Monday, August 31, 2020
Thursday, August 27, 2020
After school programs in Dekalb County
You decide, do you have the right to know if employees have tested positive and how many. Also what is the status and infection rate of the kids attending.
Dekalb and Sycamore, Illinois Covid update...
Coronavirus vs. flu: Similarities and differences
COVID-19 (coronavirus) and the flu have many similarities and differences. Find out what to know and how to protect yourself from these diseases.
By Mayo Clinic StaffDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have heard that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is similar to the flu (influenza). COVID-19 and the flu are both contagious respiratory diseases caused by viruses. They have some common symptoms. But through closer comparison, they can affect people differently. Also, since the flu has been around much longer, doctors know more about how to treat and prevent it, while they continue to learn more about COVID-19.
How are COVID-19 and the flu similar?
The viruses that cause COVID-19 and the flu spread in similar ways. They can both spread between people who are in close contact (within 6 feet, or 2 meters). The viruses spread through respiratory droplets or aerosols released through talking, sneezing or coughing. These droplets can land in the mouth or nose of someone nearby or be inhaled. These viruses can also spread if a person touches a surface with one of the viruses on it and then touches his or her mouth, nose or eyes.
COVID-19 and the flu have many signs and symptoms in common, including:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Tiredness
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting, but this is more common in children than in adults
The signs and symptoms of both diseases can range from no symptoms to mild or severe symptoms. Because COVID-19 and the flu have similar symptoms, it can be hard to diagnose which condition you have based on your symptoms alone. Testing may be done to see if you have COVID-19 or the flu. You can also have both diseases at the same time.
Both COVID-19 and the flu can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, organ failure, heart attacks, heart or brain inflammation, stroke, and death.
Many people with the flu or mild symptoms of COVID-19 can recover at home with rest and fluids. But some people become seriously ill from the flu or COVID-19 and need to stay in the hospital.
What's the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
COVID-19 and the flu have several differences. COVID-19 and the flu are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, while influenza is caused by influenza A and B viruses.
Symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu appear at different times and have some differences. With COVID-19, you may experience loss of taste or smell. COVID-19 symptoms generally appear two to 14 days after exposure. Flu symptoms usually appear about one to four days after exposure. COVID-19 appears to be more contagious and to spread more quickly than the flu. Severe illness such as lung injury may be more frequent with COVID-19 than with influenza. The mortality rate also appears to be higher with COVID-19 than the flu.
COVID-19 can cause different complications from the flu, such as blood clots and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.
Another difference is that the flu can be treated with antiviral drugs. No antiviral drugs are currently approved to treat COVID-19. Researchers are evaluating many drugs and treatments for COVID-19. Some drugs may help reduce the severity of COVID-19.
You can get an annual flu vaccine to help reduce your risk of the flu. The flu vaccine can also reduce the severity of the flu and the risk of serious complications. Each year's flu vaccine provides protection from the three or four influenza viruses that are expected to be the most common during that year's flu season. The vaccine can be given as a shot (injection) or as a nasal spray.
The flu vaccine doesn't protect you from getting COVID-19. Research also shows that getting the flu vaccine does not make you more likely to get COVID-19 or other respiratory infections.
No vaccine is currently available for the virus that causes COVID-19. But researchers are working to develop vaccines to prevent COVID-19.
How may COVID-19 affect this year's flu season?
Flu season in North America typically occurs between October and May. It's possible that the viruses that cause COVID-19 and the flu may spread in your community at the same time during the flu season. If this happens, people could become ill with one or both diseases at the same time. Testing can determine which virus you may have and help guide doctors to the appropriate treatment. People who become seriously ill from either disease may need to stay in the hospital at the same time, which could cause the hospitals to become full.
How can you avoid getting COVID-19 and the flu?
The good news is you can take the same steps to reduce your risk of infection from the viruses that cause COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory infections by following several standard precautions. In fact, some research has found that following these measures, such as social distancing and wearing a face mask, may have helped shorten the length of the flu season and lessened the number of people affected in the 2019-2020 flu season.
Standard precautions to reduce your risk of COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory infections include:
- Avoiding large events and mass gatherings
- Avoiding close contact (within 6 feet, or 2 meters) with anyone outside your household, especially if you have a higher risk of serious illness
- Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
- Wearing a cloth face mask when you're in public spaces, such as the grocery store, where it's difficult to avoid close contact with others
- Covering your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, electronics and counters, daily
Taking these prevention measures can help you stay healthy and reduce your risk of becoming ill with COVID-19 or the flu.
