Free swine flu vaccinations will be available today at two Chicago public schools, Chicago Breaking News reports. The shots are available on first come, first served basis on the third floor of UNO Veteran's Memorial High School (4248 W. 47th St.) on the West Side and Falconer Elementary School (3020 N. Lamon Ave.) on the Northwest Side. Those with egg allergies should not receive the vaccination, the report said. more ›

As winter settles in and we gird ourselves for the next few months, there's some good news relating to H1N1 vaccines. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced today that beginning next week, the state of Illinois will have enough of the vaccine to offer the shots to anyone regardless of age or medical condition. Dr. Julie Morita, the director of the IDPH's Immunization Program Medical department said, "Up to now, we have asked Chicagoans not at increased risk for the flu and its complications to voluntarily 'step aside' and allow those at increased risk to get vaccinated first. But now, with the H1N1 vaccine supply more abundant and more consistent---both in Chicago and elsewhere across the nation---we encourage everyone to consider getting vaccinated." Many retail pharmacies will also have the vaccination soon, which costs between $12 and $22 though if you have insurance, it will often cover the fee. Check out the IDPH website for more information. more ›

Whether we're ready for it or not, it's the holiday season and with Thanksgiving a week away, that means it's almost time for the deluge of mall Santas. But there's a twist this year: the spread of the dreaded H1N1 virus. And with mall Santas handling dozens (if not, in some cases, hundreds) of children every day for almost a month, there's some reason for concern. At a recent conference, the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas covered basics of swine flu prevention including hand sanitizers. And one group in Alabama, as the Associated Press explains, is asking for priority in terms of receiving the vaccine. more ›

It might, if the government is to be believed. As swine flu escalates, leveling everything and everyone in its path, the wide-spread absences that have shut down schools might also lead to similar wide-spread absences in offices across the country. And what will millions of bored, sick, bed-ridden Americans do to pass the time? Why take to the internet, of course. And such simultaneous web-surfing could overload the information super highway, crashing the web for people all around the world. The Government Accountability Office issued a 77-page report that sets guidelines as to how we can all help, including "voluntary public reduction of Internet use," and trying to "limit video streaming, gaming and peer-to-peer and other bandwidth-intensive applications during daytime work hours." Right, that'll happen. more ›

If you missed out on a chance to acquire an H1N1 flu vaccine this weekend, there will be more available at six clinics around the city today. All clinics open at 3 p.m. and it's part of a continuing series of clinics being held every Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday. You can read times and locations here [PDF]. But remember, the Department of Health is asking that - for now - you get the vaccine only if you fall into one of the high-priority groups which are: "Pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical service personnel, children and young adults ages 6 months through 24 years, and persons aged 25‐ 64 years who have medical conditions which put them at high risk for complications from influenza." more ›

As the death toll from the H1N1 flu virus (aka swine flu) has crossed 1,000 in the United States, President Obama has declared the outbreak a national emergency which, according to CBS 2, "empowered his health secretary to suspend federal requirements and speed treatment for thousands of infected people." Obama signed the declaration late yesterday, saying in a statement, "As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic." Originally planning to have 120 million doses shipped to health centers around the nation, only 11 million have been shipped; the government hopes to have 50 million shipped by mid-November and 150 million shipped by mid-December. Locally, long lines were forming around at different locations for a limited number of doses, all but ensuring many would be turned away without receiving the vaccination. Several area schools have also been completely shut down by widespread illness amongst students. more ›

The H1N1 flu strain (aka swine flu) has claimed the life of another area teen. The teen, who was a student at Sandwich High School and hadn't attended school all year due to the illness, passed away on Sunday. Officials were not releasing the student's name. Michelle Fahle, a 14-year-old student at Naperville North High School, died two weeks ago and had been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, though a previously undiagnosed heart condition is believed to be the main contributing factor to her death. All told, the state's Department of Public Health reported 20 H1N1-related deaths as of last Friday. more ›

Just yesterday we were looking at swine flu stats for local colleges and, as if on cue, a Schaumburg school is reporting a pair of new cases. The cases come from St. Peter Lutheran School; principal Roger Kirsh has promised precautions have been taken and the school opened as scheduled today. [Tribune] more ›

It's cold outside so that's got folks thinking about cold-weather illnesses already, chief among them H1N1 aka swine flu. Extra precautions are being taken to help prevent the spreading of the virus. Among them, some Indiana health care facilities are pulling magazines and toys from waiting rooms as a means of prevention. So be sure to bring your own book next time you hit your doctor's office. more ›

