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Post by WeNeed3 on Apr 28, 2009 7:25:16 GMT -5
Swine Flu InformationReported by janet_buglio@ipsd.org on 4/27/09 Although there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu reported in Illinois, the district would like to remind you of precautionary measures you and your family can take to stay healthy. Spread of this swine influenza virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Practicing simple hygiene measures can help prevent the spread of the flu. These include covering your nose and mouth with a tissue if you cough or sneeze and promptly throwing the tissue in the trash. Washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing is also important. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective. You also need to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth to prevent spreading germs. These practices should be reviewed with your children. Most importantly, if you get sick with influenza, you should stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Indian Prairie School District is collaborating with the DuPage County Health Department to monitor the swine flu situation locally. We ask when you call your school to report your child as absent, that you describe the symptoms he or she is experiencing. Please do not send your child to school if they have a persistent cough or until they are fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever reducing medication. Contact your medical provider if you have questions or concerns about the swine flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has information online: ipsdweb.ipsd.org/News.aspx?id=23413
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Post by WeNeed3 on Apr 29, 2009 15:11:37 GMT -5
9 probable swine flu cases in IllinoisApril 29, 2009 2:54 PM Nine cases of probable swine flu have been tracked by the Illinois Department of Public Health so far, five of them in Chicago, including the one that prompted today's closing of Kilmer Elementary School on Chicago's North Side, the head of the department said today. Illinois Public Health Director Damon Arnold said all nine cases are "mild." In addition to the five in Chicago, two are in Kane County, one in DuPage County and one in Lake County, Arnold said. The people range in age from 6 to 57 years old. The 12-year-old at Kilmer Elementary School in Rogers Park is a girl, officials said. The other probable cases are: a 25-year-old man and a 20-year-old man, both on the North Side; a 36-year-old woman and a 35-year-old woman on the South Side; a 27-year-old man in Elmhurst; an 18-year-old man in Geneva, in Kane County; a 12-year-old girl in Kane County; and a 6-year-old girl in the Bedford area in Lake County. "Probable" means that tests have shown a 99 percent chance that the nine people have swine flu, Arnold said. Samples from three of the people have already been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation, and tests from the six others will be forwarded soon. So far, the virus has killed one child in the United States and about 160 people in Mexico. www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/04/more-probable-swine-flu-cases-in-illinois.html
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Post by gatordog on Apr 29, 2009 15:42:38 GMT -5
Swine flu cases in Kane, DuPage counties
April 29, 2009 From Staff and Wire Reports
The Illinois Department of Public Health has announced there are two probable cases of swine flu in Kane County and one in DuPage County.
In all, there are nine suspected cases of swine flu in Illinois, including five in Cook County (all within the city of Chicago), and one in Lake County.
The Kane County Health Department today recommended that the Rotolo Middle School in Batavia and Marmion Academy in Aurora close temporarily following the identification of a probable swine flu case in each of the schools. This is a preventive measure designed to help break the cycle of disease transmission and protect students, faculty, staff, administrators, and the larger community.
Marmion officials said they have canceled all events through this weekend.
The Health Department further recommends that extracurricular activities be canceled and that staff, faculty, students not gather outside of school, since that would defeat the goal of disrupting disease transmission. The Kane County Health Department is working closely with school officials to protect all the students, staff and faculty.
Further lab testing at the CDC is pending before these two probable cases can be confirmed. Both students are recovering at home. No further probable cases have been identified.
A probable case of the flu means IDPH has tested a specimen and found it positive for influenza A, but it could not be sub-typed. The department has shipped three of the nine probable cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to perform final testing to confirm if the cases are swine flu, and the other six will be shipped later Wednesday.
People with flu-like symptoms -- fever with a cough or sore throat -- are encouraged to stay home for seven days after the onset of illness or at least 24 hours after symptoms go away, whichever is longer. People with symptoms who wish to seek medical care should contact their health care provider by phone before going to a clinic, office or hospital.
