Public Health Happenings

November 2026

Serving the communities of Winnebago County

Holiday Hosting Made Safe!

Holiday gatherings are all about sharing good food and making memories. Keep your family and friends safe this season by following a few simple food safety practices!

🧼 Keep It Clean

Clean hands and surfaces are the first step for safe food preparation. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, sanitize kitchen surfaces, and use separate cutting boards for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination*.

❄️ Thaw Foods the Safe Way

Planning to serve turkey or other frozen favorites? Here are three ways to safely thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave if cooking immediately. Never thaw frozen meat on the countertop, where bacteria can multiply quickly. Rule of thumb for a turkey is to allow 24 hours of thawing time for every four to five pounds, or you can use the USDA Thawing Calculator.

🍽️ Handle Leftovers with Care

Don't let leftovers linger! Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours of serving. Store food in shallow containers to help food cool quickly, and enjoy refrigerated leftovers within three to four days. Always reheat leftovers to 165°F before serving.

🌡️ Know Your Temperatures

A food thermometer is one of your best tools for preventing foodborne illness. Make sure your holiday dishes reach these safe minimum internal temperatures:

165°F: Poultry, stuffing, casseroles, and reheated leftovers

160°F: Ground meats and egg dishes

145°F: Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal, plus seafood

135°F or hotter: Keep hot foods warm during serving

41°F or colder: Keep refrigerated foods safely chilled

0°F: Keep frozen foods frozen

🚨Watch out for the Danger Zone!

Bacteria grow rapidly between 41°F and 135°F. Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot and avoid leaving perishable dishes at room temperature for more than two hours.

Learn more about food safety on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) website. Enjoy the season, share the joy, and let food safety be part of every celebration!

*What is Cross-contamination?

Cross-contamination is when harmful germs or bacteria move from one thing to another, potentially making people sick.

Public Health Topics

When Winter Turns Down the Dimmer Switch:

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

As the days grow shorter and sunlight becomes scarce, many people begin to notice a shift in their mood - sometimes more than what we’d expect from ordinary winter blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that typically begins in late fall or early winter and gets better in the spring.

Symptoms may include:

low energy
increased sleep
social withdrawal
carbohydrate cravings
weight gain
difficulty concentrating
feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.

These patterns often repeat each year. Women, younger adults, and individuals with a family history of depression or bipolar disorder are at higher risk. SAD can also appear in children, teens, and occasionally even in summer, when symptoms may present differently.

Recognizing the signs early is key.

If feelings of depression last longer than two weeks or begin to interfere with daily life, it’s important to speak to your doctor and take action. Light therapy has been shown to relieve symptoms for many people within days, while some may benefit from medications or adjustments to daily routines to increase natural light exposure.

Individuals experiencing severe symptoms, including suicidal thoughts, should get help immediately. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the Winnebago County Crisis line at (920) 233-7707 are available 24/7.

Ready, Aim… Stay Safe: Public Health Tips for Hunting Season

The annual deer season is upon us! Hunters have already been out and about for archery and crossbow season, and the general firearm season starts November 21st, 2026. Here are some reminders and resources to enjoy a healthy hunting season:

Fight The Bite!

Ticks are more active in warmer months, but tick-bites can occur year-round. Avoid bites while hunting by applying Permethrin to your hunting clothes and wearing insect repellent. Learn more about tick bite prevention on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) website.

Firearm Safety and Gun Locks

Firearm safety should be top of mind every time a hunter heads out. The four basic rules of firearm safety, which can be easily remembered using the TAB-K acronym, are essential to any hunting trip:

T = Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

A = Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.

B = Be certain of your target, what's before and beyond it.

K = Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

Winnebago County Public Health has free cable gun locks available in the Public Health Vending Machines, available 24/7. Cable gun locks work on long guns and pistols, and allow owners to lock their firearm so they cannot be fired accidentally.

First Aid

Do you know what to do if you or someone else gets injured from a life threatening wound while out hunting? Learn about some basic bleeding control methods in this video from Summit Medical Academy to help keep you and your loved ones safe this hunting season. (Warning: This video includes descriptions of blood and visuals of a real wound.)