14-year-old Michelle Fahle who attended Naperville North High School and died yesterday had H1N1, otherwise known as swine flu, according to the DuPage County Health Department. However, she apparently also had an undisclosed "underlying condition" that could have also contributed to her death. No precautionary measures have been taken at the high school yet, as it was closed today for parent-teacher conferences and will be closed Monday for Columbus Day. If Fahle's death is attributed to swine flu it will be the first H1N1 death in DuPage county and the 20th in Illinois. [CBN] more ›

Nearly two million doses of the swine flu vaccine will make it to Illinois soon. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced today that 1.5 million doses will be delivered to areas outside of Chicago while 500,000 doses will be delivered to Chicago, all within the next four weeks. But don't start lining up for your shot just yet; only those in certain segments of the population will get first crack at them. Per the Tribune: more ›

• Mayor Daley has promised he'll look into reports that as many as one in five CPS teachers change grades.
• Cellist Phillip Blum, "the longest-serving member of the CSO," has passed away.
• WBEZ has an excellent report on the large amounts of money residents of the South Side spend outside of their communities each year and the lengths some are going to to change that trend.

However, unlike the hair trigger closings that happened in May, the CDC this fall is recommending closure only in the event of a "major outbreak." They've also revised the guidelines as to how long a sick child should stay home, reducing the previously advised seven days to the usual time length for kids with a fever -- the student can return to school 24 hours after the fever breaks. more ›

Remember the great frenzy over Swine Flu H1N1 Influenza A? Well, it's going to start up again as we move into the school year and the colder fall and winter months, so we might as well have some fun with it, right? Enter The Great Flu, a game that "Dutch researchers" have created that challenges the users to fight a global pandemic. WBBM has more on the game. more ›

The state budget mess has left confusion in many sectors and the latest concern is over a lack of swine flu vaccinations. While the virus faded from headlines here in the states, it's still making the rounds and things are getting worse in England. And with the state budget, well, non-existent, there's concern about local health departments - as well as the state's - being able to properly plan for vaccinations. Cook County Department of Public Health head Stephen Martin told WBEZ, "We as a health department by ourselves cannot do this. Nor do we know the impact on our providers - we don’t know how many people they can bring to the table to help us pull off a major campaign for one of the nation’s biggest metro areas." Martin also expressed concern over cuts to disease control budgets that have been threatened by state lawmakers. [WBEZ] more ›

As we approach the end of the month, two June deaths have brought the state death toll from the N1N1 Influenza A (aka swine flu) to 12. A 54-year-old woman passed on June 10 and a 47-year-old woman passed on June 23; the older of the had a previously existing medical condition. Overall, swine flu cases in the state have topped 2,800. [WBEZ] more ›

In an updated tally of the Pandemic That Wouldn't Go Away, the CDC says that Illinois is second in terms of American states with the number of reported cases at 2,526, second only to Wisconsin which has reported 3,008 cases. Overall, there have been 21,449 cases reported nationwide with 87 deaths, but the CDC notes that much of the recent action has shifted to the Northeast. [via WBBM] more ›

• Metra found out today they're the recipient of $46 million in federal cash.
• The Parking Ticket Geek has shots of today's Parking Meter protest.
• Cook County Commissioner Willaim Beavers took a cheap shot at departing commissioner Forrest Claypool, calling him a, "born loser."

• The WHO has declared the swine flu outbreak a global pandemic, the first in 41 years. One company who is benefiting is local company Baxter.
• The Supreme Court has turned down Conrad Black's request for release on bail pending his appeal.
• Mayor Daley surfaced long enough today to confirm layoff notices to city workers will be going out tomorrow.

