Reminders Ahead of Your Memorial Day Weekend

Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, we wanted to share a few reminders with you to help make your holiday safer:

Keep that potato salad cold

If you’re hosting friends or family for a get together, remember to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. This means cold foods like chicken salad and desserts should be kept at or below 40°F. Place serving dishes in ice or in a shallow pan filled with ice to keep them cool. Hot foods should be kept at or above 140°F. Never leave food out of a  cooler or off the grill for more than two hours. If the temperature is above 90°F, don’t leave the food out for more than one hour.

Don’t forget the bug spray

Mosquitoes and ticks are out and about! Spritzing yourself with bug spray (with at least 20-30% DEET) or pre-treating clothing and shoes with permethrin can help keep bugs at bay. Found a tick? Remove it promptly and completely. Download The Tick App to get help identifying it.

Spending time with loved ones

A benefit of being fully vaccinated means you can gather with other vaccinated people safely indoors, without masks and without distancing. That’s just one benefit—there are many others! Not vaccinated but planning to gather with others? See our blog post for some tips to make it safer, like keeping the party outside.

Need to get vaccinated? Book an appointment at our Alliant Energy Center clinic or just drop-in during clinic hours.

Check beach water quality

Memorial Day officially kicks off our beach monitoring season. We monitor water quality at beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Check conditions before entering the water, avoid contact with blue-green algae, and stay out of the water if posted signs say “closed for swimming.” You can visit our website to check beach conditions before you head out.

Our COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites are closed, but you have other options

The vaccination and testing site at Alliant Energy Center will be closed on Saturday, May 29 in observance of Memorial Day. The testing site at our South Madison Office will be closed on Monday, May 31 as well. If you can’t wait to get vaccinated, you can find additional options at publichealthmdc.com/vax. If you can’t wait to get tested, visit publichealthmdc.com/covid19testing for testing options throughout the county.