Thursday, August 20, 2020
Kishwaukee YMCA supplemental school program
Covid 19 after school programs in Dekalb County Illinois
Trust NO ONE! Everyone/organization has a list of RULES, but are the low paid employees following them? Walk thru the entire after school program yourself and observe. How many door handles do you bare skin touch. Is everyone wearing mask, gloves, eyeglasses or shields. Is there proper social distancing. Go to the restroom and review the sanitation elements there and not just soap.
Please be involved. Give them your input good or bad, it is a process. These are kids.
Civid 19 in Dekalb County Illinois
COVID-19 (coronavirus): Long-term effects
COVID-19 symptoms can sometimes persist for months. The virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain, which increases the risk of long-term health problems.
By Mayo Clinic StaffMost people who have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recover completely within a few weeks. But some people — even those who had mild versions of the disease — continue to experience symptoms after their initial recovery.
Older people and people with many serious medical conditions are the most likely to experience lingering COVID-19 symptoms. The most common signs and symptoms that linger over time include:
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Headache
- Joint pain
Although COVID-19 is seen as a disease that primarily affects the lungs, it can damage many other organs as well. This organ damage may increase the risk of long-term health problems.
Organ damage caused by COVID-19
Organs that may be affected by COVID-19 include:
- Heart. Imaging tests taken months after recovery from COVID-19 have shown lasting damage to the heart muscle, even in people who experienced only mild COVID-19 symptoms. This may increase the risk of heart failure or other heart complications in the future.
- Lungs. The type of pneumonia often associated with COVID-19 can cause long-standing damage to the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. The resulting scar tissue can lead to long-term breathing problems.
- Brain. Even in young people, COVID-19 can cause strokes, seizures and Guillain-Barre syndrome — a condition that causes temporary paralysis. COVID-19 may also increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
Blood clots and blood vessel problems
COVID-19 can make blood cells more likely to clump up and form clots. While large clots can cause heart attacks and strokes, much of the heart damage caused by COVID-19 is believed to stem from very small clots that block tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the heart muscle.
Other organs affected by blood clots include the lungs, legs, liver and kidneys. COVID-19 can also weaken blood vessels, which contributes to potentially long-lasting problems with the liver and kidneys.
Problems with mood and fatigue
People who have severe symptoms of COVID-19 often have to be treated in a hospital's intensive care unit, with mechanical assistance such as ventilators to breathe. Simply surviving this experience can make a person more likely to later develop post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression and anxiety.
Because it's difficult to predict long-term outcomes from the new COVID-19 virus, scientists are looking at the long-term effects seen in related viruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Many people who have recovered from SARS have gone on to develop chronic fatigue syndrome, a complex disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that worsens with physical or mental activity, but doesn't improve with rest. The same may be true for people who have had COVID-19.
Many long-term COVID-19 effects still unknown
Much is still unknown about how COVID-19 will affect people over time. However, researchers recommend that doctors closely monitor people who have had COVID-19 to see how their organs are functioning after recovery.
It's important to remember that most people who have COVID-19 recover quickly. But the potentially long-lasting problems from COVID-19 make it even more important to reduce the spread of the disease by following precautions such as wearing masks, avoiding crowds and keeping hands clean.
See also
Saturday, August 15, 2020
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Safety tips for returning to school in Dekalb County
Safety tips for returning to school during COVID-19
By Mayo Clinic StaffReturning to school has taken on new meaning and a new set of worries for parents and other caregivers during the age of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As schools reopen, they must balance the educational, social and emotional needs of their students along with the health and safety of students and staff in the midst of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision on what the new school year will look like will likely be made on the local level by school boards and government officials. Overall, schools will largely choose from one of three options for opening the new school year:
- Distance learning. All instruction is done remotely in this model using technology and other tools.
- In-person schooling. This model is similar to traditional schooling with enhanced health and safety precautions and procedures.
- Hybrid schooling. This model includes elements of both distance and in-person schooling.
Being prepared for a variety of schooling environments can empower you and your child and reduce anxiety. In each case, there are steps you can take to reduce the risks of COVID-19, help your child feel safe and make informed decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practice safe distancing
Social distancing, or physical distancing, is the practice of allowing enough space between individuals to reduce the spread of disease. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend keeping at least 6 feet (2 meters) of space between yourself and people outside your household to meet these goals.
But that might not be practical in some schools or with younger children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says following strict physical distancing can conflict with ideal academic, social and emotional learning standards. It's also not clear how easily COVID-19 spreads among children.
