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Holiday Food Safety
Because the holidays present a number of unique food safety challenges, consumers should take appropriate precautions in handling, preparing and cooking foods.
Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges and counter tops.
Separate: Don't let bacteria spread from one food to another. Especially raw meat, poultry and seafood. Keep these foods away from ready-to-eat foods.
Cook: Foods are properly cooked when heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the bacteria that cause foodborne illness. A rule of thumb for cooking food is 165 degrees F for 15 seconds.
Chill: Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Refrigerators should be set at 40 degrees F and the freezer at 0 degrees F. Baked goods: Do not eat uncooked cookie dough, or batters made with raw fresh eggs. Raw fresh eggs may contain bacteria that can cause an intestinal infection called salmonellosis.
Eggnog: Eggnog made with raw eggs presents the risk -- salmonellosis. While cooking can destroy the bacteria, consumers can still become ill when the eggnog is left at room temperature for several hours. Safe alternatives are pasteurized eggnog beverages sold in grocery dairy cases; these products should be kept refrigerated.
Apple cider and other juices: Apple cider and most juices are pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy harmful bacteria. Pasteurized juice can be found in the refrigerated or frozen sections of stores. Treated juice is shelf-stable and is normally found in the non-refrigerated juice section of stores. Unpasteurized or untreated juice is normally found in the refrigerated sections of grocery stores.
Oysters and Seafood: Buy only fresh seafood that is refrigerated or properly iced. People with liver disorders or weakened immune systems have an increased risk of becoming ill if they consume raw oysters or shellfish.
Mail order food gifts: Be careful with gifts that include meat, poultry, fish and other perishables like cheese, fruit and cheesecake. The gift giver should alert the recipient to the pending arrival of the food gift; the recipient should open the package immediately to make sure that, if it is labeled "keep refrigerated," the food arrives in a chilled state.
Click here to review our food safety tip sheet. |
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Department Quick Links...
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"ICE" on Your Cell
As we prepare for handling ice on the roadways, consider preparing for an emergency by putting "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) on your cell phone. It's easy and it's free!
If you cannot tell first responders who you are, your cell phone can help emergency responders and healthcare workers identify you and notify your loved ones.
1. Open your cell phone and create a new entry. Instead of entering a new contact name, create the word ICE (In Case of Emergency).
2. Enter the phone number of the person you would want contacted in an emergency if you are unable to speak for yourself. To list multiple contacts, create entries such as ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 and so on.
Emergency workers can look for ICE in your cell phone and know those are your
emergency contacts.
For more information visit Public Health Preparedness on our website.
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Greetings!
Christmas lights and trees, family, friends, cooking, shopping, decorating...these are some of the many things keeping you busy this holiday season. During this joyous and busy time, don't forget about the importance of your and your family's health and wellness!
It's not too late to protect yourself and your loved ones from the flu! Clinic walk-ins are welcome! If your place of business has 15 or more employees needing the flu vaccine we are willing to set up an on-site flu clinic at your work site!
All of us at Public Health wish you a happy and healthy Holiday! Sincerely, Alanna Davison Public Information Officer Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health |
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Keep Influenza Out of Your Workplace!
You know the main secret to success in you your business is a healthy employee, right? Your business will not see profits if employees are not healthy enough to be productive workers.
One of the best things an employer can do to protect the company's number one asset, its employee, is provide an opportunity for each employee to have easy access to the influenza vaccine. We offer several different flu vaccine services to assist businesses in keeping influenza out of the workplace! - Companies that have at least 15 staff members seeking the vaccine can schedule an on-site flu clinic at the workplace. That's right...we will come to you!
- Payment of the vaccine can be made by the employer or the employee.
- Companies that do not have 15 staff members seeking vaccine can send employees to the Health Department Clinic.
- Employers who want to pay for the vaccination can set up an account and be billed at a later date or employers can simply advocate for staff to be vaccinated, but the employee pays for their own.
Come to the experts for the flu vaccine! Our team has over 40 years experience and have administered over 70,000 vaccines in the past 10 years alone.
Our clinic is located in the Public Health office at 22 N. Georgia Ave. (on the third floor of Mohawk Square). We are open Monday - Friday from 10:00 a.m.- Noon and 12:30 - 4:00 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome!
We will have extended hours on:
- Monday, December 6: 10:00 a.m.- Noon and 12:30 - 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 18: 9:00 a.m. - Noon.
The cost of the traditional flu shot or the nasal mist is $25. Bring your Medicare Card with you when you get your vaccine! To utilize one of our vaccine services contact Betty Krones at 641-421-9320. For more information on influenza click here. We look forward to assisting you in keeping your employees healthy this flu season! |
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Wellness Corner
Worksite Wellness Packets Available to Area Businesses
Offering a wellness program for your employees is a wonderful way to show you care about the health and well-being of your employees. This holiday season is a great time to start thinking about how you can create or improve upon an employee wellness program, and we've got the tools to help!
Our Wellness Service Section has recently developed a Worksite Wellness Packet that is available at no cost to local businesses to help start or enhance a workplace wellness program.
The packet highlights include:
- Assessment Documents - to help businesses conduct audits on their existing resources beneficial for successful wellness programs
- Tips and Advice - for promoting employee wellness programs from management all the way to front-line employees
- Community Services - detailing where to contract health services, find free wellness speakers, or identify area fitness facilities
- Reproducible Program Materials - to promote and implement healthy wellness competitions and/or behaviors at the worksite
For more information about getting a FREE Worksite Wellness Packet contact Kelli Huinker, Wellness Coordinator at 641-421-9312 or wellness@cghealth.com.
Visit our Online Wellness Center and learn about nutrition, exercise and overall wellness. We have lots of helpful tips! |
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Please help us promote Public Health services. Forward this electronic newsletter to your friends, family, co-workers and professional associates.
Thank you for choosing Public Health!
Our Mission Statement:
Dedicated to enhancing the health status of our communities through public health initiatives.
Our Vision Statement:
Building an integrated community health system supported by public and private partnerships to meet new and ongoing health challenges.
Our Value Statement:
We believe disease prevention, human dignity, respect for individual choices and access to quality health services are basic rights of all.
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