Swine flu scare

When Zil Shah and his friends received the invitation for a six-day programme at NASA, the swine flu outbreak in US didn’t deter them. But, the 15 kids made sure they took necessary precautions. Says Deepak Shah, Zil’s father who accompanied the students, “All of us were made to wear safety masks as soon as we landed at New York airport and we underwent a medical test there.”
NASA too took precautions and maintained a hygienic ambience on its premises. “NASA has air-purifiers installed at their station. Besides, food and water was pure and our living quarters were well-maintained,” says Sonam Shah, 18. When they landed in Ahmedabad, they had to undergo a check-up. Says Abhimanyu Tripathi, 11, “We were made to fill a medical form at the airport. We were checked for common cold and our travel details were looked into.”
Parents, however, are taking no chances. “We have collected blood samples of participants and will be sending them for tests to Mumbai within this week,” says Zil.