Record high water levels and heavy rain fall have contributed to flooding in low lying areas and may cause septic systems to fail. If your drinking water comes from a well—test it immediately! Did you know that: Sewage can contain harmful bacteria such as E.coli If you are experiencing flooding—test your well water immediately to make sure it’s safe to … Read More
Smoking and vaping in Schools
Smoking, Vaping, and Schools in CK Since the holiday season of 2018, Chatham-Kent Public Health has seen a huge uptake in smoking and especially vaping in and around Chatham-Kent schools. There have been some recent changes to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (2017) dealing with schools, so here is a brief guide. 20m Away or You’ll Pay The Smoke-Free Ontario Act … Read More
Youth Vaping
Have you noticed the increased popularity of vaping devices being sold and used across Chatham-Kent? Especially among younger audiences who are not permitted to buy them in stores unless they are 19 years of age? When looking at some details about what vaping is looking like in Ontario a recent University of Waterloo study shared the following conclusions: Vaping has … Read More
Eye Health and Exams for Infants
At birth, your baby can see light and dark in blurred patterns. During their first four months, vision will extend from arm’s length to across the room. By six months, your baby will acquire eye movement control and begin to develop hand-eye coordination skills. During the first six months, an infant’s eyes can appear slightly crossed or out of alignment. … Read More
Summer Weather… Gone Bad
The arrival of hot summer weather brings the risk of severe storms to our area. Thunderstorms and lightning may quickly develop into damaging weather such as hail, heavy rain, high winds and tornadoes. This may lead to power outages and flooding. Do you and your family have everything you need to cope with these potential emergencies? Take a few simple … Read More
Local CK Elementary School’s Health and Wellness Efforts “Good as Gold”
Chatham-Kent’s own École Saint-Francis Catholic Elementary School in Tilbury was one of 274 schools across Ontario that participated in, and completed, the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) 6-step Healthy Schools process. Of those 274 schools, they were one of just 148 across the province who successfully achieved enough points to be certified as Gold. OPHEA’s Healthy Schools Certification … Read More
Heat Warnings
CK Public Health may issue a heat warning when Environment and Climate Change Canada predicts hot and humid weather. When we issue a heat warning—take extra precautions to protect yourself and loved ones from heat related health risks. We issue a heat warning when two consecutive days are forecasted to have a daytime high temperature greater than or equal to … Read More
Tara’s Story
Immunizations are important in all stages of life. Infants and young children need shots because their immune systems are not mature enough to fight infection. They need their shots given on a well – timed schedule. Older children and adults also need shots to restore fading immunity or to build new immunity against different diseases. So, please, choose to immunize, … Read More
What do you know about Blue-Green Algae?
Be aware of beach/river water. If it appears bright green or pea soup in colour you need to know this: Blue-green algae are tiny plants that live in fresh water. Normally blue-green algae are barely visible, but, during warm weather, they can quickly increase to form a large mass called a bloom. Blooms most commonly occur during the late summer and … Read More
Four Things You Should Know After Experiencing a Flood
Make Sure your Food and Water is Safe! 1. If your food has been exposed to flood waters you should: Throw out all foods exposed to flood water—even if they were in fridges and freezers. This includes meat, fruits & vegetables, all boxed foods, jars or bottles (home preservatives included) and cans with large dents—these items can’t be properly disinfected. Do … Read More
An Update on Low Income Senior’s Dental Program
You’ve probably heard by now that the provincial government is rolling out a “Low Income Senior’s Dental Program.” This is exciting news! Although, we haven’t received all of the information yet! We want to keep the community updated as news and information is sent to us throughout this process. So, this is what we DO know: The new program specifically … Read More