Kane County Health Department, drugstores prepare for swine flu

While swine flu poses a minimal health threat similar to other flu strains, Kane County health officials and local drugstores will position themselves to handle increased fears created by the public's new awareness of the condition.

As of Tuesday, Kane County had no confirmed cases of the swine flu. Marmion Academy in Aurora had several students out with flu, but tests - results of which could take seven to 10 days - had not yet confirmed what strain of the virus the students had.

"A doctor told one parent, 'Your son will be back in school before we ever find out if it is the swine flu,' " Headmaster John Milroy said.

Kane County Health Department Executive Director Paul Kuehnert emphasized the need for awareness not panic.

"Because it is rapidly unfolding, we don't have all the data we would like in terms of attack rates," Kuehnert said. "At this point, it really is just clusters of outbreaks."

Kane County Board Public Health Committee Chairman Jerry Jones said he's sure swine flu will come to Kane County at some point.

"It's only a matter of time," Jones said. "Illinois is a major transportation hub so it is going to travel to us."

Kuehnert said the county will receive notice sometime this week about any extra allotment of flu drugs that will be distributed to states through the federal government and then doled out to counties and local hospitals. Meanwhile, both CVS and Walgreens have reported that they will increase their stock of flu drugs, hand sanitizers and face masks to meet increased demand.

Kuehnert said the best precaution is the same technique used to avoid all the other flu strains - frequent hand washing.