Is Gov. Carcieri overreacting by closing North Kingstown High School because one student is potentially infected with swine flu?

Gov. Donald L. Carcieri has taken the extraordinary step of recommending that North Kingstown High School close its doors for the rest of the week until results come back from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from a test for swine flu.

A student who recently returned from a family vacation in Mexico was exhibiting flu-like symptoms, leading the R.I. Department of Health to take a sample of the student’s blood and send it to CDC labs for confirmation.

If the sample tests positive for swine flu, the suggested federal protocol is to close the school for seven calendar days. Results are expected today or tomorrow.

Is the governor overreacting by asking the district to close the school for the rest of the week?