Press Releases
Year
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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High Temperatures and Humidity Can Be Extremely Dangerous
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jul 18, 2017
Contact
John Dwyer, Coordinator / CCEMA
(217) 384-3826 /
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
High Temperatures and Humidity Can Be Extremely Dangerous
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and Champaign County Emergency Management Agency Urge the Public to Take Extra Precautions to Stay Safe in the Heat
Champaign, IL –The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) and the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) urge everyone to watch for the symptoms of heat-related illness, and to take precautions to keep their families and communities safe.
Heat-related illness can take many forms ranging from a mild case of heat exhaustion to a more serious and life-threatening case of heat stroke. Heat-related illnesses occur when the body becomes unable to control its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly and the body looses its ability to perspire and cool down. Rising to temperatures of 106 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes can result in death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.
Signs and symptoms of heat-related illness include:
- An extremely high body temperature of 103 degrees or higher
- Red, hot, and dry skin (no signs of perspiration)
- Rapid, strong pulse
- Throbbing headache
- Dizziness or confusion
- Nausea
Never leave children, elderly persons, or pets in a parked car – even for a few minutes with the windows partially open. The metal of the vehicle conducts and concentrates the intense heat and brain damage or even death can occur from the rapid rise of temperature in the vehicle. Children, the elderly, and pets are especially susceptible to heat-related illness due to a variety of factors
including, but not limited to, the inability to adjust to sudden changes in temperature, the tendency to retain more body heat, dehydration due to over activity or exertion, and the lack of access to adequate fluids.
Precautions to avoid heat-related illness:
- Stay hydrated. Drink at least 48-64 ounces of cool non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic beverages (caffeine and alcohol are diuretics and will increase dehydration). Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink.
- Reduce the amount of activity during the hottest parts of the day. If you must be active during those times, strive to take frequent breaks in a shady or cool area.
- Wear light-colored and lightweight clothes.
- Take a cool shower or sponge bath if you begin feeling over heated.
- Retreat to an air-conditioned environment if you begin to feel overly warm. If you do not have air conditioning, consider visiting a mall, grocery store, or other public place to cool off.
If you or someone you know shows signs of a heat-related illness, have someone call for medical assistance while you begin the cooling process:
- Take the person to an air-conditioned, cool, or shady area.
- Cool the person rapidly by spraying cold water from a shower or garden hose.
- Monitor the body temperature carefully until the temperature drops below 101-102 degrees.
- Give plenty of cool (not cold) non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages to drink. Get medical assistance as soon as possible.
The following cooling centers are available throughout the local area:
- Champaign-Urbana Public Health District – Champaign
- Marketplace Mall – Champaign
- Public Aid Office, North Country Fair Drive – Champaign
- Lincoln Square Mall – Urbana
- Public Libraries – Champaign, Urbana, Tolono
CUPHD is a kid-friendly cooling center and is open from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday. CUPHD offers a summer food program for children ages 18 and younger, educational TV, free WiFi, coloring stations, and books for kids.
Anyone can suffer a heat-related illness. CUPHD and CCEMA urge everyone to take precautions in the summer heat and to check on children, the elderly, disabled persons, and pets frequently.
For more information, please visit https://www.illinois.gov/KeepCool/Pages/default.aspx. You may also contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit www.c-uphd.org.