Press Releases
Year
Forty-Eight Percent of Homes Tested in Champaign County have High Radon Levels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2018
Contact
Jennifer Schroeder
Environmental Health Specialist II
(217) 531-2929 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Radon Gas Causes More Than 20,000 Lung Cancer Deaths in the Country Each Year and Forty-Eight Percent of Homes Tested in Champaign County have High Radon Levels
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Citizens to Test Their Homes with a Radon Test Kit
CHAMPAIGN, IL – January is National Radon Action Month and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages citizens to learn more about the threat of radon and to test their homes for the presence of radon. CUPHD has radon test kits available for $5.00. Test kits may be picked up at the Environmental Health Division of CUPHD located at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign; kits are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to indoor radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas released into the air from decaying matter in rocks, soil and water. While levels in outdoor air are relatively harmless, radon can accumulate to dangerous levels inside buildings. Radon is an invisible threat; it cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. The only way to detect radon is to perform a radon test.
The test kits provided by CUPHD are safe and easy to use. Simply open the test kit, and place the radon detector in a designated area in the home for a minimum of 48 hours, with windows and doors closed. After 48 hours, place the detector in the enclosed postage-paid envelope and send it to a lab for a free analysis. The lab will then inform you of your radon test results.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). The EPA recommends that homes with radon levels of 4 pCi/L or higher should be mitigated. Nationally the average home reading is about 1.3 pCi/L. The average outdoor reading is about 0.4 pCi/L. Forty-eight percent of homes tested in Champaign County have high radon levels.
Radon presents a serious health risk, but it can be controlled easily and cost-effectively. If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family. Test your home and protect your health today.
For more information on radon or radon test kits for your home, please contact CUPHD at (217) 373-7900 or visit CUPHD on-line at www.c-uphd.org/radon.
CUPHD also recommends schools test their buildings since kids spend a majority of their time at school. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) has a School Screening Program available to help schools with the cost of performing radon testing. According to IEMA, “To reduce the cost to school districts for the radon tests, the Illinois School Code allows school district employees to complete an online training course approved by IEMA in order to perform screening measurements in their district school buildings. By using a trained school district employee to conduct the tests, districts won't have the expense of hiring a licensed radon measurement contractor.”
For more information on the school screening program, please visit https://www.illinois.gov/iema/NRS/Radon/Pages/SchoolScreeningProgram.aspx or contact Patrick Daniels at IEMA,
According to a May 2017 IEMA news release, “Hundreds of students from across the state recently used their creative talents to increase public awareness about the health hazards of radioactive radon gas in homes. Nearly 800 posters and 141 one-minute YouTube videos were submitted to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the American Lung Association in Illinois (ALA-IL) for consideration in the annual contests.” https://www.illinois.gov/iema/NRS/Radon/Pages/default.aspx
The poster contest is open for kids ages 9-14, and the video contest is available for high school students. Winners in both categories win monetary prizes.
For more information on the poster and video contests, please visit http://www.healthhouse.org/il.cfm.
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Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2017
Contact
Robert Davies, Emergency Preparedness Planner and MRC Coordinator
(217) 531-2932 /
Rachael E. Wooten, DVM University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
(708) 997-0709 /
Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic
Champaign County Medical Reserve Corps to Host a Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic
Champaign, IL – On Saturday, November 4, 2017 the Champaign County Medical Reserve Corps (CCMRC) will host a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic for the surrounding community and their pets. This event will take place in the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) garage located at 201 West Kenyon Road, Champaign, IL, from 10am-1pm.
This event offers an opportunity for dog and cat owners, who may not otherwise be able to provide vet care, a more affordable option. Services will include the county rabies registration and vaccination, administered by veterinarian volunteers. Also, educational outreach regarding zoonotic diseases will be provided throughout this event. Before an animal receives their rabies vaccination, multiple stations will be set-up around the designated area addressing different types of diseases that can potentially affect animals and their owners. The cost of the rabies vaccination plus the county registration fee ranges from $15 - $36. Up to 75 pre-registered individuals are guaranteed a spot. Walk-ins are welcome and will be seen after those who are registered.
The CCMRC is housed within the CUPHD and prides itself on its volunteers who provide outreach regarding diseases, practice intake and administer vaccinations, and implement low-cost vaccination clinics to assist with community preparedness and resiliency. The CCMRC connects with the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) mission by creating a core of volunteers, medical and non-medical, to serve and support local health care system functions.
Rabies is a very dangerous virus that is transmissible through the saliva of animals. Anyone can be affected if handling or bitten by animals possessing rabies. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports that annual turnover of approximately 25 percent in the dog population necessitates revaccination of millions of animals every year. Rabies kills more than 55,000 people worldwide with associated costs estimated to be more than $300 million in the U.S. alone. CUPHD and CCMRC are working to conduct this vaccination clinic in order to prevent and protect the safety and health of not only the animals, but the humans that interact with them as well.
This opportunity would not be possible without the assistance from the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine.
To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/low-rabies-vaccination-clinic-tickets39264374802. For more information, contact Robert Davies at 217-531-2932.
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Protect Yourself and Others by Getting a Flu Shot
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2017
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Protect Yourself and Others by Getting a Flu Shot
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has Vaccine Currently Available
Champaign, IL –The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages everyone to get their flu vaccination to help protect themselves as well as others from influenza. CUPHD currently has a quadrivalent intramuscular injectable vaccine available.
“The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get a flu vaccination each year and it takes about two weeks for your body to develop antibodies that provide protection against the influenza virus. The flu season can begin as early as October and can last as late as May,” said Julie A. Pryde, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator.
The flu vaccine contains killed or weakened viruses so people cannot get sick with the flu from being vaccinated; however, some might experience side effects associated with the flu vaccination. Some minor side effects could include soreness, redness, or swelling at the inoculation site, low-grade fever, or body aches. If these problems occur, they will begin soon after the shot, and usually last one to two days. On rare occasions, flu vaccine can cause severe allergic reactions, and is not recommended for people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, or who have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccination in the past. People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should not be vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District provides seasonal flu vaccinations on a walk-in basis Monday through Friday between 8:30 – 11:30 AM and 1:00 – 4:30 PM. CUPHD accepts private insurance, Medicaid, Visa, Master Card, cash, and personal check. Anyone wishing to pay cash, the cost will be $40.00 for influenza. The Vaccine for Children (VFC) Program is also available for qualifying children.
Additional influenza planning resources and information are available at www.stock2forflu.com and www.c-uphd.org.
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