While Quebec public health officials are preparing for a second wave of the swine flu pandemic, CTV News has learned that an elementary school in Chateauguay has two confirmed cases of the swine flu.
Six other students at Mary Gardner elementary school are being kept home as a precaution.
"I'm worried. I have two kids here and I was debating, 'Do I send them to school, or are they gonna catch something?'" one parent told CTV's Rob Lurie.
More than 80 students called in sick on Tuesday, but public health officials say it's too early to call it an outbreak because other area schools are not reporting such high absentee rates.
Most of the students who stayed home from school have common colds, while some are reporting flu-like symptoms.
Meanwhile, officials with the New Frontiers School Board are wiping down desks and doorknobs, and making hand sanitizers available in all schools.
Joseph Urovitch, assistant director general of the school board, said parents are being kept up to date.
"There's a letter that's going out to parents today, just a very general letter indicating that we're trying to take a proactive role," he said.
"If you see your child has symptoms ... keep them home to ensure that it doesn't develop."
Health experts weigh in
Dr. Timothy Brewer, a specialist in infectious diseases, said it's particularly troubling to see any kind of outbreak in schools.
"Because schools have a lot of young people crowding together, that's an ideal environment for transmitting influenza viruses," said Brewer.
But Dr. Jocelyn Sauve of the Monteregie Public Health Department said it's important for parents not to panic.
"We recommend that the kids stay home when they're sick. We don't recommend that parents take their kid out of school because there was a sick kid in the school," she said.
