Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer for Nova Scotia, speaks with CBC reporters on Friday. (CBC)

Nova Scotia's top health official says the province will not be following the latest advice from the World Health Organization on how to limit the spread of the swine flu virus.

Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer, said Friday that he and other Canadian health experts weren't consulted or forewarned by the UN health agency about Friday's recommendation that schools ideally should be closed before one per cent of the population falls ill.

"This was very much a surprise," Strang told CBC News.

In a statement, WHO officials said school closures at a very early stage in a pandemic could reduce the demand for health care at the peak of an outbreak.

It also said that during school closures, officials should try to limit students from congregating elsewhere, such as malls.

"So are we going to stop kids from going to malls? Going to movies? Basically you'd have to say to kids, 'Stay home for 8, 10, 12 or more weeks.' Is that realistic? Could that be justified?" Strang said.

While health officials are trying to limit the spread and impact of the disease, they are also trying to minimize societal and economic disruption, said Strang.

"Their theoretical recommendation applied in the real world just does not make sense," he said.

Under the WHO recommendation, a school such as Dartmouth High School — with approximately 1,100 students — could be shut down if 11 students became ill.

The provincial deputy minister of health said he doesn't think parents agree with the health organization on this issue.

"They know the impracticality of trying to keep their children kind of wrapped in cotton, in isolation in their room," said Dennis Cochrane.

Strang said he would consider school closures on a case-by-case basis if a swine flu outbreak occurs.