Multnomah County Health Department

08/27/2026

🌱Garden and yard soil may contain lead that is harmful to you and your family. In partnership with Portland Nursery, our Environmental Health Team will be screening soil for lead with our X-ray Fluorescence analyzer, FREE.

Portland Nursery
Sunday, August 30th 10:00AM-12:00PM
9000 SE Division St.

✅ Bring up to 3 DRY soil samples in a small, labeled ziploc bags. No more than ½ cup per sample needed.

📞 Questions about soil screening or lead in general? Call or email the Multnomah County Health Department to speak with our subject matter expert at: 503-988-7858 or [email protected]

08/26/2026

🧠 Back to school season is a great time for some brain healthy tips. Remember: maintaining lifelong brain health can reduce the chance of dementia later in life.

🍎 Stay in school: Education reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Encourage youth to stay in school and pursue the highest level of training possible. Continue your own education by taking a class at a local library or college, or online.

🧩 Challenge your mind: Be curious! Put your brain to work and do something that is new for you. Learn a new skill. Try something artistic. Challenging your mind may have short- and long-term benefits for your brain.

Learn more about brain health: alz.org/help-support/brain_health/challenge-your-mind

08/24/2026

🌞High heat in the 90s is forecasted along with wildfire smoke. Multnomah County health officials advise that staying cool is your #1 priority.⚠️

While breathing in wildfire smoke is harmful to everyone’s health, extreme heat and overheating are more immediately dangerous for most people at risk.

How to protect yourself:
❄️ If you have AC: Keep windows closed, set AC to recirculate indoor air and run air cleaners.
🏠 If you don’t have AC: Make a plan NOW to get somewhere cool for a few hours during the day and open your windows at night to cool your home.
🧼 Create a clean room: Use indoor air cleaners if you have them.
🏃 Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous outdoor activity during peak heat and smoke.
📍Find information about air quality at multco.us/smoke

➡️ Find information about cooling spaces and other resources during hot weather at: multco.us/hot

08/20/2026

Measles exposure update:

OHA and Clackamas County health officials are warning the public about a location where people may have been exposed to measles.

People might have been exposed if they were at the following location at this date and time:
• Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center emergency department waiting room, 10180 SE Sunnyside Road, Clackamas, between 12:33 p.m. and 2:33 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17.

Measles is very contagious. If you believe you’ve been exposed, it’s important to tell your doctor or clinic that you have symptoms of measles before you go. They will give you instructions for what to do so that you don’t spread measles.

The best protection against measles is the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine.

08/20/2026

🦟It’s !

👀Multnomah County is home to many insects that can appear to be mosquitoes at first glance.

🔍 Crane flies, gnats and midges are all related to mosquitoes but are imposters!

🩸Only female mosquitoes need a blood meal to lay eggs. A female mosquito uses her proboscis to sip blood from her humans, pets, birds and other animals.

To avoid mosquito bites:
💧Dump standing water in your yard
🐶 Dump bird baths and pet waterers every three days
🏠 Make sure window and door screens don’t have holes.
🌅Avoid being outside at dusk and dawn, these are peak mosquito activity times.

For more information about mosquito control, call 503-988-3464, email [email protected] or visit multco.us/info/mosquitoes.

08/19/2026

Want to improve your community’s health and achieve health equity? The Multnomah County Public Health Advisory Board is looking for members like you.

As an Advisory Board member you will advise the Health Department’s Public Health Division and:

🔸Recommend ways to address the leading causes of death and disability in the county.
🔸Represent the community and bring community wisdom to public health decisions.
🔸Advocate for people who are most affected by poor health.
🔸Promote ethics in public health practice.

No public health experience is necessary.

EXTENDED DEADLINE--Applications accepted through Sunday, August 23rd at: https://multco.us/info/public-health-advisory-board-membership-application

08/18/2026

🚲Commute to work by bike?
🌞Don’t forget to hydrate more than usual in the warmer summer months!

💧Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Bruno, Drippy from the Portland Water Bureau , and Coney from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) share some great tips on how to stay cool and get some extra hydration into your day.

🥒Start your morning with a tall glass of water, a smoothie, or some hydrating fruits and veggies like watermelon, cucumber, leafy greens and citrus.

🚰Hydrate before, during and after your ride.

🚫🎒Use saddle bags or panniers on your bike to keep that loaded backpack from creating more heat against your back.

Keep Portland Hydrated!

08/14/2026

✅ There are lots of ways to get tested for HIV in Oregon.

🏠 If you’re having trouble finding testing nearby, you can order a free at-home test. Visit takemehome.org to get a kit delivered right to your door.



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✅ Hay muchas formas de hacerse la prueba del VIH en Oregon.

🏠 Si te es difícil encontrar un lugar para hacerte la prueba cerca del lugar donde vives, puedes pedir una prueba gratis para hacerse en casa. Visita takemehome.org para pedir un kit de prueba que recibirás en la puerta de tu casa.

08/14/2026

✅ PUBLIC HEALTH IS ALL OF US --✨NEW episode drop:

❓Why Vaccinate?

👂We hear a lot about vaccinations these days. But what exactly are vaccines? How do they work? And are there vaccination dangers we should be aware of?

💉On this episode we speak with Dr. Howard Chiou, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations for the Oregon Health Authority's Public Health Division, to try to make sense of the world of vaccinations.

👵 Then, Therese Vogel, a member of Grandparents for Vaccines. When she was born, there was no measles vaccine. As a result, her sister had an experience that she hopes other families can avoid.

Catch the episode: https://youtu.be/4qz2w-BXtLA?si=eQtxvFqaa-ovfsWV

08/13/2026

🦟 Multnomah County Vector Control actively monitors for WNV throughout the summer months. West Nile Virus is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Most WNV infections are mild with fever and flu-like symptoms but severe infections may cause inflammation of the brain and, rarely, death with an increase in risk for those over the age of 55.

If WNV is detected in Multnomah County, the public will be notified.

Avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by:
🌅 Avoiding peak mosquito activity times, the hours around dusk and dawn.
👖 Wear light colors, loose long sleeve shirts, long pants.
💦 Use EPA registered repellents after reading the instructions on the label.

📞 If you have questions please visit our website, call Multnomah County Vector Control at 503-988-3464 or email [email protected].