Reuters reports that in a statement released on Friday, the WHO said "[c]losing schools at the start of an H1N1 flu outbreak can greatly slow its spread and buy time to build up drug stocks." In order to have any effect on slowing the spread of H1N1, the closures would have to be made, "ideally before 1 percent of the population falls ill," according to the statement (Nebehay, 9/11). 

The Canadian Press reports that the statement "neither encouraged or discouraged use of this measure" and said the agency "could not offer advice on the issue that would be useful in all settings, saying national and local authorities are best situated to make these kinds of calls" (Branswell, 9/12).

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