Another person who contracted the H1N1 flu virus has passed away. And just like the first, health officials aren't releasing any information other than to acknowledge there was a pre-existing health condition that likely contributed to the death. The first Illinois death - also in the Chicago area - was reported Monday. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

While no useful information about the patient was released - i.e., age, gender, preexisting conditions - officials have confirmed that a Chicago patient became the state's first H1N1 flue (a.k.a. "swine flu") death. There are nearly 900 confirmed cases of the flu here in Illinois right now - 896 to be exact - and it underlies the danger that remains, according to Illinois Dept. of Public Health Director Dr. Damon T. Arnold. In a statement, he said, "With as many cases of H1N1 influenza that have been reported in Illinois, we have been concerned that there would be fatalities. We know the virus is still circulating in the state and I would like to remind everyone, especially those with chronic medical conditions, to continue taking steps to keep from getting the flu." The death was the nation's 12th as a result of the disease and Arnold did say there were preexisting conditions for the patient, but no details were released. more ›

Just because it's fallen off the front page of most papers doesn't mean it's gone away. The latest tallies for the disease in the state stand at 421 cases in Illinois and 187 in Chicago, according to WLS. more ›

Now that state health officials are finally getting test results back, the number of "probable" cases of H1N1 Influenza A are switching to "confirmed," thus causing an explosion in the confirmed case category. This, however, is no reason to panic as it's just clearing the backlog of suspected cases and is not indicative of a shocking spread of the disease. There are now 225 confirmed cases of the swine flu, 93 in Chicago. Our favorite part? Now that the panic is over and people are shelving their face masks for next year's pandemic threat, the back-tracking begins. One parent whose child attends Kilmer Elementary in Rogers Park, the first school to close down after a suspected case, told the Tribune, "They shouldn't have closed the school in the first place." WBBM has a list of the CDC's new guidelines and one could easily retitle them, "What to do anytime someone gets sick." more ›

• That teen cop impersonator may have tampered with his electronic monitoring bracelet before making off with a Lexus from a dealership.
• Gov. Quinn has fired controversial former Blagojevich aide Steven Guerra.
• State Representative Paul Froehlich is under investigation for allegedly making campaign promises in exchange for residents allowing him to place his campaign signs in their yards.

Even as the number of confirmed cases of swine flu in the state jumped dramatically - from 9 to 82, thanks mainly to catching up on a backlog of probable cases - the apparent stemming of the spread of the disease, as well as the relatively low-grade nature of the cases, has led to the decision to reopen many of the area schools that closed last week. One of those schools is Rogers Park's Kilmer Elementary, the first school to close. Of the nearly three dozen schools across the area that shut their doors due to the disease, only two remained unopened as of today. CDC officials stated that the current strain of H1N1 Influenza A (aka swine flu) is no worse than the seasonal flu, and only one U.S. citizen death and two deaths in the United States overall from the outbreak. [Tribune] more ›

• Six more confirmed cases of Swine Flu have the grand total in the state of Illinois up to *drumroll* .... Nine.
• Meanwhile, Governor Quinn echoed the sentiment of common sense in saying that riding public transit did not pose any additional health risks.
• Chicago Public Schools and the teachers' union are squaring off over potential changes to the retirement plan.

You might have noticed that while you were outside enjoying the beautiful spring weather this weekend that the growing concern over the swine flu peaked and now we're on the downward slope of this latest pandemic threat. For Illinois, the number of cases reached - as of yesterday - at 96 probable and still just 3 confirmed; nationally, there have been 226 cases reported in 30 states so far with the death toll standing still at 1. Still, as hysteria faded and common sense settled in, realizations were that the current strain of the H1N1 Influenza A virus was no stronger than the seasonal flu that half of us dealt with over the past winter. Still, officials are cautious. Yesterday, Kathleen Sebelius, the new secretary of health and human services, said, "The early news seems to be cautiously optimistic. We certainly can't get complacent." Locally, over a dozen schools remain closed today as a result of the flu and attempts to prevent its spread. As always, check out the Illinois Department of Public Health for more info. [Tribune, Sun-Times] more ›

• The Sears Tower is opening four glass-bottomed skydecks in June. We are both terrified and intrigued by this.
• The Chi-Town Daily News has a report on the shenanigans going on over at the CHA.
• Three teamsters from Teamsters Local 743 were convicted today on charges of rigging two 2004 elections.

As concern over the spread of the H1N1 Influenza A virus (the scientific name for "swine flu") grows, the latest numbers this morning have the tally at 54 probable cases in Illinois. All cases are from the greater Chicagoland area and the CDC has confirmed three. Several area schools have joined Kilmer Elementary in shutting their doors to prevent the spread, and CPS spokeswoman Monique Bond said Kilmer will remain closed until further notice. more ›

• The most updated swine flu er, H1N1 influenza A tally for Illinois stands at 20, give or take.
• If Judge Clayton Crane has his way, former Chicago police commander Jon Burge will have to testify in the torture case against him.
• Governor Quinn's reform commission panel stands by their decision to advise against a recall amendment.