Tarrant, Dallas Counties Differ in Health Dept. Recommendations

There are a lot of questions surrounding the different recommendations of the Dallas County Health Department and the Tarrant County Health Department. 

Only four schools in Dallas county have been closed or partially closed due to swine influenza.  In Tarrant County the entire Fort Worth Independent School District is closed.

Many wonder why there's such a disparity since there's only about 30 miles separating Dallas County and Tarrant County.

We asked the directors of both Dallas County and Tarrant County health departments.

"We had four schools with a probably case in each school and we had reports from the ISD of other schools with children going home sick with flu-like symptoms," said Lew Brewer, the director of the Tarrant County Health Department.

These probable and suspected cases met the criteria for a district-wide shutdown in the case of Fort Worth ISD.  It's a much different case in Dallas County.

"You do it in phases and that's what we've decided to do.  Do it on a case-by-case situation," said Zach Thomspon, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.

When it comes to holding public events the Tarrant County health department considered their school-aged kids from Fort Worth ISD.

Dallas County meanwhile says attend large gatherings at your own risk.  So who's right?

"Dallas and Fort Worth.  We're both right," said Thompson.

Each department says based on the information each office received the appropriate recommendation were made for each specific community.

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