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Post by momto4 on Apr 29, 2009 16:15:47 GMT -5
Thanks for the updates. This is getting scarily close to home. I hope we do not wind up having any schools closed. My high-schooler is concerned what would happen with the AP exams since their dates are set and they are doing heavy-duty studying leading up to the test dates.
What I can't tell from the news about this is - is this flu more dangerous or spreading more quickly than the usual flu? Or is it just that the flu vaccine doesn't cover it so it's dangerous to those already considered to be at risk?
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Arwen
Master Member
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Post by Arwen on Apr 29, 2009 16:30:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the updates. This is getting scarily close to home. I hope we do not wind up having any schools closed. My high-schooler is concerned what would happen with the AP exams since their dates are set and they are doing heavy-duty studying leading up to the test dates. What I can't tell from the news about this is - is this flu more dangerous or spreading more quickly than the usual flu? Or is it just that the flu vaccine doesn't cover it so it's dangerous to those already considered to be at risk? I think it spreads more quickly. I heard a news report about one of the NYC schools that closed that said 82 students were out sick before they closed it. It doesn't seem to be more dangerous to the generally healthy (non-infant, non-senior, non-immuno-compromised) population. The vaccine definitely doesn't cover it but they did say that if you had the vaccine you'd likely have a milder case, but I'm not sure how that works.
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Post by title1parent on Apr 30, 2009 16:52:16 GMT -5
With the news of reported cases of the swine influenza in Illinois, we wanted to assure you that the district is monitoring the situation closely and working with local government agencies to provide for the safety of our students and staff. At this time, the district has not received any reports of our students or staff having swine flu. Therefore, we believe students can safely attend classes and schools will remain open. Should the situation change and the DuPage County Health Department recommend closing a school to help stop flu transmission in the community, we will notify parents and post closure information on the district's website. This is a good time to take a moment to review childcare contingency plans should you need to keep your child home from school. The district is taking proactive measures to lower the risk of catching the flu. Good hygiene methods are being reviewed with students, and staff members are providing frequent opportunities for students to wash their hands. Our nurses are carefully assessing students in the health office and we are asking parents to provide a description of symptoms when reporting a child as absent. Please review with your child basic hygiene practices. These include covering your nose and mouth with a tissue if you cough or sneeze and promptly throwing the tissue in the trash. Washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing is also important. You also need to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth to prevent spreading germs. Lastly and most importantly, if your child is ill, please keep him or her at home. A child must be fever free without taking fever-reducing medications for 24 hours before returning to school. The Centers for Disease Control have the following resources available online: English: www.cdc.gov/swineflu/general_info.htmSpanish: cdc.gov/swineflu/espanol/swine_espanol.htmDuPage County Health Department resources are available at: English: www.ipsd.org/Uploads/news_23413_1.pdfSpanish: www.ipsd.org/Uploads/news_23413_2.pdf
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we4
Junior
Let's Go Yankees......Let's Go Yankees
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Post by we4 on Apr 30, 2009 21:08:31 GMT -5
www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Swine-Flu-University-of-Chicago-Medical-Center-CPS-Schools-Illinois.html41 Probable Swine Flu Cases in Illinois 11 Chicagoland schools temporarily closeThere are now 41 "probable" cases of swine flu in Illinois, all of them in Chicagoland, according to information released Thursday evening by the Illinois Department of Health. The cases are comprised of 16 people in the City of Chicago, 11 more in Cook County, seven in Kane County, three in Will County, two in DuPage County and one each in Lake and McHenry counties. Eight schools in the area have closed because of concerns over swine flu (see full list below). Of the probable cases already identified in Chicago, one is a student at Kilmer Elementary School and two are employees at the University of Chicago Medical Center, a hospital spokesman told the Tribune. A Loyola University student was sent home to the St. Louis area due to a probable