My friend Jennifer over at ReedWhatMatters.com posted a great resource for determining whether or not you have the H1N1 virus a couple of days ago that can be found here. After reading it, I decided to browse the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) website. It offered a variety of topics on swine flu and how to protect yourself from getting it and also spreading it. While educating myself on the H1N1 virus I came across the FAQ:

What is CDC’s recommendation regarding "swine flu parties"?

I don't know about any of you, but I had never heard of a swine flu party. Here is how the CDC defines a swine flu party:

"Swine flu parties" are gatherings during which people have close contact with a person who has 2009 H1N1 flu in order to become infected with the virus. The intent of these parties is for a person to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity 2009 H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease.

Obviously this is a new trend that has been widely accepted by many as a method to avoid the controversial H1N1 flu shot. It reminds me of when I was in the sixth grade and had the chicken pox (Chicken Pox, Mad Cow, Swine flu...I'm starting to detect a farm animal theme here. A little too Old McDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O...don't you think?) Many kids of course wanted a week off so when I came back to school one of the girls asked me to rub my arms on hers so that she could get it. I didn't believe it would work, but lo and behold the next day she was absent and stayed gone for a week. This must be the same concept behind these swine flu parties. The thinking is that you can get immunity from the virus or just get it and get it over with. This is what the CDC states though:

CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against 2009 H1N1 flu in the future. While the disease seen in the current 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus.

CDC recommends that people with 2009 H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.