FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2014

Contact
Melaney Arnold 217-558-0500
Sheila Porter 312-814-3524

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Announces Plans for an Ebola Hotline

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck today is announcing plans to stand up a hotline later this week to answer questions the public may have about Ebola.

“Although, to date, there have been no persons in Illinois under investigation for suspected Ebola that has warranted testing, we understand there is concern and people have many questions.  IDPH will be setting up a hotline to help provide answers to questions the public may have, including who may be infected with Ebola, how is it spread and what can I do to avoid it.

“After this morning's announcement of a second health care worker at a Texas hospital who provided care for the first U.S. Ebola victim preliminarily tested positive for Ebola, I would like to reassure Illinoisans that IDPH continues to work closely with hospitals and local health departments to provide guidance to quickly identify any potential cases of Ebola and contain any possible spread.

“The situation in Texas is being investigated to determine how the transmission of Ebola occurred.  Information learned by hospital, state and federal officials will be used to inform our efforts in Illinois to help prevent a similar situation here.

“We will continue to communicate with the public and will report any suspected or confirmed Ebola case in Illinois.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2014

Contact
Contact: Jim Roberts Director of Environmental Health
(217) 531-2909 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Food Establishment Inspection Reports Now On-Line

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Website Now Host of Champaign County Food Establishment Inspection Reports

Champaign, IL – September is National Food Safety Month and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) announced this week that the CUPHD website now has inspection reports available for every retail food establishment where food is directly sold or offered to a consumer within Champaign County, Illinois, (such as a restaurant, convenience store, grocery store, day care, school, hospital, nursing home or tavern), except for cottage food operations and the retail food establishments operated by the University of Illinois.

Inspections have been a part of the food safety regulatory program since the start of the ChampaignUrbana Public Health District in 1937 and the start of the Champaign County Public Health Department (CCPHD) in 1998. Inspections are used to determine compliance with the current food rules and regulations to help protect the public’s health. 

The website is unique because it includes summaries of violations and a line graph to illustrate compliance over time. Other features include being able to view inspection reports from 2008 to the present, and people can be notified by e-mail when their favorite establishment’s most recent report is available. Information can also be searched by enforcement score or date range.

The website works in conjunction with the Inspection Notice placards that are required to be posted at each Champaign and Urbana food establishment and voluntarily at Champaign County food establishments. The placards give information from the last inspection but the QR code allows anyone with a smartphone to link to the full report on-line.

Jim Roberts, Director of Environmental Health, said, “An advantage of having the information on the website is that all reports are available, not just a media-chosen subset of failed inspections. Consumers now have the option to view the information on-line and use that information for their own personal choices.”

For more information or to view inspection reports, visit  http://www.c-uphd.org/foodinspections.html.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2014

Contact
Januari Smith (217) 558-1544

WIC Program Changes Promote Healthy  Food Choices

New milk guidelines effective October 1

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – The Illinois Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is making changes designed to improve the nutrition and health of pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children. Effective October 1, WIC will offer only one percent or skim milk for children over the age of two and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have recently had a baby.  Children ages 12-23 months will continue to receive whole milk to ensure proper growth and development.

“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have recommended low-fat milk for some time and nutrition education provided at WIC offices has provided this message and now the milk we provide will support it as well”,  said Penny Roth,  a registered dietitian and the Director of the Illinois WIC Program.  “WIC is more than a food program, it is an education program and it is vital that the WIC food packages reinforce nutrition education messages for optimal health for our participants” 

WIC offices around the state have been discussing the campaign “Their Bodies Change, so Should Their Milk,” which emphasizes that while children over two and adults benefit from the nutrients of milk, they do not need the saturated fat and calories found in whole and two percent.   This change also aligns WIC with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Approximately 132,000 children and 64,000 women in Illinois receive WIC each month, providing them with milk, as well as other nutritious foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

For more information about WIC, please visit the Illinois Department of Human Services website at www.dhs.state.il.us.

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