McHenry County, IL
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School and ECE Program Liaisons
MCDH expects that each school and ECE Program identify a liaison and a backup liaison to provide efficient communication between the schools and MCDH. Schools must complete the School Liaison Survey to notify MCDH of these individuals. Each school is expected to keep its liaison updated throughout the school year using the above electronic form.
Online Outbreak Reporting and Absenteeism Surveillance
Schools and ECE Programs can use our online Outbreak Reporting and Absenteeism Surveillance System to report outbreaks and submit absenteeism surveillance to MCDH. This is a secure, web-based system for schools and ECE programs to:
1. Report suspect outbreaks and/or outbreak-related information to the MCDH. The following outbreaks can be reported via this form:
- Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE)
- Group A Strep
- General Illness
- COVID-19 (*See updated outbreak definition via the reporting and absenteeism link above)
- Measles
General illness outbreaks include any unusual increase in clusters of reported or observed illness with unknown origin or similar symptoms within a core group of individuals. Clusters of illness and unusual increases in illness are reportable to the McHenry County Department of Health, even for conditions that are not reportable on their own.
2. Report weekly absenteeism surveillance. School absenteeism surveillance involves the tracking of absences due to respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness, and total absences. Our Epidemiology Program and Communicable Disease staff monitor this information to determine the spread of respiratory conditions in our schools, ECE programs, and the county, and identify acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks in schools.
