DIXON — The Illinois Department of Public Health wants to help Illinoisans stay healthy while enjoying food and family during the Thanksgiving holiday with a few basic food safety tips.

Good hosts can protect their guests from food-borne illnesses and seasonal viruses by following some simple tips, including keeping foods at appropriate temperatures and properly thawing turkeys before cooking them.

“Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said. “I love the food, spending time with family and friends and the football. As we gather in community this week, I want to remind everybody, and especially those preparing food, that we can prevent unwanted illnesses by following proven food safety tips. Two of the most important are thoroughly thaw frozen turkeys in the fridge and make sure the turkey and stuffing are cooked to a safe temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.”

Although IDPH’s Seasonal Respiratory Illness Dashboard currently shows low levels for seasonal respiratory illnesses, such as the flu, COVID-19 and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the IDPH expects those levels to increase as more people move activities indoors and temperatures continue to drop.

According to Vohra, providing adequate indoor ventilation, practicing proper hand hygiene and covering coughs and sneezes can also help. Those experiencing respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, sore throat, fever, vomiting or diarrhea, should stay away from others until they have recovered. If you must be around people while sick, wear a mask, practice social distancing, especially while eating, and wash your hands regularly.

However, the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control advise that the best way for people to protect themselves from seasonal viruses is to get vaccinated against them. The latest COVID-19 and flu shots are recommended for anyone over the age of six months. Those 75 years and older are encouraged to get the RSV vaccine as are those ages 60-74 who did not receive the vaccine last year and are at an increased risk for severe RSV. Pregnant women and babies born between October and March also are encouraged to get vaccinated against RSV.

Food safety tips

The CDC offers the following food safety tips on how to properly cook a turkey and avoid food-borne illnesses.

• Safely thaw turkey in the refrigerator to avoid any germs or bacteria present before the turkey was frozen from beginning to grow again.
• The time to thaw a turkey in the refrigerator is about 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey. This means a 15-pound turkey can take up to three days to thaw in a refrigerator, so plan accordingly.
• If time constraints prevent using a refrigerator, a microwave or sink of cold water can be used, provided the sink water is changed every 30 minutes.
• Never thaw a turkey by leaving it on the counter. According to the CDC, the bacteria Clostridium perfringens is the second-most common bacterial cause of food poisoning and grows in cooked foods left at room temperature.
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before, during and after preparing food. All dishes, utensils and countertops should be cleaned with hot soapy water before and after preparing food, especially raw turkey.
• Keep raw turkey separated from other foods as its juice can contaminate anything it comes into contact with. Also use separate cutting boards and plates for turkey and other foods.
• Turkey and stuffing needs to reach a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature should be checked using a food thermometer in three places: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing. Stuffing should be checked at its center.
• Leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours of serving or have been kept hot at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit or kept cold below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Foods left out for longer than two hours at room temperature should be thrown away. Leftovers are safely kept in the fridge for up to four days and should be heated to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating.

Typical food-borne illness symptoms can begin anywhere from hours to days after a meal, last from a few hours to a few days, and include fever, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Those experiencing diarrhea and vomiting should stay hydrated. Those who become severely ill or are at risk for more severe disease, including older adults, infants, young children, pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system, should seek medical care.

For more information, visit the IDPH website at dph.illinois.gov.