Title: With Swine Flu, The Thing Hospitals Fear Is Fear Itself

" This is -- WBUR news podcast for Thursday November 5 a service of WBUR. Boston's NPR news station I'm Bob -- coming up. What are his priorities says Boston mayor Thomas Menino gets ready to start and unprecedented fifth arm and first today. A swine flu update the H1N1. Is now circulating widely in Greater Boston especially among young people. Children's Hospital has open and overflows site to help manage the number of patients coming in its emergency room with flu like symptoms. But most of those children are just being told to go home drink fluids. And get lots of rest. WBUR. His health and science reporter Sacha Pfeiffer has the story on how the hospital is handling of flood of sick kids."

" And -- temperature only hear. The -- Could report her there's no doubt the two year old Jonathan -- this feels lousy. His eyes are glassy and is brown curls -- stamp on his forehead a sure sign fever his mother Janice suspect he has the flu."

" My hats in hand decided coughing and it's okay faithful very active and other things he -- Employing very like tired."

" So she brought in here to the Children's Hospital emergency room and sure enough. He has almost a 103 degree temperature and a likely case of the H1N1 swine flu. But the -- and he gets pretty simple some fever reducing medicine -- and formal statement. You know and a cup of water and then doctor Margaret Truman sent him home in Atlanta I'm not feeling well it's just that -- at this point. Schilling is a pediatrician at Children's Hospital which earlier this week -- 50% jump in sick kids in its emergency room. Most of them with presume cases of H1N1. -- says for most children the swine flu does not call for a trip to the ER. In fact of the fifty or so kids she's treated for the flu in the past few weeks. Only a handful have been hospitalized one for example developed pneumonia another it was a three month old with a fever. There's a lot of panic on the part of parents and they hearing on that children who were really having a serious complications to this. But it's still the vast minority of kids we're having these horrible complications. Schuman says only a small percentage of children with H1N1 need to go to the hospital. Those include kids with trouble breathing and dehydration a fever that goes away and comes back or kids acting delirious and -- But at least a hundred children nationwide have died from -- and those horror stories have many parents -- seemed to be ER. Doctor mark Walton which is that think twice before making that trip."

" This used to be meeting rooms. That because of the H1N1. Outbreak."

" We have proactively converted to actual examination rooms Walton is assistant medical director of the Children's Hospital emergency department. He's walking through a new makeshift space at the hospital with sixpence a doctor and two nurses. Any child who comes to the ER with flu symptoms who's over two years old and has no whether medical problems gets sent here. Without it. Fulton says. ER could be overwhelmed by miners who cases."

" Families are obviously scared they're getting mixed signals they're not sure what to do so they assume we'll just go to teaching hospital down street. And needed help reassure us we don't give us the magic -- And unfortunately."

" There's no real magic Madison out there -- says that's why an emergency room is not the best place for most kids with the flu. Especially since being in the hospital exposes them to more germs and might spread the virus this is a disease that should be started off in primary -- is office."

" The phone call first should be my child or I have these symptoms cough."

" Fever runny nose what do I do what you do in most cases is just rest hydrate and hold tight. Otherwise hospitals are at risk of being swamped not -- a deadly virus but by overreaction to what so far is mostly -- mild disease. For WBUR. I'm --"

" Sasha answers all your questions and our special swine flu section of wbur.org. Our website. Just visit the website and types -- flew into the search box. Businesses are also concerned how they are supposed to react to VH one N one flu. When employees get sick they need to stay at home it's a drain and not exactly the best of economic times. Here to talk about all this is WBUR his business and technology reporter Courtney -- good morning good morning about what. Kind of impact is the pandemic going to have -- isn't having on the State's economy right now."

" I actually have good news it might not be too bad at all there's this guy at MIT Richard -- he's a mathematician. He does calculations this he had the flu spreads and then dies down. And he actually thinks Massachusetts is pretty close to reaching it's peak number of cases of swine flu at a time. He's pretty sure that by Thanksgiving the worst is going to be behind us. And that means that the worst fears of businesses that people are gonna go Latin chopper that the entire staff is gonna catch this and bring the company to a standstill. Those fears seem unlikely to be realized."

" So with all those stories about vaccine delays school closings hands sanitized or use every -- panic in or worrying for nothing. It kind of seems -- right."

" Larson says no and and let me make a comparison you remember Y two K you know planes following out of the sky when the number switched over to 2000 that was another. Potential big disaster for companies but nothing of the sort really happened because the disruption came ahead of time from all the work that went into making it not to beat the laughter -- And Larson at MIT says there's a parallel with swine flu. If a few weeks from now people find out that the pandemic wave is peering out."

" Well that happens they should look at the American gradually themselves. Because that we collectively have done all the social distancing and if we use hands sanitized it and didn't shake hands but bumped elbows. And these sorts of things we are each individually and collectively responsible for eradicating the flu."

