Press Releases
Year
Get Your “Health Check” This October in Mahomet, Rantoul, St. Joseph or Tolono
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2005
Contact
Division of Community Health Nursing
217-531-4266
Diana Yates, Communications Coordinator
217-531-4275
Get Your “Health Check” This October in Mahomet, Rantoul, St. Joseph or Tolono
Adult and Child Immunizations, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar & Cholesterol Screenings Are Available to All Champaign County Residents
The CHAMPAIGN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT is offering the following Health Check Clinics in October. At the clinics, nurses provide adult and child immunizations, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol screenings to all Champaign County residents.
The Health Check Clinics will be:
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Thursday, October 6, from 3-6 p.m., and Thursday, October 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Northern Champaign County Community Service Center, 520 E. Wabash, Rantoul.
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Tuesday, October 4, from 3-6 p.m. at the Mahomet Community Center, 508 E. Main St., Mahomet.
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Tuesday, October 18, from 3-6 p.m. at the St. Joseph Municipal Building, 207 E. Lincoln St., St. Joseph.
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Thursday, October 20, from 3-6 p.m. at the Tolono Public Library, 111 E. Main St., Tolono.
Blood pressure screenings are free. Blood sugar checks cost $2 and cholesterol screenings cost $4; a small fee is charged for interim screenings. Immunizations vary in cost. No one will be turned away for inability to pay. For more information, please call the Health Check Hotline at 217-531-4252.
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Public Health and Parkland College To Stage Emergency Response Exercise
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2005
Contact
Diana Yates, Communications Coordinator
217-531-4275
Public Health and Parkland College To Stage Emergency Response Exercise
Event Will Simulate Emergency Medicine Dispensing Site; Other County Health Departments Will Participate
On Thursday, September 22, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, the Champaign County Public Health Department and Parkland College will stage an exercise designed to simulate an emergency medicine dispensing site. The event is part of a state-wide effort to plan and prepare for terrorist attacks or other public health disasters.
Nearly 100 staff members of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District will participate in the two-hour drill, along with staff from several other central Illinois health departments, the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Observers from Carle Foundation Hospital, local employees of the U.S. Postal Service and the University of Illinois will also attend.
No appointments have been scheduled at Health District offices on Thursday morning and all Public Health clinics will be closed during the drill.
The exercise is meant to prepare Public Health staff for any event that requires the distribution of medicine to large numbers of people. In such an event, health district employees would work with the county Emergency Management Agency to set up and staff one or more Medical Dispensing Sites. Thursday’s exercise will involve the distribution of antibiotics following the theoretical contamination of a local post office with anthrax.
Students from Parkland College will participate in the exercise, acting as local citizens coming to the dispensing site for medications. Public Health nurses will screen those arriving at the dispensing site for symptoms, medical complications or other factors that may influence their treatment options. The participants will complete consent forms and medical assessments and will be given (mock) antibiotics in pill form.
This event is meant to help Public Health staff train for any emergency that warrants the distribution of medications to large numbers of people in the community. It is the first such exercise for Public Health, and is expected to be a learning experience.
The formal exercise will run from 9 to 11 a.m. Media are asked to arrive no earlier 10:30 a.m. If you are with the media, please ask for Diana Yates. The event will be held at the Parkland College gymnasium.
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Rabid Fox Picked Up at Local Shopping Center
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2005
Contact
Diana Yates, Communications Coordinator
217-531-4275
Rabid Fox Picked Up at Local Shopping Center
Public Health Urges Champaign Residents to Vaccinate Pets and Watch for Potentially Rabid Wildlife
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District learned today that a rabid fox was recovered Tuesday at the Round Barn Shopping Center, in Champaign.
A police officer and a woman at the shopping center managed to subdue the fox until Animal Control could collect the animal. State laboratory tests today confirmed that the fox was infected with rabies.
Public Health officials are urging all Champaign area pet owners to observe the following basic precautions:
- Keep vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs, cats and ferrets. This will help protect your pets and your family from rabies.
- Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come into contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.
- Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected.
- Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated.
For all residents:
- Enjoy wild animals (raccoons, skunks, foxes) from AFAR. DO NOT handle, feed or attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
- Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. DO NOT try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue operation for assistance.
- Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
- Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other areas where they might come into contact with people.
If you see raccoons, skunks, foxes or other wildlife in areas where they are not normally seen, or that are behaving in an aggressive manner, please call Animal Control at: 217-384-3798. The hours are Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. If you need to make a report at other hours you may call the non-emergency dispatch center at: 217-333-8911.