precautions during sporting events.

"In volleyball they're not allowing the girls to shake hands during the season,” explains Superintendent Joe Brown.

But at schools like Grand Meadow where absentee rates are as low as one to two percent, M.E.A. Weekend might mean that students are exposed to more germs than usual.

Superintendent Brown said, "We have students going to the Mall of America where there are thousands of people at one time.”

But students are still going to try and be cautious.

"I'm not going to drink from other peoples stuff and I'm going to wash my hands a lot,” promises 9th grader Jessica Holms.

And some parents think the exposure will be good for their children.

"I think some kids do need to be exposed to some germs so that they build up a tolerance,” says Marla Kassel who is taking her kids to a water park for the weekend.

But what happens when students return from the long weekend?

Superintendent Brown can only guess, "We'll find out what happens. Our students are scheduled to come back next Tuesday and I hope we'll have one hundred percent attendance."

Other schools in the area also have concerns of students bringing the virus to the classrooms, but they say they'll keep practicing methods to keep it from spreading.