" And the same goes for all the measures that businesses are taken and what measures have businesses been taken. Well there of course worried about being disruptions if a bunch of workers have to stay -- sick and those companies are doing things like training other employees to fill in. Coordinating with temp agencies to have replacement on standby. That doesn't work for all staff and here's an example flex -- their outside of Worcester. And make tapes and films and suppliers and customers all around the world. The company risk manager is Darwin Irish and it's his job to figure out what to do -- all of a sudden one department gets slammed by swine flu."

" Things that keep me up at night. Internal sales. As well as -- IT department. Very specialized. Tactical aspects of people that we couldn't necessarily just quickly. Crushed train someone into those functions."

" So flex kind of spending money -- video conferencing. Moving desks further apart sitting and communities keep people up from work. To work from home if they have to you know -- the guy who's gonna lose his job if he doesn't warning prepares company. But when everything turns out okay people are gonna you know wonder what was he really worried about anyway."

" And again according to your MIT researcher it's likely to turn out okay anyway."

" Yeah but there's always the but right time because a virus can go into one person and come out different in a lot meaner. And there could be another wave in it in a few months the good news is that many of the things that people and businesses are doing in there are costs associated with the but the kind of spread out more. -- the things that they're doing to prepare are actually lowering the chance of that happening and at this point."

" At least from a state economy standpoint swine flu doesn't look like it's going have a very noticeable impact."

" WBUR his business and technology reporter -- makers thanks a lot through things."

" After winning a record fifth term in office on Tuesday Boston mayor Thomas Menino is getting back to work and is promising bold new initiatives to tackle the city's problems. Mayor Menino joins us now on the phone to talk about what comes next mayor good morning and congratulations."

" Jemima log thank you -- on there once again."

" Now that you know -- and again what's the top priority for the Menino administration in the next four years."

" next four years were difficult years. Other -- of financial situation of the city well locally being cut revenues down and how we. Continued to deliver assertions of the people blossoms but I want my top priorities education of course from the do you do we're on the agenda Rivera improve education not for some -- and marched on our kids create jobs and that's speaker is to look into our sides say is create -- Dick -- movement once again does radiation is right out of there and a lot of history -- tranda. Some of programs we have received government because. -- to more effectively more crucially."

" Let's take a few of those priorities one by one if we can what would you like to do most. For Boston schools."

" I'm really bushel Milosevic public school living. Seeded Serb Gujarat but there's -- mission you have to it's doing when it comes to educate actual -- virtual school days. A factual programming and things like that. I think at some point after school programs are very important how -- you all actually that's. A top priority in my mansion which operates. Refuge -- challenge charges and remove the agenda forward."

" you said in this economy the fiscal challenge keeping the city's head above water will dominate we will -- City layoffs ahead what are you gonna have to do."

" I can predict anything yet they have so wind for the numbers to come from the yet. The governor is -- locally touch. Teammates -- grant -- the other day yards and a Oceanic grant and homeless programs that we have -- So that atrocity budget Chang Graham -- says it used to have pilot Charlie. Give kids opportunities. -- programs Charlie keep people -- they would and then when Elvis volume opportunities. To get back on the main street and so there's some that they didn't get a look at what's gonna happen on the -- is exactly. Localities are state and that's really very difficult."

" What do you envision doing in order to create jobs to create new employment for city residents."

" We're really very aggressive when it comes to retaining jobs does a brand new drug atrocity vets. Or my idea of Montrose and actually you are so that I was its integrated. New jobs to blossom like sciences that a growth industry -- and a targeted to work with the help kids apple supplies the air -- of the greatest. -- suppliers I would consider it make -- actually -- encourage them to grow and thrive as cities."

" Do you see the job creation task as more aimed. At trying to find blue collar jobs for city workers or or bringing more white collar workers into the --"

" I think that the other blue collar jobs and jobs still live -- clinic closer to work the -- would drive should get green jobs like. Environmental services try to make that train people to environmental -- when the greens are so we instructed. Some of the employees and I do and Greenway as says he'll wait."

" When we spoke last week just ahead of Election Day about some of the things you've not yet been able to accomplish you said yes perhaps I didn't take enough risks and I notice and this morning's Boston Globe you've evolved that thought by saying I hope to take more risks on some of the things we have to deal with would you mind. Naming one thing that your thinking about along those lines to help us understand what you mean while."

" The to wage of these service delivered some of the duplication. Of effort since some they're very politically. So why should do what you know bits politics behind me and now I've got the mandate from the people Bausch and to do some things differently public works transportation. Some of those as special surely there's hardly good -- probably work together with -- what technology."

" telling one thing you learn from of voter during this campaign that made you say to yourself like got to do that I have to make that specific change."