case of swine flu. "I had a very severe headache. I was dizzy and (my head) was pounding," said Loyola student Michael Hairsine, who is now doing OK. "I was very weak; I could hardly get out of bed." The three probable cases in Will County came after residents presented themselves to local hospitals. The patients, an 11-year-old girl from Joliet, an 8-year-old girl from Joliet, and a 7-year old-girl from Joliet, have been released and are recovering. In Kane County, a Haines Middle School girl is another likely case. Two other Cook County cases are an 11-year-old boy, from Streamwood, and a 27-year-old man from Lemont. The U of C employees are recovering at home and are also doing well, the spokesman said, adding that other employees and patients with flu symptoms are being tested for swine flu. Some of those with flu have verified cases of seasonal flu, unrelated to the swine flu outbreak. Everyone going into U of C Med Center is urged to use hand sanitizer as they enter. Spokesman John Easton said the hospital doesn't want its "proactive approach to be mistaken for undue alarm." Also Thursday, several state agencies and the Illinois National Guard said they are assisting with the receipt and repackaging of anti-viral medications and medical supplies from the federal Strategic National Stockpile, which began arriving in Illinois on Wednesday. Kits containing the supplies will be shipped to local health departments and hospitals throughout the state, with distribution expected to continue through the weekend. As Illinois continues to prepare, state health officials are more than doubling their normal rations of anti-viral medications given to flu patients. Officials are repeating the same message to residents: don't panic, wash your hands often, cover your mouth when you cough and stay home if you feel sick. The CTA is continuing to deep-clean its buses and 'L' cars only once every 14 days -- which means you should definitely wash your hands after public trans. Mayor Daley reminded Chicago residents that they can get flu updates on AlertChicago.org. Illinois residents can also go to the state Health Department's site, Ready.Illinois.Gov, or contact their local health department directly, here. For nationwide swine flu information, check the CDC's Web site. School Closures: Kilmer Elementary in Chicago -- closed until further notice Rotolo Middle School in Batavia -- reopens Monday, May 4 Batavia High School in Batavia -- reopens Monday, May 4 Marmion Academy in Aurora -- reopens Monday, May 4 Bednarcik Junior High in Aurora -- reopens Monday, May 4 Fox Chase Elementary in Oswego -- reopens Monday, May 4 Thompson Junior High in Oswego -- reopens Monday, May 4 Farragut Elementary in Joliet -- reopens Tuesday, May 5 Sator Sanchez Elementary -- reopens Tuesday, May 5 Haines Middle School in St. Charles -- closed until further notice Ridge Circle Elementary in Streamwood -- closed until Monday, May 11
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Post by gatordog on May 2, 2009 21:33:22 GMT -5
Flu scare closes more schools
May 1, 2009 By MATT HANLEY AND DAN CAMPANA Staff Writers Five additional Fox Valley schools were closed Thursday after four more students were found with probable cases of swine flu.
Haines Middle School in St. Charles and Batavia High School both closed down through at least the weekend.
Three Kendall County schools -- Fox Chase Elementary and Thompson Junior High School, both in Oswego, and Bednarcik Junior High School in Aurora -- were also closed through the weekend.
The Kendall County schools will be closed today due to three probable cases of swine flu in two schools, the first reported cases in the county. School District officials did not identify which schools had probable cases and closed a third school where no flu had been found as a precautionary measure, officials said.
On Wednesday, Rotolo Middle School in Batavia and Marmion Academy in Aurora were closed through Sunday after probable cases were detected there.
St. Charles School Superintendant Don Schlomann learned about the test results early Thursday, and the 1,100 students were released at 1 p.m. Haines parents were notified by the district's automated phone call system. The earliest Haines could reopen is Monday, Schlomann said.
"Obviously, this is all new territory for all of us," he said.
The infected student has recovered, Schlomann said.
"She is home and feeling fine and wishing to come back to school," he said.
Schlomann added that the girl has two siblings who attend other district schools. They have not shown symptoms, but have been taken out of school.
Schlomann said Haines has averaged 60 students absent this week, which is consistent with earlier in the school year. Although this flu strain cannot survive outside the human body for long, custodial crews planned to clean the hard surfaces at Haines as a precaution.
Even though Haines is closed, parents are asked to notify administrators if their student shows flu-like symptoms. The administration phone number is 630-513-3030.
