This is a difficult time for many people – darker mornings, earlier sunsets, and of course, the lower temperatures. You don’t have to have a diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder to get the “cold weather blues.” Anyone can struggle with a dip in their mood when there’s a dip in the temperature, and with the added challenges of COVID-19, the … Read More
The Many Benefits of Breastfeeding
Give your baby the healthiest start in life by breastfeeding. With just the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals – breast milk is the best food to help your baby grow and develop. It contains antibodies that help your baby fight off sickness and disease and increases brain power to help your baby learn. No other baby … Read More
World Rabies Day – One Health, Zero Death
Rabies is a virus that infects warm-blooded animals like cats, dogs, bats, racoons, skunks, and foxes. Once in the body, the virus travels through the nervous system to the brain and is spread through the saliva of infectious animals. A bite or scratch from an infectious animal can spread the virus to other animals or people. Rabies is fatal, but … Read More
Bivalent Vaccines – What they are and why you need one
Curious about what “Bivalent Vaccines” are? You’re not the only one! Although a common term in the biomedical field, we are yet to hear about bivalent vaccine availability for COVID-19. Until now, that is! Bivalent vaccines target two different coronavirus strains; the original COVID-19 strain, as well as the Omicron variant (more specifically, the BA.1 subvariant) Similar to the flu, … Read More
Which way to the beach?
One of the best parts about living in Chatham-Kent is access to amazing local beaches. Let us help you enjoy them safely this summer. As the temperatures warm up so to will CK Public Health’s beach water E.Coli monitoring program. Beginning June 13, 2022 sampling will occur at all beaches located throughout Chatham-Kent over the course of the summer. … Read More
Don’t let West Nile Virus take a bite out of your fun this summer!
The warm weather is here, freezies have made their highly anticipated return and kids can be seen running through sprinklers. Ahhh, summer is back! As you get your tank tops and flip flops out of winter storage, CK Public Health will be busy setting up mosquito traps around Chatham-Kent as part of our annual West Nile Virus surveillance program. While … Read More
World No Tobacco Day 2022
This year, the World Health Organization is acknowledging the impact tobacco production has on the environment and throughout its life cycle, how tobacco pollutes the planet and damages the health of people. Tobacco harms the environment Tobacco growing, manufacturing and use poison our water, soil, beaches and city streets with chemicals, toxic waste, cigarette butts, including microplastics, and e-cigarette waste. … Read More
Sunshine and Flowers and Ticks, Oh My!
The days are getting longer, the beautiful weather is finally here, and flowers and trees are in bloom everywhere you look. After a long, dark Winter there isn’t anything more appealing than getting outside and taking on the great outdoors. Ahh, Spring! Does it come with any downfalls at all? It does. Ticks! Ticks are commonly found in wooded and … Read More
Earth Day 2022: Food for Thought
It’s EARTH DAY! Although it is important for us as Earthlings to consider the impact we are making on the world around us each and every day, April 22nd marks the official calendar date where we can come together to celebrate the environment and highlight ways (both big and small) that we can collaborate in an effort to protect our … Read More
COVID-19: Making Decisions When the Choice is Yours
Due to the ease of some restrictions and removal of others all together, when it comes to protecting you and those around you from COVID-19, individual choices around things like masks and social gatherings are more important than ever before. As COVID-19 spreads in Chatham-Kent, we are no longer being told what we must do, but rather need to focus … Read More
1st Ever Canadian Public Health Week
First Ever Canadian Public Health Week The Canadian Public Health Association’s inaugural Canadian Public Health Week takes place this week. While the COVID-19 pandemic helped to shine a light on who and what public health is, there really is much more to what we do than mass vaccination campaigns and managing outbreaks. Public health units, like CK Public Health, have long … Read More
What’s the Deal with the 3rd Dose?
With so many vaccinated and unvaccinated people being infected by COVID-19 lately, you’ve probably questioned the need for a 3rd dose or “booster” shot, at all. If you’re likely going to get the virus anyways, why go through the hassle of attending a clinic and getting another poke in the arm? Well, this is what we know, for sure: Two … Read More