" things I learned they know our numbers are down recovers a major crimes. Thomas side I learned that don't -- a lot of -- the small little crimes are really bother people don't know is focused on. But homicides. The other major crimes we have quite the little ones and it was a there's some elusive far apart from those guys really bothers people and they it was let's let's say that they've violated if that presence and that's what to choose to work on those issues."

" Finally -- let me ask you."

" I think -- bigger rated there's you know I've met a lot of challenges in my time but I think a lot more challenged at a rest are much more difficult. -- renovated even can imagine I think guess what the army not there recovered as quickly as people thought it would adapt and I think that do we have to deal is probably just. People and they would expect us to deliver."

" Boston mayor Thomas Menino thanks lockers that you -- today thank you -- thank you. A state official forced out of her post this summer over allegations of mismanagement. Is apparently still on the state payroll as a consultant with a salary of more than 6000 dollars a month. And -- center for investigative reporting and Boston University. Originally reported on the problems in the agency and today has an update. The senators Joe Gergen -- reports."

" The former state official is Shelley Taylor in August she was forced out as head of an obscure but critical state agency. The state division of administrative law appeals or -- The agency supposed to decide hundreds of cases a year. Professionals including doctors and daycare operators. Appealed to -- when their state issued licenses are revoked or suspended. Government workers unhappy with their pension calculations. Do the same as a taxpayer I'm curious. Geoff -- is a former state prison guard. He's been waiting sixteen months for Shelley Taylor to decide whether he will get a disability pension."

" What she heard the evidence make a decision overcame her -- job. To."

" Taylor sixteen month delay in issuing a decision and -- case. Violates the agency's own rules that require Taylor to issue a decision within three months it's like -- lights are old. In August we told you about Taylor's record to -- Governor Deval Patrick -- in 2007. To improve the agency's efficiency. Instead the waiting time for hearing almost doubled from one year to the number of decisions issued by Dallas dropped by half during her tenure. Deborah coal is Jeff -- attorney. We went months and months and months with no hearing notices. Nothing with schedule. The Patrick administration knew about the problems but failed to act until we started asking questions this past summer. Now we've learned that Taylor had her own backlog of decisions she was supposed to have written but never did it. And for that Taylor got a reward of sorts a consulting contract at a rate of 6300. Dollars a month for two months starting in early September. The finished the work she should've done in her two years on the job Jeff wait that's excellent -- No sense what's -- it tightly to Taylor hired as their second in command which she was in charge is now acting head of the division of administrative law appeals. It was his call to keep Taylor on as a consultant. -- right decisions Taylor should of written several months ago she believed that she was half the time to. Two right to decisions at the hearings right to diseases active pitchers did not happen. In fact Taylor wrote only to complete case decisions. Over the past two years that does affect. Chris Connelly was ahead of Dallas before Taylor took over the agency and fired him in early 2800. Decisions were you writing each year. Eighteen to 24. To tide -- the acting head of the division of administrative law appeal she wasn't able to get the decisions out. I -- says Taylor's first mistake was assigning yourself 41 cases. Given her other responsibilities of managing the agency she should not have assigned this cases to herself because she. Head too much other stuff to do that other stuff included reducing the division's backlog. But -- would says Taylor failed at that too and she was a essentially a choke point. After getting work the agency and that was problem. But -- says after Taylor was forced out as the head of talent he was faced with the choice of either keeping Iran as a consultant. To write her back line decisions. Or signing Taylor's case to whether magistrates for me to. Reassigned those two another magistrate would have meant for most of them that we would have had to have a rehearing. That's trying to avoid that. In early September Taylor began the task of writing decisions and twelve cases she had heard during your two years on the job. She's been working out of her apartment in Cambridge. As of early this week. She handed in seven decisions. Five more -- by tomorrow. Debra -- Jeff waits attorneys concerned."

" Well that shows to me a lack of supervision of her activities. I would've hoped that someone was supervising and saying. These are our expectations. -- that you will get this many completed on a weekly basis or say we -- aren't that. Not wait -- the last minute."

" Geoff -- has all but given up hope that he'll get a thorough and fair decision she was incapable of doing it while she's on the job why should we she's capable of going it. Now the kind that says he will not extend -- contract beyond this week. That Taylor's agreed to finisher work by Saturday the end of her contract or within the next few weeks at no extra charge. Shelley Taylor did not respond to a request for an interview. The state auditors office which began its own investigation of the state division of administrative law appeals last spring. Says it will issue a report on the agency. In the next few months. For WBUR. I'm Joe Bergen -- you know. Joe Bergen Tino is with the new wing and center for investigative reporting at Boston University. A collaborative that includes WBUR. The Boston Globe New England cable news. --"

" Yeah. Yeah. It's. Okay. It's."

" This podcast is a free service of WBUR Boston. To make a contribution to support the news go to our website wbur.org."