Press Releases
Year
Avoid the Flu Fast – Just Drive Thru!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2007
Contact
Julie Pryde, Acting Public Health Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Avoid the Flu Fast – Just Drive Thru!
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Provides a Fast Alternative Way to Receive a 2007 Flu Shot – A Mass Immunization Drive Thru.
Champaign, IL – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will be providing annual flu shots from the parking lot of their new building at 201 West Kenyon Road on Wednesday and Thursday, September 26th and 27th from 8:00am – 8:00pm. Vaccines will be available for everyone ages 3 and up for only $25.00. CUPHD will accept Medicaid, Medicare, Visa, Master Card, cash, and personal checks. This year’s flu clinic will be a “drive-thru”. Customers wanting flu shots will not have to leave the comfort of their car, but rather be able to “get the shot and go”.
CUPHD hopes that by offering such a convenient and speedy delivery of service, that more people will take advantage of this year’s flu shot, thus reducing the number of people susceptible to illness this flu season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5-20% of the population gets the flu annually, more than 200,000 are hospitalized from flu complications, and about 36,000 people die from the flu each year. Some people, such as the elderly, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.
“The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get a flu vaccination each year.” said Julie A. Pryde, Acting Administrator at CUPHD. “The sooner you get your flu shot the better. It takes about two weeks for your body to develop antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus. The flu season can begin as early as October and can last as late as May.”
Different side effects can be associated with the flu shot. 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 1 to 2 days. However, 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.
For those interested parties that may be unable to attend the annual drive-thru flu clinic, flu vaccinations will be available during regular CUPHD business hours, Monday thru Friday; 8:00am – 4:00pm, at the 201 West Kenyon Road location. No appointment is necessary.
For more information about flu vaccines and other CUPHD programs and services, call 217-352-7961 or visit the CUPHD website at www.c-uphd.org.
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Jackson’s Ribs & Tips Could Save Your Life!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2007
Contact
Candi Crause, Interim Director of Infectious Disease
(217) 531-5372 /
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Jackson’s Ribs & Tips Could Save Your Life!
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Partners with Jackson’s Ribs & Tips to Offer Free Prostate Screenings and Food to High Risk Population
Champaign, IL – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has partnered with Jackson’s Ribs & Tips to provide access to free prostate screenings for men over the age of 40. On Thursday, September 20, 2007 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm, CUPHD will be at Jackson’s Ribs & Tips, located on First Street in Champaign, offering free on-site prostate screenings. Participants will receive a coupon for free food at Jackson’s Ribs & Tips. Breast cancer information will also be available for women over the age of 35 through the Illinois Breast & Cervical Cancer Program facilitated by CUPHD.
CUPHD hopes that by offering free prostate screenings at the popular local gathering place, that more community members will take advantage of CUPHD’s various screening and health services, especially the high risk population, African American men. African American men often avoid getting screened for prostate cancer longer than other ethnic groups, and African American men have higher prostate cancer mortality rates than any other group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prostate cancer effects 1 in 6 men, and prostate cancer death rates are about 2.5 times higher among African American men than other ethnic groups.
“Many men are uncomfortable with traditional testing methods, and this causes them to avoid screening until it is apparent that something is wrong. At the point when symptoms become obvious, it may be too late for treatment to be effective.” said Candi Crause, Interim Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Management at CUPHD. “CUPHD uses a modern screening method that relies solely on a simple blood test. It is easy, effective and clients will have their results mailed to them within 4-6 weeks.” CUPHD will privately perform all tests on their new state-of-the-art mobile unit outside Jackson’s Ribs & Tips. Citizens are encouraged to participate in the quick test or to stop to meet the CUPHD team and receive information on any of the many other CUPHD programs and services, including breast cancer information from the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program.
For those interested parties that may be unable to attend the event at Jackson’s Ribs & Tips, CUPHD offers a free Men’s Clinic every Monday from 4:00pm – 5:30pm at 201 West Kenyon Road. No appointment is necessary. For more information on the Men’s Clinic, please call 217-239-7827.
For more information about prostate screenings and other CUPHD programs and services, call 217-352-7961 or visit the CUPHD website at www.c-uphd.org.
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First Positive Results for West Nile Virus Found in Mosquitoes in Champaign County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2007
Contact
Matthew Swearingen, Environmental Health
(217) 373-7900
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
First Positive Results for West Nile Virus Found in Mosquitoes in Champaign County
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Urges Residents to Take Simple Precautions
Champaign, IL – Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), announced that mosquito samples collected at South Farms have been confirmed as the first positive test results in Champaign County this year for West Nile Virus. The positive mosquito samples were collected by the Illinois Natural History Survey. The two positive samples were found in the same location as a couple hundred negative samples. There have been no positive mosquito samples or positive birds collected by CUPHD. There have been no reported positive human cases in Champaign County.
“CUPHD realizes that West Nile Virus is a concern for our community and would like to remind our citizens to take precautionary steps to avoid mosquito exposure.” said Jim Roberts, Director of Environmental Health at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health
District. “The bulk of mosquito exposure can be reduced by simply remembering the “five D’s”: Drain the water from potential mosquito breeding sites, minimize the time spent outdoors between Dusk and Dawn, Dress properly, and apply mosquito repellents containing DEET.”
Last year 77 of the state’s 102 counties were found to have a West Nile positive bird, mosquito, horse or human case. A total of 215 human cases of West Nile disease, including 10 deaths were reported last year.
West Nile Virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of the illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Only about two out of 10 who are bitten by an infected mosquito will experience any illness. It is estimated that only 20% of those infected will develop West Nile Fever, and of those only 1 in 150 will develop a more severe form of the disease.
Symptoms of West Nile are usually mild and include fever, headache, body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands. Serious illness, such as encephalitis, meningitis, and death are possible in extreme cases. Persons older than 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease.
The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. Use prevention methods whenever mosquitoes are present.
- When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellants on infants.
- Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.
- Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles. In communities where there are organized mosquito control programs, contact your municipal government to report areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.
Public health officials believe that a hot summer could increase mosquito activity and the risk of disease from West Nile virus.
The cities of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy and the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign work with the Medical Entomology program with the Illinois Natural History Survey to conduct mosquito and West Nile Virus surveillance and management.
If you have any questions regarding mosquito or virus monitoring, please contact the Environmental Health Division of CUPHD at 217-373-7900 or Dr. Richard Lampman at the Illinois Natural History survey at 217-333-1186.
For more information about CUPHD's programs and services, visit us on the web at www.c-uphd.org or call 217-352-7961.
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