Linn County Public Health

05/29/2026

🍎 Summer Meal Sites for Kids

Did you know there are free meal programs available for children and teens during the summer when school is out? The USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) helps ensure kids continue to have access to nutritious meals.

If you’re looking for meal sites near you, this tool can help you find them quickly and easily:
👉 https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/sitefinder

To learn more about how the Summer Food Service Program works, who it serves, and how communities can participate, visit:
👉 https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp

This program is a powerful way communities can support kids during the summer months. Please share so more families can benefit!

05/28/2026

The HPV vaccine first became available to the public in 2006, 20 years ago. We're celebrating this "birthday" to raise awareness of the benefits of this cancer-preventing vaccine.

📍HPV can cause six types of cancer: cervical, vaginal, vulvar, a**l, pe**le, and oropharyngeal.

📍HPV vaccination can prevent more than 90% of those cancers.

📍 HPV vaccination can be started at age 9.

Want to know more about the HPV vaccine? Call your primary care doctor. Linn County Public Health also provides the HPV vaccine. Give us a call at 319-892-6093 to get started.

05/27/2026

Linn County Public Health is currently observing elevated levels of ozone. The situation will continue this afternoon, with levels potentially exceeding the 8-hour air quality health standard.

At these levels, the general population may find air quality to be acceptable. However, people with asthma, children, older adults, and those planning extended or vigorous outdoor activity should consider reducing their time spent outside.

Read the full advisory: https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=8

Get real-time data about air in Linn County:
https://www.airnow.gov/

05/27/2026

BLOG POST: In recent weeks, Linn County Public Health (LPCH) has received many questions about the Morgan Valley Energy Center, proposed for a site on the west side of Linn County. Members of our community want to know the possible impact the natural gas plant would have on air quality and health. They want to understand LCPH’s role in the process as the project moves forward. We’re sharing this Q&A to provide answers to those questions and more.

Read the blog post: https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/Blog.aspx?IID=136

05/21/2026

Did you know you can buy radon test kits from Linn County Public Health? To purchase a radon test kit, call 319-892-6000 or stop by the office at 1020 6th St. SE in Cedar Rapids.

👉Why are we talking about this? Because you've been asking!
Governor Kim Reynolds just signed a bill that requires radon mitigation systems in all newly built homes in Iowa. Judging from the calls our front desk has been getting, the news has clearly gotten people curious about how they can protect themselves in every kind of home.

https://www.kcrg.com/2026/05/19/gov-reynolds-signs-bill-requiring-radon-mitigation-all-new-iowa-homes/

If you want to learn more about radon, your home, and how to protect yourself, explore our website or give us a call at 319-892-6000.

https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/1747/Radon

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill Tuesday requiring radon mitigation systems in all newly built Iowa homes, a measure that passed with near-unanimous bipartisan support.

05/20/2026

LCPH Director Pramōd Dwivedī wrote an op-ed for The Gazette. Read it here:

This current crisis can be best described as “broken totality,” a phrase that underscores a condition in which our connection to a deeper moral and spiritual order has been severed.

05/19/2026

We spoke to The Gazette about recent salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry.

Here's the article: https://www.thegazette.com/news/healthcare/worried-about-salmonella-wash-your-hands-says-linn-county-health-expert/article_4da95270-33d4-4ec6-8cc8-4d8287ff1616.html

Raising backyard chickens, turkeys, or other birds can be a joyful and rewarding experience. Backyard birds provide fresh eggs, a closer connection to nature, and an opportunity to teach children where food comes from. However, these same birds can carry germs like Salmonella, Campylobacter, and avian influenza that can make people and other birds sick. It is essential you know how to protect both you and your flock.

More resources can be found at https://hhs.iowa.gov/health-prevention/animal-safety-and-disease-prevention/backyard-poultry-safety

In light of ongoing national salmonella outbreaks, clinical branch supervisor Heather Meador said keeping poultry coops clean, limiting children’s exposure and handwashing can prevent infection.

05/18/2026

Planning on traveling internationally this summer? Visit Linn County Public Health to get the vaccinations you'll need.

👉Dengue is one disease we're paying particular attention to right now. This disease is present in more than 100 countries, and it is spread by mosquito bites.

👉Dengue is present in tropical and subtropical regions. The map below shows the risk of exposure in Asian countries. The disease is also present in many other areas including the Caribbean and Mexico.

👉In recent years, we've seen more and more dengue cases in the U.S. During 2024, the number of dengue cases reported from U.S. states and the District of Columbia increased 359% above the annual average during 2010–2023.

👉Dengue is a vaccine-preventable disease.

Explore the links below. If you have questions or believe you might need a dengue vaccination, give us a call at 319-892-6093.

📍https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/index.html

📍https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/areas-with-risk/index.html

📍https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/travel-associated-infections-diseases/dengue.html

05/14/2026

We're wearing green for Day, a time to show our belief that it's okay to talk about mental illness.

We want people to know that mental illnesses are:

📍not imaginary. They are very real and very common.
📍medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thoughts, feelings, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning.
📍diagnosed by a medical professional.
📍conditions that can vary from mild to severe.

People with a mental illness can live full, healthy, and productive lives as long as stigma doesn’t get in the way of them receiving the care and support they deserve.

The words you say, either to ask for help or to support someone else—they can help Make It OK!

Need immediate help with a mental health crisis? Call the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.

05/12/2026

TOMORROW: It's the last stop for the Mobile Health Clinic's spring tour!!

Be sure to catch us at Wellington Heights Community Church (1600 4th Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids.)

We'll be there from 2:00–4:00 p.m.

At this stop, we'll provide HIV and syphilis testing, as well as harm reduction supplies. All services will be FREE.

Hope to see you tomorrow!