'Extremely cautious' Oswego school officials said parents can expect to be notified Sunday evening through the district's phone alert message system about the status of school for next week. Updates also will be posted on the district's Web site. Batavia High School canceled all home and away practices and competitions through Monday.
Kane County Regional School Superintendent Dave Johnson said the schools are following the advice of the Kane County Health Department.
The process of closing a school begins with the health department gathering information from the physician who sees the child. The health department then makes a recommendation to the district. The decision to close the schools is left to the school districts, Johnson said.
As of now, all the districts that have closed are those that had a "probable" swine flu case -- meaning a non-human strain of influenza has been detected, but the Centers for Disease Control has not confirmed that it is swine flu.
Johnson would not rule out that other schools could close.
"We hope not, but safety is always the first priority above all else," he said. "We're obviously being extremely cautious on this. If there's an error, we're going to err on the side of safety."
The swine flu even affected the places teens go after school -- the STC Underground, a hangout place for middle and high school kids -- closed Thursday.
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Post by gatordog on May 2, 2009 21:36:26 GMT -5
Three probable swine flu cases; Elgin school to close for seven days
The Kane County Health Department on Saturday announced that there are an additional three probable cases of swine flu, bringing the county’s total to 11. The three new probable cases include a 15-year-old Elgin resident who is student at Larkin High School, a 22-year-old Elgin resident and an 18-month-old resident of Aurora. In discussion with District U46, the Health Department recommended that Larkin High School close for seven days through May 7, and the school is following the recommendation. The Health Department recommends that students follow social distancing guidelines and avoid congregating while they are out of school.
“We do not take school closings lightly. We understand it would be inconvenient at any time of the year, but especially now towards the end of the school year,” Health Department Executive Director Paul Kuehnert said. “Our goal is to protect students, teachers, staff and all members of the community from this new virus.” Although the CDC has not yet provided confirmation on the previously reported Kane County probable cases, the confirmed cases in Chicago and DuPage County show that the disease is here in the region. We and other health departments in the region and our health care partners will shift from a focus on identifying and testing possible cases to a primary focus on preventing further spread of the infection and assuring medical treatment of those infected.
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Post by title1parent on May 3, 2009 7:50:13 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1555724,swine-flu-uncharted-territory_au050209.article Flu scare uncharted territoryParents agree with decision to close schools, even if strain hasn’t hospita May 3, 2009 By DAN CAMPANA dcampana@scn1.com Call it the week learning took a back seat to safety in some area schools. That impression jumps out when you hear officials in Batavia, Oswego and St. Charles talk about an unprecedented response to probable cases of swine flu, and how it disrupted classes in several schools. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY » If any cases are confirmed, the emphasis switches in large part to medical treatment, according to Paul Kuehnert, director of the health department. » Testing not necessary for mild flu symptoms and no connection to sources of swine flu. » Centers for Disease Control updates guidelines on school closures. » Heartland Blood Centers calls for donors after blood drives at schools are canceled. FEDERAL AND STATE HEALTH AGENCIES Select agency Illinois Cook County DuPage County Grundy County Kane County Kendall County Will County CDC links CDC About (swine flu) FAQ Home care Background Announcements Travel notices Audio and video Virus images New on the site "I think we have to work on the safety scenario first and the educational aspect second," Batavia Superintendant Jack Barshinger said Friday. "Some will say it's an overreaction, some say we're doing a good job, others want us to do more." Rotolo Middle School in Batavia is expected to reopen Thursday. Batavia High School will reopen Friday, the district Web site reported Saturday. Some Oswego students, however, will have to wait until tonight to learn when their schools will reopen. The district plans to send out alerts via its phone message system to notify students at Fox Chase Elementary School and Thompson Junior High School in Oswego and Bednarcik Junior High School in Aurora. The district also will update its Web site. Marmion Academy's campus remained closed this weekend as well. The school had no update Saturday concerning the coming week's status. Students and staff at Haines Middle School in St. Charles were told not to report to class until further notice. As of Saturday, Kane County had 11 probable cases — seven tied specifically to schools — and Kendall County reported one case. Test results to determine whether these are confirmed swine — or otherwise known as H1N1 — cases had not been confirmed Saturday. Late Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines on school closures. Depending on the severity of a confirmed case, as determined by districts and health officials, a school should close for up to 14 days, the CDC stated. The decision to close schools where a student showed flu-like symptoms, and were deemed probable cases, came last week at the recommendation of county health officials. Although this flu strain has repeatedly