Some Illinois lawmakers question H1N1 message
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SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers mostly praised state officials Tuesday for they way they’ve handled the recent flu scare.
But some on a House panel expressed concern over what they characterized as panic when news of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, first broke.
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Damon Arnold told lawmakers they’re urging people not to overreact. But he said officials had to first treat the H1N1 virus as potentially deadly, because they didn’t yet know whether it was.
Now that cases in Illinois have mostly mimicked the mild seasonal flu, officials are recommending people with minor symptoms not get tested, and instead take general precautions they typically would when sick.
And officials are trying not to use the moniker “swine flu.”
“If you cook the pork, you can eat the pork,” Arnold said. “I’ve had that question many times.”
Lawmakers on the panel reported health system overloads in their districts and schools that might be closing too quickly.
“The hospitals were just inundated,” said state Rep. Tim Schmitz, R-Batavia.
So far, no Illinois cases have been confirmed south of Sangamon County, and a vast majority of them have been in the Chicago area. On Tuesday, state health officials said the state was up to 122 confirmed and probable cases.
Most of the testing has been done at state labs in Springfield and Chicago. Carbondale also has a lab, but Arnold said it hasn’t been needed yet.
Even though the H1N1 flu hasn’t been serious, Arnold said officials will track it for at least three months to see if it gets worse. Arnold said more Illinois cases are inevitable, even if they never end up being very serious.
“We undoubtedly will see more cases in the coming days, weeks and months,” Arnold said.
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