Firefighter Lawsuit
Six Naperville Fire Department employees have filed a lawsuit against Governor J.B. Pritzker, the City of Naperville, and Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare, saying vaccine requirements due to their occupation violate their constitutional rights. The complaint was filed September 23 in federal court. It takes issue with the State of Illinois and City of Naperville’s mandate requiring healthcare workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. Those who don’t comply are to be placed on administrative leave without pay. Those filing the suit say the natural immunity many firefighters and paramedics already have from having contracted the virus is comparable to immunity from vaccines. Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare and the City of Naperville have both declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Test To Stay
At last night’s Indian Prairie School District 204 board meeting, administrators said they are working toward establishing a Test to Stay with Modified Quarantine option for students. The policy would allow eligible students who are exposed to COVID-19 at school to continue in-person learning if they test negative for the virus on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 following exposure. The district plans to start the program as a pilot at a small number of schools to make sure it can be scaled up easily to all district buildings.
D204 Boundaries
Also at the D204 meeting, about fifteen community members spoke on the district’s ongoing process to redraw school boundaries. Many were from the Mission Oaks community, and expressed concerns over logistics, traffic safety, and social-emotional effects that could result from some concepts being discussed. The initial rough plans being considered can be viewed on the district’s website. Public forums on the boundary discussion will be held November 8 at Waubonsie Valley High School, November 9 at Neuqua Valley High School and November 10 at Metea Valley High School.
Mass Vaccination Clinic To Reopen
The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) plans to reopen its mass vaccination clinic at the DuPage County Fairgrounds on October 13. DCHD says this will help accommodate those who require a booster shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those 65 years and older, residents in long-term care settings, and those 50-64 years old with underlying medical conditions. Anyone 18 to 49 with underlying health conditions, or those 18 and older with increased risk due to their job or in an institutional setting is also eligible for the extra shot. Eligible residents can also sign up for boosters at 111 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton and 1111 E. Jackson Street in Lombard by appointment, starting October 1.
Cardinal First Finalist
North Central College’s Cardinal First program is a national finalist for the 2021 Examples of Excelencia. The college received the accolade from Excelencia in Education, an organization that focuses on advancing Latino student success in higher education. Cardinal First supports and celebrates first-generation college students. It’s one of only 21 programs in the country to be named as a finalist.
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