NEWS & EVENTS
WILL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT & COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Public Announcements
Did you find a dead bird on your property?
If you find a dead bird on your property, call our Environmental Health Division’s West Nile Surveillance Hotline at 815-740-7631 to determine if the bird can be sent for testing.
Second Confirmed Case of Measles in Will County
The Will County Health Department has confirmed an additional positive case of measles in Will County. The Will County Health Department’s Communicable Disease staff is working to collect additional details to identify and notify people that may have been exposed to measles, provide education, and recommend appropriate measures. Additionally, the WCHD is in close contact with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as the active investigation continues.
Will County Health Department Announces Positive Case Of Measles In Will County
The Will County Health Department’s Communicable Disease staff is working to collect additional details to identify and notify people that may have been exposed to measles, provide education, and recommend appropriate measures. Additionally, the Will County Health Department is in close contact with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as the investigation continues. Case investigation has determined this case is related to the ongoing situation in the City of Chicago.
Learn about the WCHD’s Medical Reserve Corps
The Will County Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corps is actively recruiting new members. View the video above to learn more about the Medical Reserve Corps.
West Nile Virus Detected in Will County
The Will County Health Department’s Environmental Health division announced that mosquitoes collected in Joliet have tested positive for West Nile virus. (Link to Story).
Keep Cool During Extreme Heat
With an upcoming stretch of high temperatures expected in Illinois, the Will County Emergency Management Agency is advising residents of measures they can take during severe heat conditions to stay safe and healthy. These measures include being mindful of heat-related illnesses and being aware of the availability of local cooling centers.
TB Testing Now available at WCHD Branch Offices
The Will County Health Department and Will County’s Sunny Hill Tuberculosis Clinic have announced a new collaboration to expand Tuberculosis (TB) testing availability to Will County residents. The expanded testing services are now available at the Will County Health Department’s branch offices in Monee and Bolingbrook, along with the existing Joliet location at the Will County Health Department’s main office.
Have You Tested Your Well Water?
Even if you’ve never gotten sick from your well water, it is your responsibility to properly maintain your well and regularly test it to ensure you have safe drinking water. See the Fact Sheet on well testing from the IDPH.
Our Environmental Health Lab can test for bacteria and nitrate well also testing chlorine, fluoride and hardness.
Learn more about our EH Lab here.
Community Health Center earns The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval
The Will County Community Health Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Primary Care Medical Home, Ambulatory Health Care and Behavioral Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards
Community Health Center Celebrates New Behavioral Health Suite Grand Opening
The Will County Health Department and Community Health Center kicked off national Behavioral Health Awareness Month by hosting a grand opening event for a new behavioral health suite at the Will County Community Health Center (WCCHC) in Joliet on May 1.
Become a Health Hero with the Medical Reserve Corps!
You can become a Community Health Hero by joining the Will County Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corps. View the video above to learn more.
What to do After a Flood
Has your home experienced flooding recently? The Illinois Department of Public Health's "After the Flood" brochure helps flood victims protect themselves against diseases and other hazards in the days and weeks following a flood.
Two New Locations Added to CHC COVID-19 Testing Sites: Trinity Svcs in New Lenox, Will Co TB Clinic in Joliet
The locations and dates of the Will County Community Health Center COVID-19 testing sites can be found below. The lists are updated periodically, as needed. As of November 23rd the CHC testing schedule is as follows, except for holidays: MONDAY: 9 AM to 12:30 PM at...
IDPH Offers Holiday Food Safety Tips
SPRINGFIELD – While Thanksgiving and other holidays will look different for many of us as we forgo getting together with friends and extended family, and instead opt to connect virtually to help prevent spread of COVID-19, cooking and baking likely will continue to be...
Bipartisan Governors from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin Urge Safety Before Holidays
Governors Urge Everyone to Follow Medical Experts' Advice, Do Their Part to Protect Frontline Workers CHICAGO – Today, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota...
All Except Six Illinios Counties Now Listed at the Warning Level for Coronavirus Activity
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 551,957 cases, including 10,504 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 106,540 specimens for a total...
Romaine Lettuce Recall Due to Potential Health Hazard – No Illnesses Announced
Company Announcement Out of an abundance of caution, Tanimura & Antle Inc. is voluntarily recalling its packaged single head romaine lettuce under the Tanimura & Antle brand, labeled with a packed on date of 10/15/2020 or 10/16/2020, due to possible...