been described as similar to the seasonal variety and those infected have recovered so far without hospitalization, its fast-moving nature had everyone looking for a way to slow the spread. Still, questions popped up. Why not close all schools in a district? Why react this way if it's essentially no different than any other flu? Why are primarily school-age children showing up as probable cases? "Certainly, it would be nice to know how a student can show up symptomatic on Monday and be ready to go to school on Thursday," St. Charles School Superintendant Don Schlomann said, referring to the situation at Haines Middle School. Kane County Health Department Executive Director Paul Kuehnert cites a handful of reasons for the "cautious approach" to this kind of public health situation. First, he called the H1N1 virus "novel," and still in the "very early stages of epidemiological investigation." Second, an information lag has made some details and context appear scattered during such a fluid event. Finally, there is the need to "strike the right balance to react appropriately" without scaring people. For their part, districts haven't heard many concerns from parents, and those which have come in helped the decision-making. That was the case in the Oswego School District, according to spokesman Kristine Liptrot, where two junior highs and an elementary school were closed on Thursday after the health department's urging and some parent phone calls. "Did we have to close our schools down? No. We voluntarily did that because of the concerns," Liptrot said. With an expectation, but no certainty, of additional closings forthcoming, shutting down an entire district hasn't become a leading option. "We had that discussion (Thursday) ... it came down that the data didn't support that," Barshinger said, referring to one student at Rotolo Middle School and one at Batavia High School who turned up probable for the virus. "If we started moving in that direction, then you're following the media hype." Of course, officials recognize the possibility exists for several schools to be closed in successive weeks as the school year nears its conclusion. "Clearly, this frustrates us in our ability to accomplish our goal, which is to educate our students," Schlomann said. Liptrot says it's difficult to do any long-term planning, especially when the CDC's directives change. Officials generally agree the responses have been appropriate in the name of protecting students. "When it comes to the safety of it, safety trumps all," Kane County Regional Superintendant Doug Johnson said. "You still have to say 'what if?'" What remains to be seen is why so many school-age children have turned up as the early cases. Kuehnert says a broader look at information from around the nation might answer that question.
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Post by title1parent on May 4, 2009 5:09:08 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=290979&src=Schools are appropriately cautious Daily Herald Editorial 5/4/2009 Many suburban students will be getting extra days off this week as a result of swine flu precautions. As Daily Herald staff writers Matt Arado and Robert McCoppin reported Saturday, no educator likes to close school. But with potential cases of the H1N1 flu reported among their school population, closing is the right decision. In all cases, the schools are relying on county health officials to make the call. Again, we think that's prudent, and we encourage parents and the community to back their schools when it comes to these precautions. "They're the experts on this, we're not," said Tony Sanders, spokesman for Elgin Area School District U-46, which has closed an elementary school in Streamwood and Larkin High School in Elgin. Both are closed until Friday. "This kind of decision is never made lightly, but when public health is involved, we have to take our lead from the experts," Sanders said. The decision to close unfortunately affects extracurricular activities, making it even harder, especially for high schools in the middle of the spring sports season and other end-of-year activities. Besides Larkin, Batavia High School and Rotolo Middle School in Batavia, Haines Middle School in St. Charles, Marmion Academy in Aurora and St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin all have been or continue to be closed. "It's a significant action to take, but how can we say at this point that's an overreaction?" said Bill Dussling, president of the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 school board. "This involves the safety of students and staff. That's a huge priority." District 214, so far, has not had to close any schools. Nationally, CBS News reported Sunday night that 470 schools have been closed in 18 states, affecting 270,000 students. Latest reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the median age of cases is 17, so it's clear that protecting school-age children is necessary. Luckily, two new probable cases reported Sunday - one in Lake Bluff and another one in Wheeling - did not result in school closings. In Lake Bluff, the child was new to town and not yet enrolled, and in Wheeling, the child had not been in school since the symptoms appeared. "There was a low potential for transmission ... (and) there had been no recent changes in absenteeism rates," said Cook County Health Department spokeswoman Amy Poore of the Wheeling case. "If we didn't think that it was safe to go to school, we would have recommended closure." And that's the key. The health departments are looking at each case and making a determination on the proper steps. Similar action was taken in DuPage County, where the health department did not recommend closing Wood Dale Junior High. We recommended a cautious approach - as opposed to panic - last week for all, and we reiterate that now as it relates to schools. We all bear responsibility to make sure we keep the spread of the flu infections to a minimum.
