October 17, 2024
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IDPH expands high-risk ZIP code list for lead exposure, new total reaches 60 Illinois counties

Almost 150 ZIP codes added

By Shaw Local News Network
Certified Medical Assistant Tamika Dukes draws a blood sample from Alaia Croom, 7, at the Eisenhower Elementary School, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016 in Flint, Mich. The students were being tested for lead after the metal was found in the city's drinking water. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

File photo: Certified Medical Assistant Tamika Dukes draws a blood sample from Alaia Croom, 7, at the Eisenhower Elementary School, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, in Flint, Mich. The students were being tested for lead after the metal was found in the city's drinking water. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) (Carlos Osorio)

The Illinois Department of Public Health has added 148 new ZIP codes to its high-risk list for lead exposure, increasing mandatory testing for children. This brings the total to almost 1,200 high-risk ZIP codes across 60 Illinois counties.

“There is no safe level of lead in the blood,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a news release from the department. “To better serve our children and build brighter futures for all of our residents, [the] IDPH is acting to ensure that more children have access to the testing and interventions necessary to decrease the potential serious physical and developmental health concerns linked to lead exposure.”

Under Illinois law, children in high-risk ZIP codes must be tested for lead exposure at 12, 24 and 36 months. All children 6 and younger are assessed using a questionnaire, and those in other risk categories also are tested, according to the release.

High-risk ZIP codes in Illinois are determined by an algorithm assessing various risk factors. The list is gradually expanding, with plans for universal lead exposure testing statewide by 2026, according to the release.

In Illinois, blood tests showing lead levels above five micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) require public health intervention, including a home inspection to identify and remove lead sources and a visit from a public health nurse to educate the family on protecting children from lead exposure, according to the release.

The newly added ZIP codes come from the following Illinois counties:

The new ZIP code list, effective July 1, can be found on the IDPH’s website.

Kane CountyDeKalb CountyCook CountyWaterWater QualityLa Salle CountyDuPage CountyIDPH
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