The Will County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are reminding residents to take precautions this holiday season to protect loved ones from foodborne Illnesses.

Every year, the CDC estimates that 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 pass away. Typical symptoms of foodborne illness include vomiting, diarrhea, and flu-like symptoms, which can start anywhere from hours to days after consuming contaminated food or drinks. Symptoms can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. It is important to stay hydrated when you have diarrhea and vomiting. 

Those at risk of more severe and even life-threatening foodborne illness include older adults, infants, young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. If you become severely ill, or if you are at risk for more severe disease, seek care from a medical provider to ensure a proper diagnosis and appropriate illness management.

“All of us at IDPH wish our fellow Illinoisans wish everyone a happy, festive and safe holiday,” said IDPH Director Sameer Vohra. “As we enjoy food, family, and friends, I want to remind everybody that we can prevent unhappy holiday outcomes by following proven food safety guidelines such as thawing frozen meats/fowl in the fridge.”

When it comes to food safety, the CDC offers valuable advice on how to safely cook meats and avoid serious foodborne illnesses such as Salmonella. The first step is to safely thaw the meat. When it begins to thaw, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again. This is why food safety experts recommend thawing meats in the refrigerator. If you don’t have time to use the refrigerator, you can thaw meats in a sink of cold water (change water every 30 minutes), Never thaw fowl/meat by leaving it out on the counter. 

willcountyhealth.org