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Post by gatordog on May 4, 2009 9:28:05 GMT -5
..... In all cases, the schools are relying on county health officials to make the call. This is an important point. Its not school administrators making this decision.
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Post by gatordog on May 4, 2009 9:33:35 GMT -5
The decision to close unfortunately affects extracurricular activities, making it even harder, especially for high schools in the middle of the spring sports season and other end-of-year activities. So can athletes go to away events, such as conference and sectional track meets? I assume, no. That is tough for them. Have any proms been cancelled? Looks like Batavia HS opens fri, and their prom is saturday. So I assume it will go on. Made the window by one day.
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Post by title1parent on May 4, 2009 14:13:25 GMT -5
From 204 E-news: Indian Prairie School District 204 continues to monitor the H1N1 influenza (swine flu). At this time, we have no cases of H1N1 in any of our schools. We are receiving daily guidance from the medical experts at the DuPage County Health Department in coordinating a response to this public health issue. A letter to families from the DuPage County Health Department about H1N1 is posted on the district's website at www.ipsd.org/Uploads/news_23531_1.pdf. Superintendent Stephen Daeschner has asked representatives from the DuPage County Health Department to share information during his monthly meeting with PTA presidents on Tuesday, May 5. "We hope our parent leaders will bring accurate information back to their school communities in an effort to help keep everyone informed," Daeschner said. The district's daily attendance rates are being sent to the health department so officials can monitor absenteeism. To comply with the health department's requirement, if you call your child in sick, you will need to notify the school of your child�s symptoms and when the symptoms began. We encourage you to contact your medical provider if your child has flu symptoms and does not improve within 24 to 48 hours. The health department emphasizes that any person with flu-like symptoms should stay home for 7 days to ensure containment of an outbreak. For updates from the health department, visit www.protectdupage.org. For general questions about H1N1 flu, please call your medical provider or the DuPage County Health Department at 630-682-7400. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- School District 204 www.ipsd.org780 Shoreline Drive Aurora, IL 60504 USA
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Post by title1parent on May 6, 2009 16:24:46 GMT -5
The Will County Health Department notified Indian Prairie School District 204 today that two students at Neuqua Valley High School have confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza (swine flu). Both students are under a physician's care and are following guidelines to stay out of school for the recommended 7 day period. Following the new guidelines issued yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control, the Will County Health Department is recommending the school remain open and all activities and events proceed as planned. The CDC's revised guidelines regarding school closings state that school closure is not advised unless there is a "magnitude of faculty or student absenteeism that interferes with the school's ability to function." The health department reviewed the school's absentee rate, which did not show any significant increases. The district continues to work with the health department to monitor reports of illness along with absentee rates for any abnormal instances across the district. The health department emphasizes that any person with flu-like symptoms should stay home for 7 days. We encourage you to contact your medical provider if your child has flu symptoms and does not improve within 24 to 48 hours. For general questions about H1N1 flu, please call your medical provider or the DuPage County Health Department at 630-682-7400. For updates from the health department, visit www.protectdupage.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- School District 204 www.ipsd.org780 Shoreline Drive Aurora, IL 60504 USA
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