Heath roundup, national preparedness, health check clinics and food safety

Henry & Stark Health Departments mark National Preparedness Month

The Henry & Stark County Health Departments and Henry County Office of Emergency Management – OEM note that this September will mark the 24th year anniversary of 9/11. Since then, September has been designated as National Preparedness Month. This event was founded after 9/11 to increase preparedness in the U.S. Rae Ann Tucker, director of Health Promotion, said, “The designation is a nationwide, month-long effort that encourages individuals, families, businesses, and communities to work together and take action to prepare and plan for emergencies.”

The goal for National Emergency Preparedness Month 2025 is to encourage all Americans to take active steps toward getting involved and becoming prepared. Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan.

The theme for this year is “Preparedness Starts at Home.” This annual initiative encourages everyone to take action to prepare for emergencies by understanding their local risks, creating an emergency plan, and building an emergency supply kit.

National Preparedness Month is a good reminder that emergencies will happen, but taking action now can help minimize the impact they will have on our lives. That’s why the Health Department and OEM staff are continually taking steps to become educated, trained, and better prepared, and they urge members of the community to take time this month to do the same.

For more information on the Health Department’s Emergency Preparedness visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or visit www.ready.gov. or find them on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Department. Funding for this program was provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Fall Health Check Clinic to be held at Kewanee Library

The Henry County Health Department, First Choice Healthcare, and Kewanee Public Library recently announced they will be holding a special Fall Health Check Clinic for area residents on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 9:30 -11:30 a.m. at the Kewanee Public Library, 102 N. Tremont St., Kewanee. The clinic is open to all men and women 18 years of age and older.

In keeping with the Health Department’s mission of promoting healthier living, this Fall Health Check Clinic will be featuring free flu shots for those with Medicare or Insurance Coverage. However participants must bring with them their Medicare and/or Insurance card in order to receive the “no-cost” shot. The cost of this year’s flu shot, for those paying cash, is $60.

The Health Department is encouraging everyone 6 months of age and older to get vaccinated against the flu this year. People at high risk of serious flu complications are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated. These “at-risk” persons include small children, pregnant women, people with chronic health problems like asthma, diabetes, smokers, heart and lung disease, health care workers, and people 65 years and older.

In addition, the Fall Health Check Clinic will also feature the following health screenings “Free-Of-Charge:”
● Blood Pressure Checks
● Vital Signs
● Blood Glucose screenings.

In addition to the health screenings, the clinic will feature a variety of health information and free giveaways.

Free flu shots and screenings offered at Geneseo Library

The Henry County Health Department, First Choice Healthcare, and Geneseo Public Library District announced they will be holding a special Fall Health Check Clinic for area residents on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Geneseo Public Library, 805 N. Chicago St., Geneseo. The clinic is open to all men and women 18 years of age and older.

In keeping with the Health Department’s mission of promoting healthier living, this Fall Health Check Clinic will be featuring Free Flu Shots for those with Medicare or Insurance Coverage. However participants must bring their Medicare and/or Insurance card with them in order to receive the “no-cost” shots. The cost of this year’s flu shot, for those paying cash, is $60.

In addition, the Fall Health Check Clinic will also feature the following health screenings “Free-Of-Charge:”
● Blood Pressure Checks
● Vital Signs
● Blood Glucose screenings.
In addition to the health screenings, the clinic will feature a variety of health information and free giveaways.

Get Covered Illinois comes to Geneseo’s Country Store

The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and the Get Covered Illinois Navigator Program asks, “Do You Need Health Insurance?” Their Health Insurance Navigators will be present at an upcoming local event to assist anyone looking to set up health insurance coverage:

Country Store, 12705 Wolf Rd., Geneseo, Ill.
Monday, Oct. 6
1-4 p.m.

“Get Covered Illinois” Navigators can help you:

● Find affordable health coverage that meets your needs
● Fill out and submit your application
● Compare quality health plans side-by-side
● Find out if you qualify for financial help to lower your monthly premium
● Find out if you qualify for Medicaid or an affordability program
● Understand your benefits
● Understand health insurance terms

Remember you may be eligible to enroll in a Get Covered Illinois health plan outside of the usual Open Enrollment, or make changes to your existing coverage, if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period -SEP. The SEP may require you to enroll within 60 days of a Qualifying Life Event. A qualifying life event is a life change, such as:

Loss of Health Coverage, due to:

● Losing job-based coverage
● Losing Medicaid coverage
● Losing Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors or Health Benefits for Immigrants Adult coverage
● A divorce or legal separation
● Turning 26 years old, no longer eligible for parents’ coverage
Other Qualifying Life Events include:
● Getting Married
● Having a baby or adopting a child
● Moving to a new ZIP code or county
● Becoming a US Citizen
● Leaving incarceration.

For more information on this Get Covered Illinois Navigator Event or assistance in enrolling in a Get Covered Illinois Healthcare Marketplace please call 309-852-5272.

Food Safety starts at home; Learn how to protect your family

The Henry and Stark County Health Departments’ Environmental Health Division announced that September has been designated National Food Safety Education Month. National Food Safety Education Month focuses on new technologies, trends, and regulations that are changing the foodservice landscape and the steps everyone should take to ensure that food safety remains a top priority when dealing with these changes.

The Environmental Health Staff with the Health Department said, “National Food Safety Education Month is the one month out of the year dedicated to food safety education. This year we would like to remind the community to ensure you and your family are purchasing food from licensed, reputable businesses who follow health department guidelines.” The health department continually conducts routine food inspections, and now residents are able to view these inspections on their website and check if someone is indeed licensed at the following link https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/henry-stark/.

Food Safety Education Month also provides an opportunity to raise awareness about steps each of us can take to prevent food poisoning and show others how to keep food safe. Every year, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from eating contaminated food. Anyone can get sick from a foodborne illness (also called food poisoning). But some groups of people are more likely to get sick and to have a more serious illness. These groups are:
● Adults aged 65 and older
● Children younger than 5
● People with health problems or who take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness
● Pregnant women

There are things you can do to protect yourself and your family. As you prepare and handle food, follow these four steps:
● Clean: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often when you cook.
● Separate: Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs. Separate them from cooked food and fresh produce.
● Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to an internal temperature that kills germs.
● Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods and leftovers within two hours. Chill within one hour if it’s above 90°F.

For more information on food safety contact the Health Department at 309-852-0197 or email them at eh@henrystarkhealth.org or visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find them on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments.