Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

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 Urbana- Champaign continue to provide COVID-19 initial vaccination doses, boosters, and Pfizer pediatric vaccinations and boosters.

On Thursday, May 19, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave final approval supporting ACIP's (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) decision to provide Pfizer booster shots for children ages 5 to 11. Eligibility to receive the booster requires it to be at least five months after the child's second dose of the initial series. For additional first and second booster shot information, visit... more...

CHAMPAIGN, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) announces that COVID-19 community level transmission in Champaign County is now high. Changes in the level of transmission are based on three indicators which includes new case rate per 100,000 population, percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population.

CUPHD strongly encourages everyone to follow the below recommendations:

Wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation.
Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get boosted when eligible.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional... more...

CHAMPAIGN, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is excited to announce a new campaign launching May 23, 2022, to collect a variety of period products to distribute to menstruating individuals in Champaign County. According to the Alliance for Period Supplies in the United States, one in four menstruating individuals struggle to purchase products for their period and one in four school-aged students missed class due to a lack of period supplies. Period products are a necessary part of menstruating individuals' healthcare. "Our goal for this campaign is to raise awareness of the very real effects of period poverty and to do our part as a community to help ease this burden. If our community can work together to ensure that a wide variety of products are always available to individuals, then together we can help to eliminate unnecessary stress for our community members who menstruate," said Alyx... more...

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is encouraging area residents to be aware that a cat in Urbana was recently diagnosed with tularemia. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis found in animals.

F. tularensis bacteria can be transmitted to humans via the skin when handling infected animal tissue. Infection can also occur when hunting or skinning infected rabbits, and by inhaling dust or aerosols contaminated with F. tularensis bacteria. This can occur during farming or landscaping activities, especially when machinery (e.g. tractors or mowers) runs over infected animals or carcasses. People can also become infected by being bitten by ticks carrying tularemia. Human infection can range from asymptomatic illness to life-threatening. Typically, patients with tularemia present with abrupt onset of fever, chills, headache and fatigue following an incubation period of two to 10 days. Additional signs and symptoms may be... more...

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 Urbana- Champaign continue to provide COVID-19 initial vaccination doses, boosters, and Pfizer pediatric vaccinations.

On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "expanded eligibility for an additional booster dose for certain individuals who may be at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. Boosters are safe, and people over the age of 50 can now get an additional booster four months after their prior dose to increase their protection further. This is especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19 as they are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time. CDC, in collaboration with FDA and our public... more...

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is holding an open house on maternal and child health. As part of the event, CUPHD is celebrating the grand re-opening of its breast milk depot and dispensary. The event will be held Tuesday, March 29, 2022 from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The public is invited to participate in giveaways and light refreshments while learning about services offered by the Division of Maternal and Child Health. Guests will meet staff and have important questions answered.

As a breast milk depot and dispensary with Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes (Milk Bank WGL), CUPHD promotes breastfeeding and supports family nutrition.... more...

CHAMPAIGN, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) celebrates March 20th as World Oral Health Day. Oral health is multi-faceted. It allows you to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions with confidence and without pain, discomfort and disease. An unhealthy mouth can restrict your capability to perform these everyday functions, which can have a severe impact on your quality of life by affecting your emotional, social, mental, and overall physical well-being. Poor oral health affects nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide and has far-reaching consequences, yet people tend not to realize the severe impact an unhealthy mouth can have on their... more...

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is honored to announce that Ms. Julie Pryde, Administrator, has been appointed to the National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO). Ms. Pryde will serve as Region 5 Board Member through July 1, 2023. Board members will work to support NACCHO's mission to improve the health of communities by strengthening and advocating for local health departments.

"I am honored to serve on the NACCHO Board with other Public Health Administrators from across the U.S. to help ensure a stronger, more robust and responsive public health system," said Julie Pryde, CUPHD... more...

Champaign, IL - The Champaign County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) urge everyone to prepare for severe weather. February 28-March 4, 2022 is Severe Weather Preparedness week in Illinois. In 2021, we had another December tornado outbreak, with eight tornadoes in Illinois on December 10. There was one EF3 tornado that caused six fatalities and one injury near Edwardsville IL, and five EF2 tornadoes in central Illinois causing one injury. There was significant property damage in many areas of central and southwestern Illinois totaling millions of dollars. Now is the time to prepare - before severe weather is predicted.... more...

CHAMPAIGN, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) reminds parents that their children can avoid cavities. Brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth daily with floss, eating a healthy diet that limits sugary beverage and snacks, and seeing your dentist regularly for prevention and treatment of oral disease are the keys to a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

While brushing and flossing are the best ways to maintain healthy teeth, it can sometimes to be hard to reach every surface in your mouth. This is especially true for the teeth in the way back of your mouth that you use to chew. These teeth are called molars and they can be a popular place for leftover food and bacteria to hide. Dental sealants are a great way to help keep these teeth protected. Dental sealants are a thin, protective barrier that helps prevent bacteria from causing tooth... more...