Things are getting back to normal at that Lincoln Park campus. Youngsters are happy to return to their routine, even happier to be feeling better. That school was shut down after about 100 kids got sick. Some are still sniffing but they are all on the mend.
"I guess some people might be nervous. Some people just probably are like a normal day back at school. Everyone has, like, the cough or sniffle," said Alli Levy.
Returning to school Tuesday, some students at Francis Parker School may have a right to be a little nervous. This is the first day of classes since the school was shut down last week because of a mass outbreak of the flu. The Lincoln Park private school closed its doors as a precaution.
"Had about 100 kids who were out sick. They just called out of school on Friday. Monday was a holiday so it should be OK today," said Paul Levy.
"I think it was handled well. The nurse was very much on top of things and sent the kids home when they were sick, realized when they had a lot of kids out, it was time to close the school," said parent Valerie Mills.
The Chicago City Council's health committee Tuesday is looking at procedures for handling a possible outbreak of the H1N1 flu. Officials say we can expect to see more people getting sick and possibly more people dying from the virus in this area. About 600 sites will be dispensing the vaccine in Chicago.
"About 70 percent of the circulating virus now is H1N1. We don't need to test people for that," said Dr. Terry Mason, Cook Co., chief medical officer.
"Right now I have a daughter who's at home, who has 103 fever," said Teresa Soren.
"We did take her to the doctor. She just has a cold, not the flu. Yeah, we're all concerned. I've got an enormous bottle of hand sanitizer. You just have to be very diligent as a parent that if they're tired and slightly, you know, feeling sick, keep them home."
It hasn't been officially determined if the outbreak was H1N1, but they believe it was because it happened so early in the flu season.
City leaders stressed that most of the victims of the H1N1 flu have been youngsters, which is why they're working so closely with the schools. The health department will be providing lots of information in the coming days as the vaccine starts to arrive for widespread distribution.