To learn more about life saving first aid methods, we recommend taking a Stop The Bleed class.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

Chronic Wasting Disease is a disease that affects deer, elk, moose, caribou, and reindeer. Infected animals should not be consumed, so testing is recommended. You or your meat processor can submit a sample for testing. CWD sampling is available statewide, and testing through the DNR is free for deer harvested in Wisconsin.

Lead Bullets and Venison

Lead is toxic to humans, even in very low amounts. (Children and pregnant women are at highest risk for lead poisoning) Lead ammunition can break apart when it hits a deer, which can leave behind tiny fragments in the meat. The only way to eliminate any potential risks from lead ammunition is to hunt with lead-free bullets, such as copper ammunition. If you do use lead ammunition, learn about steps you can take to reduce your risk of lead poisoning on the DHS website.

Donating Your Deer

Any deer harvested legally in Wisconsin can be donated through the DNR's deer donation program. Venison from donated deer is processed and distributed to food pantries across the state. Visit the Wisconsin's Deer Donation Program page on the WI DNR website to learn more.

Make Safety A Part of Your Holiday Decorating Traditions!

The holiday season is a time to gather with family and friends, share traditions, and brighten our homes with festive decorations. While holiday lights, candles, and seasonal displays can create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, they can also increase the risk of fires and injuries if safety precautions are overlooked. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments respond to hundreds of home fires each year involving holiday decorations and Christmas trees. Taking a few simple steps can help keep your celebrations joyful and safe.

When decorating, pay special attention to fire safety with these tips:

If you use a live tree, keep it well-watered and place it at least three feet away from fireplaces, heaters, and other heat sources.
Purchase artificial trees that are labeled "fire resistant."
Inspect all holiday lights before use, replacing any strands with frayed wires, broken sockets, or loose connections.
Avoid overloading outlets, use clips instead of nails to hang lights, and turn off all decorations before going to bed or leaving home.
Candles should never be left unattended and should be kept away from anything flammable. Whenever possible, choose flameless candles for added safety.
Finally, test smoke alarms monthly, replace batteries as needed, and make sure everyone in your household knows two ways to exit the home in case of a fire.

Holiday decorating can also lead to unexpected injuries, especially falls. Avoid them by:

Always use a sturdy ladder that is the proper height for the job.
Wear shoes with good traction, and avoid standing on chairs or tables.
Keep walkways, stairs, and sidewalks free of clutter, cords, and other tripping hazards.
Make decorating a group activity! A buddy can help look for potential falls or other hazards.

Last, but not least, be mindful of the decorations you bring inside:

Families with pets and young children should also be mindful of which seasonal plants are toxic if ingested, such as mistletoe, holly berries, Jerusalem cherry, and amaryllis.
Decorative holiday tinsel and garland may contain zinc, a toxic element when consumed by pets.

By making safety part of your holiday traditions, you can help ensure the season is filled with happy memories rather than unexpected emergencies.

Wisconsin Measles Update

Measles continues to spread in Wisconsin. As of November 3, 431 cases have been confirmed in 13 counties in 2026. Sadly today, November 5, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has reported the death of an infant associated with the ongoing measles outbreak in southwestern Wisconsin. This is the first death of this kind reported in Wisconsin since 1990.

At this time, there are no known cases of Measles in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Here are the top four things to know at this time:

Know your status: residents are encouraged to review their measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination status. Visit the Wisconsin Immunization Registry to find your MMR vaccination status. (If you do not find your vaccine status there, contact your primary care provider)
Know and watch for the symptoms of Measles, especially if you or your children are unvaccinated.
If you suspect you have Measles, call the healthcare facility before seeking medical attention to avoid spreading the disease.
If you receive the MMR vaccination within 72 hours of exposure to Measles, you will eliminate the need to quarantine.

For more information on the MMR vaccine, please contact your primary care provider. For more information on Measles, current case counts in Wisconsin, and more, please visit our website.

Inside: Winnebago County Public Health

Communicable Disease Report - Third Quarter 2026

The Quarterly Communicable Disease (CD) Report provides timely data for the community and healthcare partners on diseases that are present and occurring in Winnebago County. Tracking this data helps detect, prevent, and control illness and outbreaks in the community.

Questions? Contact Winnebago County Public Health at 920-232-3000 or by emailing WCPH.CD@winnebagocountywi.gov.

