Take precautions against West Nile Virus
With cases of West Nile Virus now confirmed
this year in Illinois, it is important to take precautions to
avoid mosquito bites and eliminate breeding opportunities. The
risk of contracting a serious illness from the virus is small,
so rather than limiting outdoor activities, take these
precautions:
• Avoid
the outdoors at dusk or dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Take
steps to prevent mosquito bites, such as wearing shoes, socks,
long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors.
• Use
mosquito repellents. Repellents containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-m
toluamide) are considered the most effective. Be sure to follow
manufacturer’s directions
• Regularly
empty and clean containers such as birdbaths, wading pools
and ceramic garden pots.
• Eliminate
places that might collect water where mosquitoes can lay their
eggs, such as weeds, tall grass and old tires. Even depressions
in the ground or a discarded bottle cap can be a potential
mosquito-breeding site.
• Keep
gutters clean. Clogged roof gutters can easily hold enough
water to be a major mosquito larvae incubator.
For more information, call the Oak Park
Department of Public Health at 358.5694 or email health@oak-park.us.
Health Department News
Smoke-free restaurant wallet card available
The Department of Public Health has
published a wallet-sized listing of the Village’s smoke-free
eating establishments. These restaurants represent more than 68
percent of Oak Park restaurants — those that have
volunteered to provide a healthy environment for both patrons
and employees. To receive a free wallet card, or for
information on how your favorite restaurant can join the
program, call 358.5487.
Sign up for a walking club
Lack of physical activity increases the
risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other health
problems. But it takes just 30 minutes of daily
moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to reduce that risk.
Sign up with a walking group in your neighborhood and improve
your health. Walkers can choose to join a casual or
fitness-oriented group. For more information call 358.5484.
August is National Immunization Awareness
Month
Maintaining high immunization rates
protects the entire community by interrupting the transmission
of disease-causing bacteria or viruses. Immunizations are
required for any child entering pre-school or kindergarten and
are available at no charge from 3 – 6 p.m. the second
Wednesday of every month at the Health Department Clinic, 320
Lake Street. A parent or guardian must accompany children under
18. No appointment is necessary. In addition to immunizations,
children entering pre-school or kindergarten also must be
assessed by a physician for exposure to lead. For information
about immunizations and lead testing call 358.5494.
Cooling centers open
Villagers seeking relief from high
temperatures can cool off at both Rush Oak Park Hospital and
West Suburban Hospital on days when the heat index exceeds 100
for three days, 105 for two days or when a heat emergency is
declared by the National Weather Service. Centers are open
from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Transportation is
available by calling 386.3800, the Police non-emergency number.
Report dead birds
The Oak Park Department of Public Health
and the Illinois Department of Public Health are assessing the
prevalence of West Nile Virus through dead bird counts. To
report a dead bird, call the Village’s Dead Bird
Reporting Hotline at 358.5694. For questions about the virus
call 358.5487.
New program to urge drivers to obey speed
limits
Hoping to persuade drivers to observe the
speed limit, the Village has joined a national education
movement called Keep Kids Alive Drive 25™. Oak Park, like
most municipalities across the country, has a speed limit of 25
miles per hour on the majority of its streets. The Village just
recently lowered the speed limit on Harrison Street to 25 mph
from 30 mph, and that is one of the first areas signs bearing
the program’s message will soon be going up. Jackson
Boulevard also is expected to be among the Oak Park streets
where signage will soon be installed. To further spread the
word about the importance of obeying the speed limit as a way
to reduce accidents, the Village also expects to work with
schools, community groups and other organizations that can help
get the message across to local drivers. In addition, Oak Park
Police officers will be paying special attention to areas where
the program is most visible. For information on the Keep Kids
Alive Drive 25™ program, call 358.5732 or email publicworks@oak-park.us.