Stay Prepared for Cold Winter Weather

Chicago is feeling the winter chill this December! CDPH urges all Chicagoans to keep yourself safe and warm throughout these frosty months.

The City of Chicago maintains warming centers all over the city on weekdays when temperatures are 32 degrees and below, and libraries are also open for those who need shelter from the cold. If you're in need of non-emergency health or social support, call 3-1-1 for help.

Here are some additional tips for precautions to take to keep yourself toasty:

• Wear several layers of loose, warm clothing, paying special attention to keeping your head, ears, hands and feet warm.
• It may sound obvious, but wear a hat, scarf, and gloves.
• Stay as dry as possible - being wet makes your body lose heat much faster than normal.
• Drink warm beverages to help your body stay warm.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages, as alcohol dilates blood vessels, which makes the body lose heat faster.
• Use caution when using electric heaters and keep them clear of clothing and blankets.
• Gas ovens and burners should never be used to heat your home.

Healthcare Open Enrollment Ending Soon

The federal Open Enrollment period is now ongoing, marking a critical time for individuals to enroll in, change, or cancel their health insurance plans. This limited window only lasts a few weeks, and once it closes, individuals will have to wait until next year's enrollment period to make any changes. Open Enrollment for the Marketplace began on November 1 and ends on December 15.

According to the latest data from CDPH, nearly 1 in 10 Chicagoans remain uninsured with Latinx residents facing a particularly high burden. Uninsured rates in the Latinx community are nearly four times higher than those of White residents and twice as high as those of Asian and Black residents.

CDPH encourages individuals to take advantage of the Open Enrollment Period before it ends and secure health coverage for the upcoming year. Residents can access free, year-round navigation assistance in their neighborhood at getcovered.illinois.gov.

Healthy Chicago Podcast

Elvis Ortega (Lead Street Outreach Liaison for the Community Safety Coordination Center and the Mayor's Office for Community Safety) speaks with Rob Castaneda (Executive Director of Beyond the Ball and a coordinator with the Little Village Violence Prevention Collaborative) about violence prevention, community organizing, safe space activations, and how progress is being made in Lawndale, Little Village, and other community areas.

Beyond the Ball is a grassroots sports/play-based youth & community development organization in Little Village on Chicago's West Side. The goal of the organization is to reclaim public spaces, unite the community, and develop a culture of opportunity to cultivate hope and change lives.

Violence in Chicago is well-documented, but less focused upon are the community organizations that are proactively working to ensure a safe and bright future for the City's youth and families. Out of recent experience and research, organizers like Castaneda learned that publicly owned spaces can affect nearby crime by up to 60%, based on two factors: how often the space is intentionally used and what the condition is of the built environment.

Tune in to the newest episodes of Healthy Chicago on the CDPH website and all major platforms:

YouTube / Spotify / Apple

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