NEWS & EVENTS

When the Coronavirus pandemic first hit in early 2020, one of the biggest concerns for the WCHD (Will County Health Department) was how to continue performing their everyday services when they could often not see their clients face-to-face. One such area was in WCHD’s...

This year's flu season in the Southern Hemisphere was weirdly mild. A surprisingly small number of people in the Southern Hemisphere have gotten the flu this year, probably because the public health measures put in place to fight COVID-19 have also limited the spread...

Following Close Coordination Between State and Local Officials, Rate Drops from 8% to 5.6% Allowing Roll Back of Mitigations JOLIET - Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are announcing that Region 7, which includes the greater Will...

The CDC recommends that you wear masks in public settings around people who don’t live in your household and when you can’t stay 6 feet away from others. Masks help stop the spread of COVID-19 to others. See this webpage from the CDC with guidance on how to properly...

Nearly a third of adults with disabilities (32.9%) reported experiencing frequent mental distress, which includes stress, depression, and problems with emotions, compared with 7.2% of adults without disabilities. Mental distress is associated with health risk...

About 1 in 5 (19%) children in the United States has obesity. Certain groups of children are more affected than others. National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month provides a chance for all of us to learn more about this serious health condition. While there is no...

September 14, 2020 – Health organizations across the suburban Chicago counties today launched a campaign to inform and empower parents to make healthy decisions about childhood immunizations. A recent study found that only 55 percent of children in Illinois are up to...

DuPage County Now on List, Grundy County Returns as Well   Note:  Region 7, Will and Kankakee Counties, remain under mitigations of no indoor bar and restaurant service until COVID-19 positivity rate drops to 6.5% for three consecutive days.  However, Will County...

The ultimate goal is for Region 7, which includes Will and Kankakee Counties, to be able to return to STAGE 4 of the Coronavirus pandemic recovery process. The Will County Health Department is asking residents who have any complaints and concerns about businesses not...

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting the first confirmed human case of West Nile virus in Illinois for 2020. A DuPage County resident in her 40s became ill in mid-August. “While we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, we must...

Lake County on List, Grundy and Suburban Cook have been Dropped   SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 29 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A county...

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. According to the CDC, Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer in the United States. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. When ovarian cancer is found...

The Will County Health Department is reporting two more bats being identified as positive for rabies, bringing the total number for this year to five.  One was located in St. Peter's Church, 12 Sauk Trail, in Frankfort.  The pastor was notified of a bat hanging from...

Two additional mosquito samples have been collected in Will County.  One was from a Will County Health Department trap in Joliet, and the other from a WCHD trap in Lockport. In late August, the Will County Health Department collected a second mosquito sample from a...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an extended shelf life for Narcan® (naloxone) Nasal Spray, increasing it from 24 months to 36 months. Narcan Nasal Spray is an opioid antagonist indicated for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid...

A new school year is approaching and with it, changes to your usual routine. “Parents are juggling many decisions as students may be returning to school for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and others may still be distance learning,” said Dr. Mindy...

This annual observance highlights the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life. You have the power to protect your child against serious diseases [like whooping cough, cancers caused by HPV, and pneumonia] through on-time vaccination. During...

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 30 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that...

Prepare your child for the coming school year by making an appointment for their back-to-school dental exam.  Call the Will County Community Health Center Dental Office at 815-774-7300. There is no cost for these exams for children with Medicaid insurance.  Sliding...

In Support of Suicide Prevention Awareness   For the past five years the Village of New Lenox and the New Lenox Safe Community Coalition have hosted “A Pathway to Hope and Healing,” in support of suicide prevention and awareness.  This event has typically...