Thank you for welcoming me to the Oak Park community! I’d like to take this opportunity to briefly introduce myself. First off, apologies in advance for those of you expecting the former Bears tight end. Second, I’ve learned that unlike the Bears, the Health Department team is amazing! No one goes into public health expecting to become a millionaire. They work in this field because they enjoy helping people and they truly care about the community. The staff in the Health Department are no exception. During my short time here, I’ve seen the creativity and dedication staff bring each day to improving the health and living conditions within Oak Park.

I’ve been lucky to spend the last 17 years working in local public health around the Chicagoland area. Each community has been unique with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. One thing that’s been consistent is the fact that public health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Strong and trusting relationships are needed to positively make change. Health isn’t just the absence of disease. It’s influenced by factors like housing, employment, the built environment, and access to quality food, education and healthcare among others. Many different sectors contribute to an individual’s health, some unknowingly. Naturally, those same sectors can be involved in helping shape the environment to give each individual the opportunity to reach their potential. A strength of Oak Park is the number of local organizations striving to do good, and I’m looking forward to working as partners towards the shared goal of improving health and well-being.

Lastly, despite health priorities changing at the federal level, your local Oak Park Health Department will always be a champion for equity and will continuously work to improve the health of each individual. I’m looking forward to learning more about the community so please feel free to reach out!

Sincerely,

Greg Olsen, MPH
Public Health Director
greg.olsen@oak-park.us

Communicable disease updates: What you need to know this season

Flu

This winter, the U.S. has experienced the worst flu season in almost 30 years. In Illinois and across the nation, the number of people reporting influenza-like illnesses (fever, cough or sore throat) has decreased slightly in recent weeks, but flu prevalence is expected to remain elevated for at least the next month.

What you can do:

• If you still aren’t vaccinated, it’s not too late! Flu season isn’t over, yet. The flu vaccine can significantly decrease your risk of becoming severely ill, hospitalized or dying if should you catch the flu.
• Wash your hands frequently. Most seasonal respiratory illnesses are spread through contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus.

Measles

Though declared eliminated in the U.S. in the year 2000, occasional outbreaks of measles can still occur when vaccination rates slip. Public health officials are now monitoring six measles outbreaks in various locations, including New Mexico, New Jersey and a large outbreak in Texas with more than 146 cases and one death. The Texas outbreak started in a community where 20% of students in the schools are unvaccinated, and it has now spread to nine counties. 

Currently, there are no measles cases in our area, but the recent outbreaks are a good reminder that vaccination rates in Oak Park need to remain high in order to protect those in our community who are unable to be vaccinated. Babies younger than 12 months and people with compromised immune systems may not be able to be vaccinated. Measles is highly contagious and can spread rapidly among unvaccinated populations. According to the World Health Organization, measles vaccination rates need to be at 95% in a community to maintain herd immunity, which means that enough people are immune, inhibiting the spread of infection and indirectly protecting those who are not immune.

What you can do:

• Get vaccinated or ask your physician to check your titers. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine provides good protection against measles, but protection may wane over decades. If you were vaccinated as a child and want to know if you are still protected, ask your doctor to check your titers.
• Keep an eye out for communications from the Oak Park and Illinois Departments of Public Health. Should cases of measles be identified in our area, the state and local health departments will provide the most up-to-date information and advice.

H5N1 Bird Flu

H5N1, also known as “highly pathogenic avian influenza A” or bird flu, has been detected in wild birds and poultry in all 50 states, as well as in dairy cattle in many states. Public health officials are monitoring this situation because bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans, but there have been human cases confirmed by the CDC across the country in recent months. As of late February 2025, Illinois has reported no human H5N1 cases, and no H5N1 positive tests in dairy farms. There is currently no evidence of person-to-person transmission. Visit Oak Park's webpage on H5N1 to learn more.

What you can do:

• Do not touch wild birds, including any deceased birds you may encounter outside.
• If you notice five or more deceased birds in your area (for example, on a walk around your neighborhood), please call the Oak Park animal control officer at 708.358.5480 or email health@oak-park.us. If you contact us afterhours or our animal control officer is unavailable, please leave a message and also call the USDA at 1.866.487.3297.
• Avoid contact with or consuming raw milk products.
• Be sure to thoroughly cook chicken, eggs and beef. Click here for more info on proper food handling
• If you keep backyard chickens, read this guidance from the CDC: Backyard Flock Owners: Protect Yourself from Bird Flu.