Maine CDC

Stay safe and warm with these home heating tips:

Keep flammable items at least 3 feet away from heaters and fireplaces.

Never leave heating sources unattended—turn them off before bed.

Check smoke alarms and CO detectors to ensure they're working.
Have your chimney cleaned yearly to prevent fire risks.

A few quick steps can make all the difference! Stay and keep your home safe all season long.

See more tips at ready.gov/winter-ready

Any pet that goes outside can bring ticks back into your home. These ticks can bite your pets or get on other family members in the house. Talk to your veterinarian about how to protect your pets from ticks. Learn more at www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne.

Respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, the flu, and RSV can have similar symptoms like sore throat, runny nose, fever, and cough. Take care of your health and other people by staying home if you are sick. Test for COVID and other illnesses if you can. Talk with a health care provider to see which treatment options are available. Make your health a priority and take the time you need to recover.

Maine CDC's Drinking Water Program and MaineTracking Program worked together to improve access to timely, accurate, and local data about public drinking water. With three new interactive maps, you can explore data about PFAS in public water supplies, lead in school water, and data from 1999-2023 for selected contaminants. Learn more at: https://data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking/public-water

Don’t let worry weigh you down. Talk to your doctor about screening options today! For more, visit: https://www.screenmaine.org

While you gear up for the hunt, make tick prevention a priority. Hunting brings you in close contact with ticks. Remember your protective clothing, repellents, and regular tick checks. Stay safe out there and good luck! Learn more at www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne.

Did you know that anyone can develop prediabetes, but some people are at a higher risk? It's possible to live with prediabetes for years without any symptoms. To understand your risk, take the one-minute risk test and share your results with your doctor to start the conversation: rethinkdiabetesmaine.org/prediabetes-quiz-pretest/.

You may still be at risk from browntail moth hairs this fall. Have questions about browntail moths? You can talk with a specialist at 211 today! Call 211 or text your zip code to 898-211.

The MaineTracking Network has health and environmental data about 11 different topics. It’s the only place in Maine where you can find town-level data about tickborne diseases and childhood lead poisoning in one place! What a treat! Explore the data at data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking

Spooky season is here! Leave the creepy-crawlies to your decorations by taking steps to prevent tick bites every day. Know when you are in tick habitat. Wear EPA-approved repellents. Check for ticks often. Stay Tick Free ME! Learn more at www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne.

Reaching out for help isn't scary. 211 Specialists are available 24/7. No trick!

The Pink and Pearl campaign recognizes the importance of women screening for both breast and lung cancers. Talk to your doctor to see if screening is right for you! For more: www.screenmaine.org

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease. If left untreated, it can last several weeks and spread to many other people. The best way to prevent whooping cough is to stay up to date on vaccinations. Wash your hands frequently, stay home if you are sick as much as possible. Talk to a health care provider if you have any of these symptoms of whooping cough:
• Coughing fits
• Whooping sound with cough
• Vomiting after a coughing fit
• Cough for more than 2 weeks
Visit www.maine.gov/dhhs/pertussis for more information.

Is your home haunted by radon? The only way to know is to test it! The MaineTracking Network has data showing the percentage of homes with unsafe levels of radon in air. Learn how common high levels of radon are in your town and discover how protect yourself from public health frights at data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking/radon-news

Today, we honor our first responders—those who answer the call, protect our communities, and make a difference every day. Thank you for your courage and dedication.

Sweet treats are delicious, but too much candy on Halloween can give your health a scare! Learn how to keep healthy habits and still enjoy the holidays you love with CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program. https://rethinkdiabetesmaine.org/

The environment affects children differently than adults. Because their bodies are still growing, children are at greater risk if they are exposed to environmental hazards. Protect your kids from public health frights and test your well water for arsenic and other common contaminants every 5 years. Learn more at data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking

Every year in Maine over 3,500 people are hospitalized for heart attack. See how the rate of heart attack hospitalizations in your county compares to the rest of the state on the MaineTracking Network. data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking

Make sure your house isn't being haunted by carbon monoxide! Install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector and check the batteries regularly. Explore CO poisoning data and learn why we track CO on data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking

It can take minutes to days for an infected tick to pass a germ to you after biting! Make sure to remove ticks as soon as possible with frequent tick checks. For more information on tick bite prevention, visit www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne.

You have the right to rent a safe and healthy home. Check with your landlord to see if your house has been tested for lead, and order your free test kit today.

Learn more about your rights as a tenant here: https://bit.ly/3Y8MyNy

We dare you to make a map and share it with your friends and family!

The MaineTracking Network allows you to make customizable maps, charts, and tables on 11 environmental health topics. Explore the data at https://data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking

A friendly reminder - driving high is a safety risk to you and others on the road and could lead to an OUI charge. 🛑 and think. Visit goodtoknowmaine.com to learn more.