Press Releases
Year
Champaign County COVID-19 Vaccinations Continue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2021
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Champaign County COVID-19 Vaccinations Continue
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations to All Champaign County Residents in Phases 1A and 1B
CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), in partnership with Carle Health, OSF HealthCare, Christie Clinic, Promise Healthcare, and the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign will be hosting community-based COVID-19 vaccination clinics for all Champaign County residents in Phases 1A and 1B who have not yet received their first dose of the vaccine. More information on these and subsequent phase can be found at: https://www.c-uphd.org/covidvaccinations.html.
Those eligible for this clinic include:
Phase 1A:
- Healthcare Personnel: Hospital and Non-Hospital Settings
Phase 1B:
- Individuals 65+ Years of Age (with or without underlying health conditions)
- First Responders
- Corrections Officers
- Education (K-12)
- Essential frontline workers who work or live in Champaign County:
- Grocery Store Workers: Baggers, Cashiers, Stockers, Pick-Up, Customer Service.
- Food and Agriculture Workers: Processing, Plants, Veterinary Health, Livestock Services, Animal Care.
- Shelter/Adult Day Care Workers.
- Postal Service Workers.
- Manufacturing Workers: Industrial production of goods for distribution to retail, wholesale or other manufacturers.
- Public Transit Workers: Flight Crew, Bus Drivers, Train Conductors, Taxi Drivers, ParaTransit Drivers, In-Person Support, Ride Sharing Services.
Vaccinations will be given the week of February 8th by appointment only at the following locations:
The Rantoul Youth Center, located at 1306 Country Club Lane, Rantoul.
To register:
- Online: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/RantoulCOVDFeb8.
- Phone appointments: (217) 892-6844.
- Emails address for questions and assistance:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . - If you do not feel well the day of your appointment, please call to reschedule.
The former Dress Barn store in the Kohl’s Plaza, located at 1901 N. Market Street, Champaign.
To register:
- For faster service, you can request a call back 24/7 by entering your information at bit.ly/Carlevaccinecallback.
- Or you may call (217) 902-6100. Due to high call volume, you may experience an extended wait time. We appreciate your patience.
- If you do not feel well the day of your appointment, please call to reschedule.
Appointments are available on a first come, first served basis. There will not be a waitlist; however, additional appointments will be available next week based on vaccine availability.
Additional notes: You cannot receive the COVID vaccine if you have received any other vaccinations within 14 days prior to your appointment. You may be asked to show an ID for verification of employment.
Patients will need to wear a face covering, practice social distancing, and plan to allow at least 15 minutes for observation after the vaccination. Please limit the number of individuals in your party that are not receiving the vaccine and wear clothing to allow easy access to the upper portion of the arm for the injection.
There is no cost to individuals to get a COVID vaccine. You may be asked to bring your insurance card if you have one, but you will not be turned away if you do not have insurance.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has compiled a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccination. Information can be found at:
http://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine-faq.
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GREAT Start Program becomes Quality Confirmed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2021
Contact
Tasha Thompson, Program Coordinator
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
GREAT Start Program becomes Quality Confirmed
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District GREAT Start Program is now Baby TALK Quality Confirmed
CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), announces their GREAT Start program has become Baby TALK Quality Confirmed.
GREAT Start is an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) home visiting prevention initiative program. It focuses on the parent-child relationship, promoting positive interactions, child development, and family support. The program serves pregnant mothers and families that have children birth to age 3.
Becoming a Baby TALK Quality Confirmed program means that the staff of GREAT Start have met and exceeded all the Baby TALK requirements to operate a high-quality home visiting program. Achieving this goal was a collective effort of each member of the GREAT Start team. Under the direction of the Program Coordinator, the team developed a carefully crafted plan that included being proactive and strategically organizing all aspects of the program. Undoubtedly, it was difficult during a pandemic, but the GREAT Start team was dedicated to the process of becoming a quality confirmed program.
“In the GREAT Start program, we believe that each parent is their child’s first teacher. It is our program's mission and a firm belief in meeting families where they are and joining them on their journey of parenthood,” said Program Coordinator, Tasha Thompson.
It is important to note that becoming Quality Confirmed proves that the program provided evidence showing that GREAT Start provides developmentally appropriate activities, GREAT Start staff are highly qualified to work with families, and GREAT Start staff individualize programming for each family so that they can "come alongside" them providing ongoing support.
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COVID-19 Variant Confirmed in Champaign County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2021
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
COVID-19 Variant Confirmed in Champaign County
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Announces Several Cases of the COVID-19 Variant B.1.1.7
CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) announces several cases of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, first identified in the United Kingdom, have been confirmed in Champaign County.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), viruses are constantly changing, and this includes SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These genetic variations occur over time and can lead to the emergence of new variants that may have different characteristics.
According to Dr. Ngozi Ezike, IDPH Director, “With reports of this variant already in many states in the U.S., we anticipated its spread here in Illinois. Early studies have found that this variant spreads more easily than what we have seen with the current prevailing variant. We are following closely to see if there is evidence that infections by this variant cause more severe disease or death. Based on the information available now, the vaccine will still be effective. Continued masking and
vaccination when it is your turn remain our best path to defeating this virus as quickly as possible.”
Public health experts are working to better understand the potential impact of this variant, including how the variant spreads and how it affects people who are infected. The same measures that have helped protect our community from COVID-19 will also help protect residents from the variant. Wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, avoiding crowds, ventilating indoor spaces, washing hands frequently, and staying home when ill remain the best tools for preventing the spread of this virus, no matter the strain.
For more information on COVID-19, visit www.c-uphd.org.
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