The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and First Choice Healthcare remind residents that RSV vaccine shots are available at their First Choice Healthcare Clinics in Kewanee and Colona while supplies last. RSV shots are available to those 60 years of age and older with no insurance coverage for the RSV vaccination. Appointments can be made by simply calling the First Choice Healthcare location nearest you: Kewanee 309-852-5272 or Colona 309-792-4011.
Adults 60 yrs.+ with no insurance coverage or are underinsured are now eligible for the RSV vaccination at no charge through the 317 Bridge Access Program through the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The health department notes that the CDC recommends adults 60 years of age and older receive a single dose of RSV. RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a lower respiratory disease that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. RSV can cause illness in people of all ages but may be especially serious for infants and older adults.
To schedule your appointment or for more information, call the First Choice Healthcare locations in Kewanee 309-852-5272 or Colona 309-792-4011 or visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com.
The Henry and Stark County Health Department and their First Choice Healthcare Clinic in Kewanee are conducting Certified DOT Physical Clinics every Wednesday in January.
Appointments are necessary and can be made by calling the clinic at 309-852-5272 in Kewanee. Appointments will be offered every Wednesday in January from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at each location.
The Department of Transportation requires some drivers to get regular physicals to make sure they can drive safely. If any of the following apply to you, you must get a DOT physical and carry a DOT medical certificate when you drive a commercial vehicle:
● You are paid to operate a motor vehicle that holds nine to 15 passengers; you drive the vehicle more than 75 miles from where you report to work; you operate this vehicle for interstate commerce purposes
● You operate a motor vehicle with a gross combination weight rating, gross vehicle weight, gross vehicle weight rating, or gross combination weight of at least 10,001 pounds; you operate this vehicle for interstate commerce purposes
● You transport hazardous materials in certain quantities
If you want to comply with federal law, a qualified medical examiner must complete your DOT physical form. The First Choice Healthcare nurse practitioners are Certified DOT medical examiners.
DOT Physical participants should expect the examiner to review their health history and ask the participant to list the medications taken on a regular basis. During the DOT physical, the examiner will also do the following:
● Check pulse and blood pressure
● Perform a vision test
● Observe general appearance
● Examine the eyes, throat, mouth, and ears
● Listen to the heart and lungs
● Check for spine deformities
● Perform a neurological exam
● Press on the abdomen to check for abnormalities
● Perform a hernia check
In addition, those who are seeing a provider and are on medication for sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac, anxiety, ADHD/ADD, depression and other mental health issues, and seizures. Participants need to obtain a clearance letter from the provider of care and bring it to their appointment.
For more information call the Kewanee clinic at 309-852-5272 or visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com.
January has been proclaimed National Radon Action Month in Illinois. The month is meant to raise awareness to the fact that radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer overall and the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers.
RaeAnn Tucker, director of health promotion for the Henry and Stark County Health Departments said, “It really doesn’t matter where you live in Illinois or what type of home you live in, because we’ve seen excessive radon in every county in Illinois, and in every type of home – old, new, with basements, with a crawlspace or on a slab.”
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil. It can enter homes and buildings through small cracks in the foundation, sump pumps or soil in crawl spaces.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes 21,000 deaths annually. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer.
The State of Illinois has enacted the Illinois Radon Awareness Act. According to this law, anyone buying a home, condominium or other residential property in Illinois must be provided with information about indoor radon exposure and the fact that radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause overall.
Since radon gas is undetectable, specialized radon detectors must be used to measure the amount of radon gas present in the air. The Environmental Health Division of the Henry and Stark County Health Department announces that they now have radon home test kits available for purchase through their offices in Kewanee, Colona and Toulon. The kits are being offered at the low cost of $15 per kit.
Tucker says, “Radon gas is found in 66% of homes in Henry County and 92% of homes in Stark County.
Testing your home is the only way to know if you have elevated levels of radon. If radon levels, above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) action level of 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), are detected in your home; the health department can provide you with information regarding radon mitigation on their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com.
