The students at Eau Claire Lutheran came back to school today, after too many sick teachers and kids closed the building late last week.

"We had four teachers sick or not feeling 100 percent, and knowing how many students were home sick, it made sense to close," says Principal Jane Jaenke.

Jaenke says most parents supported the closure.

"They said thank you for putting the students and families first," she says.

The Center for Disease Control says the most at-risk group for H1N1 is school aged children.

To protect other patients at Chippewa Valley area hospitals, visiting policies have changed.

"We want people to limit visitation with kids under the age of 16 at this time, because the high increase of the disease is in school aged kids," says Dawn Garcia, director of medical staff at Sacred Heart Hospital.

That change came before President Obama’s declaration of an H1N1 emergency on Saturday.
But Sacred Heart Hospital says it’s not sure how the declaration will change how its staff deals with H1N1 cases.

"One thing it will open up is to be able to evaluate patients for h1n1 risks outside of the ER, so they won't put other patients at risk," says Garcia.

Garcia says H1N1 can be spread even if you aren't coughing or have a fever.

"The manner of how H1N1 spreads, it can be a couple of days before you feel ill and you can still be contagious," says Garcia.

While more probable cases of H1N1 are popping up, staff at local hospitals say people should play it safe and not panic.

Meanwhile the staff at Eau Claire Lutheran School says their own emergency has actually been a blessing in disguise.

"I think it's a good wake-up call for parents," says Jaenke.

Teachers say they've been much more understanding about kids missing school because of the widespread sickness. Other hospitals say the declaration will make it easier to treat more people at once.

The Eau Claire City County Health Department says it may affect the way some patients with Medicare or Medicaid can receive treatment, but no definite policy changes have been made.

Many flu vaccine clinics in the area have been closed because of vaccine shortages. We have more information right now on our Web site, www.weau.com