Health

IAFC urges residents to change your clock, change your battery

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Saturday, October 27th, 2012, 12:00pm

IAFC urges residents to change your clock, change your battery

(KFVS) - The International Association of Fire Chiefs is reminding residents to change their smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries when they change their clocks for Daylight Savings Time.

October is National Fire Prevention Month and the time will change Nov. 4. IAFC is partnering with Energizer in effort to save lives.

According to IAFC, a home without a working smoke detector can be hazardous, even deadly. They say 38 percent of all deadly fire injuries happen in homes without a working smoke detector.

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Health departments offering walk-in flu clinics in Franklin, Williamson Counties

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012, 4:49pm

Health departments offering walk-in flu clinics in Franklin, Williamson Counties

FRANKLIN AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - The Franklin-Williamson Bi-County Health Department still has a supply of flu vaccine available at both the Marion and Benton office locations.

As a result, both health department locations will be offering walk-in flu clinics every Wednesday, beginning October 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The health department says flu shots will also be available during late clinic hours at the Benton office on the first and third Tuesday each month and Marion office on the first and third Thursday each month from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., as long as vaccine is available. No appointment is needed.

The Franklin County office is located at 403 East Park, Benton and the Williamson County office is located at 8160 Express Drive, Marion. For those with limited mobility, curb service will be available.

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Peanut butter recalled after salmonella outbreak

Submitted by Jen Baird on Wednesday, September 26th, 11:12 am

SPRINGFIELD, IL (KFVS) - The Illinois Department of Public Health is warning Illinois residents to not eat Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter or peanut butter and other products that has nuts and seeds from Sunland, Inc.

Both companies have issued voluntary recalls after preliminary results from a multi-state outbreak investigation of salmonella show these products may be the source of the outbreak.

IDPH is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the investigation of the outbreak which has affected 30 people in 19 states, including one case in central Illinois.

Those who are reporting to be sick range in age from 1 to 77 years and first became ill from June 11 to September 11 of this year. About 63 percent of people who have become sick are under the age of 10. Four people have been hospitalized.

There have been no deaths reported so far.

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Red Cross: Donate blood for National Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Submitted by James Long, Digital Content Producer

Saturday, September 1st, 2012, 10:00am

Red Cross: Donate blood for National Sickle Cell Awareness Month

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - The American Red Cross wants you to help meet the needs of patients by donating blood during September, National Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

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IDPH reminds parents to schedule back-to-school dental exams for children

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Thursday, August 9th, 2012, 11:57am

IDPH reminds parents to schedule back-to-school dental exams for children

(KFVS) - With a new school season approaching, the Illinois Department of Public Health is reminding parents and caregivers that August is a good time to schedule dental exams for children.

IDPH will have free dental screenings during the weekdays at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield from Aug. 9-19.

Illinois law requires schoolchildren entering kindergarten, second and sixth grades to have a dental examination prior to the start of the school year, although yearly dental exams are encouraged for all schoolchildren.

“During my recent statewide tour, access to oral health was a primary concern in many communities.” said IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “Healthy teeth are an important part of overall health and we want every child in Illinois to have a healthy start to the new school year.”

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Illinois students now required to get whooping cough vaccine

Submitted by Stephanie Pogue on Wednesday, August 1st, 9:58 am

ILLINOIS (KFVS) - A rise in whooping cough caused new vaccine requirements for Illinois sixth and ninth graders.

Illinois sixth and ninth grade students will now be required to have the Tdap vaccine before entering school for the 2012-2013 year.

The Tdap vaccine immunizes against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. Students will be required to show proof of receiving the vaccine, have an appointment scheduled to get it, or an approved medical or religious exemption on file. Students who do not meet this requirement will not be allowed to attend school.

Whooping cough has been on the rise this year in Illinois and across the country. Medical experts have found that the disease is particularly on the rise among pre-teen and teens. Combatting this is the reason for the new requirements.

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Blood donations at 15-year low

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012, 12:14pm

(KFVS) - Communication Manager, Dan Fox, for the Missouri Illinois blood district says blood collections are at a 15-year low.

According to Fox, collections are down, not donations, because sometimes people donate but they can't actually use the blood because of HIV, Syphilis, etc. He says the last time collections were this low was 1997.

Fox says nationwide, the fiscal year numbers include:

2012 - 5,871,195 collections
2011 - 6,182,386 collections
1997 - 5.6 million collections

He says the 2012 fiscal year ended June 30.

According to Fox, in the Missouri/Illinois area, they need to collect 800 blood pints a day to keep up with the hospital need. He says right now, they're reaching that, but are close to the point of having to cancel surgeries. Fox says the hospital will cancel surgeries if the blood collections get too low.

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