Steps to encourage social distancing during in-person schooling may include:
- Eliminating lockers or grouping them by student groups, or cohorts
- Creating one-way traffic in school hallways
- Using outdoor spaces when possible for instruction, meals and recess
- Reducing the number of children on school buses
- Spacing desks out and having them all face in the same direction
- Using physical barriers, such as plexiglass shields and partitions, to separate educators and students
- Dividing students up into distinct groups or cohorts that stay together during the school day and reducing interaction between different groups
Weighing the risks and benefits of in-person schooling for children may mean different levels of social distancing based on the child's age and developmental stage. For example, the AAP recommends allowing interactive play for preschoolers while encouraging cohorting of students and face coverings for older children.
Wear a mask
The CDC and WHO recommend wearing cloth face masks in public places where it's difficult to avoid close contact with others, and schools are no exception. This advice is based on data showing that people with COVID-19 can transmit the virus before realizing that they have it.
If your child's school requires or encourages the use of cloth face masks, consider these tips:
- Wearing cloth face masks should be a priority especially when it's hard to maintain social distance, such as on the bus, at carpool drop-off or pickup, and when entering the building.
- Have multiple cloth face masks available for your child. Provide your child with a clean mask and back-up mask each day and a clean, resealable bag for them to store the mask when they can't wear it, such as at lunch.
- Label your child's mask clearly so it's not confused with another child's.
- Practice properly putting on and taking off cloth face masks with your child while avoiding touching the cloth portions.
- Remind your child that they should clean their hands before and after touching their mask.
- Instruct your child to never share or trade masks with others.
- Talk to your child about the importance of wearing a face mask and model wearing them as a family.
- Discuss with your child why some people may not be able to wear face masks for medical reasons.
Don't place a face mask on a child younger than age 2, a child who has any breathing problems, or a child who has a condition that would prevent him or her from being able to remove the mask without help.
Keep hands clean
Practice hand-washing at home with your child and explain why it's important to wash his or her hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after eating, coughing/sneezing, or adjusting a face mask. To prevent rushing, suggest washing hands for as long as it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice. When hand-washing isn't available, suggest that your child use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Also, explain that he or she should avoid touching his or her eyes, nose, and mouth.
Schools should encourage routines that encourage frequent hand-washing and following good hand hygiene practices, such as asking children to cover their mouths and noses with their elbows or tissues when they cough or sneeze and then washing their hands.
If your child attends in-person schooling, develop daily routines before and after school that foster healthy habits, such as packing a back-up face mask and hand sanitizer in the morning and washing their hands as soon as they come home.
Clean and disinfect
Whether your child is being schooled at home or at school, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces can help reduce the risk of illness. This includes frequently touched items such as doorknobs, faucets, keyboards, tablets and phones.
Stay home if sick
You should monitor your child each day for signs of COVID-19. These include:
- Fever
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Some schools may recommend daily temperature readings as a part of COVID-19 symptom screening. But since many of these symptoms overlap with other conditions, such as the common cold, allergies and influenza, the effectiveness of this screening can be limited.
To limit the spread of COVID-19 as well as other germs, children should stay home from school and other activities if they have any signs of illness or a fever. Contact your doctor if you have questions.
Don't skip vaccinations
Whether classes are happening at school or at home, make sure your child is up to date with all recommended vaccines. All school-aged children should get a flu shot each season. Although the flu shot does not protect against COVID-19, it can reduce the risk of the flu and its complications. It's another layer of defense to help prevent missed school days.
What to do if your child is exposed to COVID-19
If your child will be attending in-person school, take steps to be prepared for possible exposure to COVID-19 and changing scenarios.
- Develop a plan to protect family and household members who are at risk of severe illness, such as those with compromised immune systems or chronic conditions.
- Make sure that your emergency contact information and school pickup and drop-off information is current at school. If that list includes anyone who is at risk of illness, consider adding an alternate contact.
- Find out how your school will communicate with families when a positive case or exposure to someone with COVID-19 happens and how they plan to maintain student privacy.
- Plan ahead for periods of quarantine or school closures. Schools may close if COVID-19 is spreading more in your community or if multiple children or staff test positive. Your child may also need to stay home if he or she is exposed to a close contact with COVID-19.
Following these steps can help you feel assured that your child is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on what measures your local schools are taking to reduce the risk of illness, check with your local school district or health agency.
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Thursday, August 6, 2020
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
The Learning Center in DeKalb, Illinois
Monday, August 3, 2020
After school programs in Dekalb and Sycamore...
