Building upon regional planning efforts that began in August, the four health departments representing southwestern Milwaukee County (Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, and Hales Corners) have scheduled two large-scale H1N1 influenza clinics for residents of all ages - one on Saturday, December 5 and one on Saturday, December 19. More...

In accordance with State guidelines and vaccine supply, the Greendale Health Department has expanded groups to receive the H1N1 vaccine. Appointments are being taken for people who are at highest risk for complications from the disease. These groups are:

• All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
• Persons 25-64 years of age who are actively being treated for diabetes, kidney, heart (not high blood pressure), respiratory, or other conditions which put them at risk for complications from flu
• Pregnant women
• Families and caretakers of babies under 6 months of age
• Health care workers who have direct contact with patients
  

Healthy adults and seniors should call the Health Department after Thanksgiving for updated information. The CDC is advising that there will be enough vaccine eventually for anyone who wants it.

As more vaccine becomes available, clinics will be announced through the schools and on the Greendale website and other locations. You can also call 2-1-1 for location of clinics throughout the area, but most local health departments are following the same guidelines. You can attend a clinic in any location.

Continue to protect yourself and your family by frequent hand washing, avoiding large crowds and people who are ill and staying home from work or school if you or your family members are ill with fever, cough and sore throat.

Seasonal Flu Vaccine
The Greendale Health Department no longer has seasonal flu vaccine available. The Visiting Nurse Association is now giving this vaccine. Clinic sites close to Greendale are:

Saturday, November 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At Aurora VNA, 11333 w. National Avenue, West Allis
Saturday, December 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At Aurora VNA, 11333 W. National Avenue, West Allis
Tuesday, December 8 from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m.
At Aurora Health Center, 5250 S. 108th Street, Hales Corners
Thursday, December 10 from 1:00-6:00 p.m.
At South Milwaukee City Hall at 2424 15th Avenue, South Milwaukee
Tuesday, December 15 from 3:00-7:00 p.m.
At Aurora St. Luke’s Health Center 14555 W. National Ave., New Berlin

For other dates and sites, contact the Visiting Nurse Association.

The Greendale Health Department in consultation with the Wisconsin Division of Health has given permission to the Greendale School District to reopen Canterbury Elementary School on Friday, October 23, 2009. The school was closed from October 20-22 due to the high number of students and staff ill with influenza-like illness most likely due to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

The Greendale Health Department will work closely with the Greendale School District to continue to monitor absences of students and staff at Canterbury as well as all other Greendale school district schools on a daily basis. Because influenza outbreaks happen in waves, more people may become ill and other measures may need to be taken.

All well children may return to school. Any people who continue to be ill with influenza-like illness of fever, cough, sore throat, chills or body aches should remain at home and not go into the community until 24 hours after their fever has subsided without fever reducing medication.

Ways to stay healthy and to protect yourself and those around you from getting the flu include:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Stay home when sick or have flu symptoms.
• Stay away from people who are sick.
• Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or cough into your upper sleeve.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Frequently wash commonly used surfaces.
• Eat nutritious meals, get plenty of rest and do not smoke.
  

Additional information can be found at the Greendale Health Department website at http://www.greendale.org or visit www.pandemic.wisconsin.gov or www.greendale.K12.wi.us.

You may also call 2-1-1 for information on the 2009 H1N1 virus. 2-1-1 service will provide information on prevention and community resources. Your call to 2-1-1 is free and confidential, and is available throughout Wisconsin. 2-1-1 service is available 24 hours 7 days per week. If your cellular provider does not allow calls to 2-1-1, please call (866) 211-3380 or (414) 773-0211 or (262) 547-3388.

The Village of Greendale Health Department, in consultation with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, announces the closing of Canterbury Elementary School, 7000 Enfield, because of the high incidence of influenza-like illness.

On October 19, 2009, over 40% of students were absent and experiencing influenza-like illness symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat. Effective Tuesday, October 20, 2009, through Thursday, October 22, 2009, Canterbury School will be closed. During this time, all academic activities and before and after school activities including Bridge for Kids child care are canceled for Canterbury students and other groups who utilize Canterbury School. School will resume on Friday, October 23, 2009 pending approval of the Health Officer. All other schools in the Greendale School District will remain open at this time.

Any individuals with influenza-like illness should stay home and not go into the community, except to seek medical care, for 24 hours after their fever has subsided.

Asymptomatic contacts of ill people, including contacts of patients with probable or confirmed 2009 H1N1 virus, are not restricted in their activities in the community. However, they should assess their own health frequently, and if they become ill, they should immediately be subject to the same restrictions as currently indicated for ill persons.

Ways to stay healthy and to protect yourself and those around you from getting the flu include:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Stay home when sick or have flu symptoms.
• Stay away from people who are sick.
• Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or cough into your upper sleeve.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Frequently wash commonly used surfaces.
• Eat nutritious meals, get plenty of rest and do not smoke.
  

Additional information can be found at the Greendale Health Department website at http://www.greendale.org or visit www.pandemic.wisconsin.gov or www.greendale.K12.wi.us.

You may also call 2-1-1 for information on the 2009 H1N1 virus. 2-1-1 service will provide information on prevention and community resources. Your call to 2-1-1 is free and confidential, and is available throughout Wisconsin. 2-1-1 service is available 24 hours 7 days per week. If your cellular provider does not allow calls to 2-1-1, please call (866)211-3380 or (414)773-0211 or (262)547-3388.

The Step Up to Better Health Run/Walk will be held in Greendale on Saturday, October 3, 2009. Click here for the registration form and more information...