Bringing Help Closer to Home:

New Naloxone Boxes Available Throughout the County

Winnebago County Public Health has been working to place Nalox-Zone Boxes throughout the community to increase access to naloxone for any community members who may need it. Individuals who need naloxone, or know someone who may need it, can simply take naloxone from any of the installed boxes - no appointment or request is necessary.

Nalox-Zone Boxes are currently located throughout Oshkosh, Neenah, and Fox Crossing at participating businesses and community locations. In addition to the life-saving naloxone, each box contains educational resources and instructions on how to properly administer it.

Each Nalox-Zone Box also has a blue Winnebago County Public Health sticker with a QR code, allowing community members to notify Public Health staff when the box needs to be restocked. This helps ensure that naloxone remains available when someone needs it.

These boxes were generously donated by Voices of Recovery. This work is done in partnership with the Winnebago County Overdose Fatality Review Team, Apricity Residential Treatment, Solutions Recovery, Inc. , and other community partners.

Community residents can also get naloxone from our Public Health Vending Machines for free, 24/7. If you have questions, or would like to host a box at your place of business, please call us at 920-232-3000.

Staff Spotlight: Meet Andy!

Name: Andy

Position: Community Health Worker

Where You've Seen Them: You may have seen me at Vel Phillips Middle School in my role on the Breakwater team. (Breakwater is a coalition in Oshkosh for Youth Substance Use Prevention) I'm there every week during the school year as we host a Substance Use Prevention Group during the lunch and recess hours. You may also catch me restocking the Winnebago County Public Health Vending Machines. If I am not at work you can find me relaxing outside by a fire, which is essentially a factory reset for me.

Fun Fact: My wife and I just had a baby boy who is 3 months old.

Public Health In Action

Latino Fest: Where Culture, Community, and Public Health Meet

Winnebago County Public health partnered with Casa Hispana again this year on a successful Latinofest celebration. We partner with organizations like this because strong relationships are essential to improving community health, especially for communities that face the greatest barriers to good health.

Local data shows that Hispanic and Latino households experienced considerable financial hardship during the pandemic and have lower median incomes than the county average. Many local Hispanic residents working in service industries experienced reduced work hours or job loss during the pandemic. These challenges created financial strain for many families, affecting access to basic needs, stable housing, and overall well-being. While recovery is ongoing, issues such as the lack of affordable housing continue to impact Hispanic and Latino community members.

Since its start at Pierce Park in 2015, Latino Fest has grown from a small volunteer-led event celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month into a vibrant regional festival featuring cultural performances, diverse food, family-friendly activities, and community resources. Partnerships with trusted community organizations help ensure that families can access the resources, services and information they need.

Housing On The Ballot: The Policy Side of Public Health

This October, Lynnsey Erickson, our Community Health & Prevention Supervisor, led a statewide conversation about housing and what Wisconsin's gubernatorial candidates planned to do about this issue. Lynnsey co-chairs the advocacy committee of the Badger State Housing Alliance, a nonpartisan group that works on housing issues statewide. The committee leads a monthly speaker series promoting affordable housing in Wisconsin called "Curds of Wisdom". During the October session, entitled "Evaluating Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates' Housing Policy Positions, they presented a nonpartisan comparison of David Crowley’s and Tom Tiffany’s housing platforms. In the process they found shared goals, such as building more housing faster and lowering costs for homeowners. There were also sharp differences in what each believed state government should do. Two Capital Times reporters, Olivia Herken and Will Briggs, then shared what they'd heard from the campaigns and answered questions from attendees.

Why does housing matter to Public Health?

Having a safe, stable, affordable place to live affects nearly every part of our health. Right now, many Wisconsin families are struggling: rents and home prices have grown much faster than paychecks, and the number of people experiencing homelessness in our state has increased five years in a row. The session closed with priorities that are important regardless of the election result: ensuring state housing policy reaches extremely low-income households, reducing and preventing homelessness, and finding solutions that work for rural communities as well as cities. As the session put it, “The advocacy strategies may change, but the housing needs don’t.”

Watch the full recording of the October session or register for upcoming sessions at badgerstatehousingalliance.org/curds-of-wisdom.