Polio Eradication is Stalling Partly due to COVID
The multibillion-dollar global effort to eradicate polio hasn't just stalled, it's moving backward. Cases are on the rise and expected to climb even further in the coming months. The pandemic is part of the problem. In March, WHO ordered a pause to all polio...
Stroke Awareness is a Priority
Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States and is a key contributor to long-term disability. Increasing awareness of signs and symptoms of stroke and the need to call 9-1-1 is vital for early initiation of stroke care, which can improve stroke...
Sixth Rabid Bat of 2020 Shows up in Will County
Will County's sixth confirmed rabid bat of 2020 has been found in Shorewood. The bat was in the attic of a home in the 1100 block of Cambridge Lane, and was discovered when the access stairs to the attic were pulled down. The homeowner stated there was no exposure...
Information about OPEN ENROLLMENT for OBAMACARE, Nov 1st through Dec 15th
It's Open Enrollment Time! Dates to apply, renew or change health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) marketplace are from November 1st to December 15th, 2020. Once enrolled, coverage would begin on January 1st, 2021. To enroll online, go to...
From NAMI: It’s Not “Just” Anxiety
In some ways, I long for the days when I thought I was “just” anxious — when my anxiety simply fueled my perfectionism. Sure, I’d have plenty of late nights completing school projects at the last minute due to the weight of my own high expectations. But overall, it...
From NAMI: Five Things I Wish My Loved Ones Knew About Dissociation
So what do family and friends need to know when a loved one is dealing with chronic dissociation? While every person is different — and every experience of dissociation is different — here are the top five things to keep in mind based on my personal experience with...
Regions 7 and 8 (Will, Kankakee, DuPage, and Kane Counties) Now Facing Tier One Restrictions; Including No Indoor Restaurant/Bar Service
Governor Pritzker announced Tuesday afternoon that Region 7 (Will and Kankakee Counties) will for the second time during the Coronavirus pandemic be facing Phase Four Tier One Restrictions. This coming Friday, October 23rd, five weeks to the day after Region 7 was...
Learn More about the Importance of Immunizations for Your Child from These Videos (In English and Spanish)
I PROTECT aims to educate parents on the facts around vaccinations. Our goal is to be seen as a trusted resource to arm parents with the factual information they need to feel comfortable and confident in making the right decision for their child – as recommended by...
IDPH Announces Will County has Returned to Orange Warning Level for Coronavirus Activity
Five weeks after being dropped from the IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health) list of state counties at the warning level, and four weeks after additional mitigations were dropped for Illinois’ Region 7 (Will and Kankakee Counties), Will County again finds...
Five-Year Action Plan to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
The CDC and other agencies across the U.S. Government announced the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, 2020-2025, the country’s second plan to address coordinated and strategic actions to address antibiotic resistance across humans,...
IDPH Issues COVID-19 Holiday Season Safety Tips
Plan ahead for the holidays and consider alternatives SPRINGFIELD – As Illinoisans prepare to spend the holidays with family and friends, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is offering recommendations on how to celebrate safer during the COVID-19...
Health Department COVID-19 Hotline: Community Information and Community Involvement
It was early March when the State of Illinois, the county, and the entire world all realized that major action needed to be taken against the Coronavirus Pandemic. Events were cancelled, schools were closing, cases of Covid19 were quickly climbing, and people were...
Coronavirus Pandemic Provides Additional Reasons to Avoid Vaping and Smoking
Prior to the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, much of the attention of the public health community was focused upon the vaping issue, and the increased participation in vaping among young people and the dangers that were becoming more obvious each day....
First Human West Nile Virus Death in Illinois (Chicago Resident) for 2020
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed the first human West Nile virus-related death in Illinois for 2020. A Chicago resident who became ill in mid-September and tested positive for West Nile virus has died. “Although we are...
IDPH SAYS: ROLL YOUR #SLEEVEUP TO #FIGHTFLU
Public health officials in Illinois urge everyone to get a flu vaccine SPRINGFIELD – Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever as we brace for a dual outbreak of flu and COVID-19 this fall and winter. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and local...