On Tuesday, August 4, 2009, the Greendale Health Department will be giving away free digital thermometers to families and individuals who do not already have one. There is a limited supply for families in need, and the thermometers will be given out on a first come first served basis starting at 9 am. Instructions will be given with the thermometers. A public health nurse will be available to answer your questions.

The Greendale Health Department is located at 5650 Parking Street, Greendale, WI 53129 (Click here for map and directions).

Are radon levels high in your home?

Radon is a tasteless, odorless, invisible, radioactive gas found in a majority of homes within the United States.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and is responsible for an estimated 14,000 preventable deaths per year. Your risk increases if you are a smoker.

Exposure to radon can occur in any kind of building and can be a problem in all types of homes with or without a basement. Radon levels vary from house to house. Just because your neighbor’s house has low levels does not mean yours does. Testing your home is the only way to assure your home is radon safe.

It does not matter how long you have lived with radon, reducing the radon levels in your home will reduce your risk of lung cancer.

The Greendale Health Department has radon kits available for sale. The cost is $10 per kit which includes the test results. Upon presenting your results to the health department from the radon lab, $10 will be returned to you.

Please call Greendale Health Department (414) 423-2110 for your kit as our supply is limited. Non-residents can check with their local health departments or kits can be purchased through the mail, at hardware stores and other retail outlets.

Lighten Up Wisconsin (and Greendale)
January 19-April 28, 2009

Kick Off Event: January 8, 2009
Greendale High School MPR, 7 p.m.

Lighten Up is a fun, team based wellness initiative from Step Up and our partners. Your team of two to ten adults can compete with other teams in Greendale and across Wisconsin in the Weight Loss Division, Activity Division or Total Fitness Division. Take advantage of a wealth of innovative resources to jump start small, realistic and permanent changes in exercise and eating habits. It is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Form a Team: Gather up to 10 co-workers, family members, neighbors, or friends. Choose a team name and a team captain.
2. Choose a Division: Choose the weight loss, activity or total fitness division for the same fee of $15 per person. (The money goes to the Lighten Up program)
3. Register Your Team: Watch for more information about registration. You will be able to register on-line or at the Kick-Off event at Greendale High School on January 8, 2009

Your registration fee includes a wealth of innovative resources including: interactive website with Team Page, online training log and activity tracker (privacy protected), online food journal, team message board, online health and fitness discussion forum, weekly tips from Wisconsin health professionals, weekly incentive challenges, free participation in the Healthy Holidays Challenge, AND a t-shirt!

For more information contact the call Greendale Health Department at 423-2110.

For your New Year’s resolution, consider giving your health a boost by resolving to avoid environments where you and your family would be exposed to second hand smoke.

Dr. Robert Shepard, co-author of the landmark Helena Heart Study, recently spoke to a group of Greendale and Greenfield residents about second hand smoke and heart disease. His study, now confirmed by 10 other studies, showed that exposure to second hand smoke increases the risk of fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease in non-smokers by about 30%. After only 20 min exposure to second hand smoke, the platelets in a non-smoker are as “sticky” as a smoker’s. This stickiness can cause the platelets to clump together to form clots that can block the arteries in the heart, causing a heart attack. This stickiness can take up to 24 hours to decrease to normal levels. In addition, second hand smoke causes inflammation in the inside of the artery, problems with the ability of the blood vessels to dilate, and increases cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels, further contributing to heart problems.

In Helena (Montana) and other cities, states and countries, it has been demonstrated that enacting smoke free workplace laws leads to an immediate decrease in the number of hospital admissions for heart attacks. Wisconsin is nearly surrounded by smoke-free states. Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa, have smoke-free workplace laws to protect the health of their citizens and Michigan is working on one. Twenty four states and 24 foreign countries, including Ireland, also protect their citizens with smoke-free laws. Wisconsin does not.

More information can be found at: www.ittimewisconsin.org; www.tobwis.org; www.tobaccofreekids.org and www.anr.org

Available FREE from the Health Department: Make It Your Business: Strategies for a Tobacco-Free Workplace in Wisconsin. This is booklet describes 3 steps for making your workplace tobacco-free, how to use your company’s health plan to help employees quit, ideas for implementing policies, materials and resources.

The Greendale Health Department has received a grant to allow us to more closely track the immunizations of all children in Greendale up to two years old. Most childhood primary doses of vaccines are scheduled to be given by two years of age. Families of children two years and under are sent letters and/or called to be sure the families are aware of the recommended immunizations and that they have access to care that includes immunizations. If we are unable to reach a family by letter or phone, a home visit may be made.

Please help us to keep Greendale a healthy community by working with the public health nurses if they contact you about your child’s immunizations.

The Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) is a secure computerized data system that tracks the immunizations given to people in Wisconsin. The Registry electronically stores an individual’s immunization record in a secure system.

Health care providers can access this information to determine which immunizations are due at a given time. Parents and legal guardians can also access this information via the internet. Your health care provider can help you to register to access your own records. Public and private health care providers can access WIR only after they have been trained and have signed a confidentiality agreement administered through the Wisconsin Department of Health.

WIR is easily accessible on Internet Explorer. It allows immediate access to your immunization history. If you move within the state or change providers for your immunizations, your immunization history is available to your new health care provider via this registry. By using WIR, duplication of immunizations can be prevented as well as keeping one up to date on needed immunizations.

If you have further questions about the Wisconsin Immunization Registry call Greendale Health Department at 423-2110 or visit http://dhfsWIR.org.

Flu shots are still available at Greendale Health Department. The flu season can last until April, so it is not too late to get a flu shot. The charge is $30, however if you have Medicare Part B, the cost will be covered. Please bring your Medicare card with you. Call the Health Department at (414) 423-2110 to schedule an appointment.