CDPH - Chicago Department of Public Health

07/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/09/2026 08:21

CDPH Weekly Media Brief, 07/09/2026

CDPH at Taste of Chicago This Weekend

The annual Taste of Chicago festival is taking place this weekend in Grant Park, with great local music and dozens of Chicago restaurants, food trucks, and other vendors on-site. While Chicagoans enjoy the outdoors and delicious food, CDPH Sanitarians will be working behind the scenes to ensure that vendors are equipped to meet Chicago's health and safety standards and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.

CDPH's Food Protection team works tirelessly year-round providing food safety training and routine health inspections to over 15,000 restaurants, grocery stores, and many more food service establishments in Chicago. To learn more about the Food Protection team or the steps you can take to become a special event food vendor, visit the CDPH website.

Chicago's Healthcare System Stays Prepared

When there are periods of extreme heat, CDPH and other health organizations are behind the scenes to make sure the public has access to uninterrupted resources to keep them safe and healthy.

On June 4, 2026, the Chicago Healthcare System Coalition for Preparedness and Response conducted a functional exercise simulating an extended extreme heat emergency. This exercise included over 600 participants, representing 58 organizations. The scenario required coordinated response actions across the healthcare system, including the evacuation of a hospital and a long-term care facility, while managing a regional patient surge.

Overall, the exercise demonstrated a capability for coordinated regional healthcare response. Participants across hospitals, non-hospital healthcare partners, emergency medical services and public health demonstrated strong commitment to incident command, communication, and patient-centered decision-making.

Learn about CDPH's Hospital Preparedness Program and preparedness resources on the CDPH website.

International Day of Hope: July 12

On July 12, communities around the world will observe the 2nd annual International Day of Hope, a global observance recognizing hope as something that can be built through action, connection, care, and support.

In Chicago, residents can build hope and support their well-being in everyday ways - taking a walk through one of the city's parks, spending time near the lakefront, attending a community event, creating art, listening to music, asking for help, or offering support to someone else.

As Chicago is recognized as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, International Day of Hope is a reminder that our city's beauty is also found in the people, places, and resources that help residents care for themselves and one another.

Because hope is easier to build when people have access to care, CDPH marks this observance by connecting residents to mental health services, crisis support, substance use treatment and recovery programs, overdose prevention resources, community safety programs, and other resources that promote health and well-being.

Residents can learn more about CDPH behavioral health programs, services, and resources at chicago.gov/behavioralhealth.

More Extreme Heat Forecasted Next Week

Temperatures are expected to rise into the 90s again early next week. The keys to keeping safe in the heat include staying hydrated, wearing plenty of sunscreen, and wearing loose and light clothing. Other tips for staying cool in the extreme heat include:

  • Limit outdoor activities and stay inside. If you do not have air conditioning, keep your shades drawn and blinds closed, but windows slightly open for air circulation.
  • Drink lots of water and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sodas.
  • Take cool baths and showers.
  • Never leave anyone (including pets) in a parked car, even for a few minutes.
  • Check on relatives and neighbors, especially the elderly or people with disabilities.

For more information on heat preparedness, visit the CDPH website.

Healing Arts Chicago Adds New Classes

The next Healing Arts Chicago session launched this week with a slight, but noticeable difference: updated calendars will feature several new classes mixed with familiar programming from the spring session. Healing Arts Chicago recently began incorporating a new cohort of 10 artists to lead classes with original topics, including visual journaling, painting, gentle movement, photography, and more.

For more details and registration: Chicago.gov/HealingArts.

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CDPH - Chicago Department of Public Health published this content on July 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 09, 2026 at 14:21 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]