QNS. SCHOOL FEAR: CANCUN TRIP EYED IN SWINE OUTBREAK

group of Queens high school students likely brought Mexico's deadly swine flu epidemic to the city after they went on a wild spring-break party to Cancun earlier this month.

Some seniors from St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows took the trip over Easter hiatus two weeks ago. Days later, an outbreak of flu-like symptoms erupted at the school, leaving about 200 kids complaining of being ill.

Yesterday, city health officials confirmed that eight students "have probable human swine influenza" after testing positive for Influenza A, which officials say causes the swine strain of disease.

"We're very concerned about what may happen," Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said yesterday.

The finding prompted city health officials to contact all New York hospitals and put them on alert for the bug.

On Friday, officials tested nine kids at the 2,700-student school after some complained of nausea, dizziness, headache and other symptoms resembling swine flu, which has already killed at least 81 people in Mexico and sickened more than 1,300.

"In every single case, illness was mild," Frieden said of the St. Francis cases, adding that no one was hospitalized.

We did ferry from midtown Manhattan to Bear Mountain for the day. Along with about a dozen other high schools. Rain or shine. Barely controlled chaos. I don’t think I flew until after college! It could have been worse, a bunch of my friends’ schools did the “cheese” bus to Rye Playland for the day. When my kids complain about stuff I usually just smirk - very little sympathy here.

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Boy,have things changed! I really, truly do not approve of this modern “senior trip” thing.

Any kid of mine would NOT go on this kind of a trip. Of course, I graduated in ‘64 so I guess I’m probably totally irrelevant..”

I think most parents let their kids go anywhere, do anything, so they don’t have to bother with them.

Yes, times have changed.....my mother wouldn’t even let me go to my graduation party in my hometown!

I don’t think most of these these trips have ANY school sponsorship. I can’t imagine the school district taking on the responsibility or liability. The outfit that did my son’s Bahama trip has been doing this for years, but not formally through the school. This was the kids on their own for the most part with customer service reps on hand.

These kids are going to be off on their own in college in 4 months. If your kid is under 18 and requires your consent (or cash!) whether you give it it depends on how sound you think their judgment is. I gave him consent to enlist in the Army; I figured I could trust him on vacation.

I declined consent for one of my daughter’s the year Natalie Holloway went missing, but I think I was swayed by all the media blitz. In reality thousands of kids do this w/o any problems and she is a very responsible young woman. You just have to impress on them to stick together, watch each other for for signs alcohol excess or other recklessness, and don’t go off the beaten path. Your basic advice to them for the next few years!

For me the begining of “letting go” started when I handed over the car keys. Then you start praying they listened to something over the prior 16 years.

It is hard to adjust to having kids living at home as young adults (21, 20 & 18). I left for college just before I turned 17 and between work and summer sessions I never lived at home after that. I never went through the “where are they” angst, or “what time did they come in last night” questions with my parents like my friends and I went through with our kids. It seems more kids are not going away for the whole 4 years of college (to save money) and we are having to adapt to having our young adult kids underfoot.

Two are moving out this summer and I find I’m almost relieved. Of course the one going into the Army brings a new and different type of anxiety!

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