Wheeler County Public Health

03/18/2026

HEALTH ALERT: There is a current outbreak of measles in Oregon. Measles is highly contagious and can be dangerous, especially for our most vulnerable community members, like babies and young children.

The best way to protect yourself, your family, and the Wheeler County community is the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The MMR vaccine is safe, effective, and currently available. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles if you are exposed to the virus.

Contact your local provider to make sure you and your loved ones are up to date on vaccines. You can contact Asher clinic at (541) 763-2725.

03/12/2026

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? Nutrition plays a huge role in our overall health. In what ways do you take care of yourself through nutrition?

Here are some ways to power your day with nutrition:
Choose healthful foods from all food groups.
Alternate your food choices for a variety of nutrients.
Avoid fad diets that promote unnecessary restrictions.

Want to be more involved for ? Here are 50 ways to get involved wherever you are: sm.eatright.org/nnm50ideas

02/27/2026

❤️ February is American Hearth Month ❤️ In what ways do you care for your heart?

Devoting some time every day to care for yourself can go a long way toward protecting your heart health. Self-care, like moving more, preparing healthier meals, and getting quality sleep, helps our hearts.

Did you know that in the United States heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups? In 2022, 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States was caused by heart disease.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, which puts them at risk for heart disease and stroke. And just 1 in 4 people with high blood pressure has it under control.

Taking small steps, like adding more physical activity to your day, can reduce your risk for heart disease. At least 150 minutes of exercise every week can help keep our hearts healthy.

02/18/2026

Power outages can happen when we least expect it. What do you do to stay safe in a power outage?

Here are some quick tips and tricks to keep in mind like having flashlights with fresh batteries at the ready and running generators away from windows because they produce carbon monoxide.

Stay safe and warm this winter!

02/05/2026

Do you have a child attending school, preschool, or childcare?

All children must have updated immunization records or valid exemptions on file by February 25, 2026. Letters have been sent out today to remind anyone who has any outstanding immunizations. Get ahead of it so your child doesn’t get sent home at the end of the month!

If you need help determining where to get access to vaccines, we’ve created a list of locations that offers vaccines. Their contact information is provided as well:

Asher Health Clinic – (541) 763-2725
Vaccines provided at no cost.

Fossil location – Mon-Thurs 8am-6pm, Fridays 8am-5pm, by appt. only
Mitchell location – open Wednesday 9am-4:30pm, by appt. only (hours vary)
Spray location – open Wednesday 8am-4 pm, by appt. only (hours vary)

St. Charles Family Care Clinic
Madras location (541) 475-4800
Prineville location (541) 447-6263
You’ll need to call for an appointment before visiting the clinic.

For a breakdown of required immunizations for school and children’s facilities you can read more here:

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/preventionwellness/vaccinesimmunization/gettingimmunized/pages/schrequiredimm.aspx

If you need any further assistance in completing vaccines for your child, please feel free to contact us! We are always here to help.

Immunizations required for age 2 months and starting pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade and college

01/22/2026

As the winter weather approaches, is your car prepared? What items do you keep in your car in case of an emergency?

Whether it's an extended trip or a trip to town for a doctor’s appointment/groceries, it's a good idea to have these items at the ready. Stay safe this winter!

12/29/2025

📣 We still have room in our Car Seat Safety & Distribution event!
Please consider joining us and learning about the importance of car seat safety. Parents, Grandparents, and caregivers are more than welcome to join!

🗓️ January 8th, 2026
📍 Wheeler County Public Health
333 Fourth St, Fossil, OR 97830

✨Attendees will receive a NEW discounted car seat by attending the course!

✨ Childcare is provided ✨
We understand many people may have to bring their children or are unable to find childcare, we wanted to make it easier for the folks joining and are providing free childcare to the attendees that come! We plan to have snacks, games and movies for the kiddos!

For accurate head count, please contact us to reserve your seat. We are more than happy to just have people show up as well!

Happy new year! We hope to see you there

12/11/2025

Do you or someone you know need a new car seat or booster?

Join us for a car seat education and distribution class January 8th 2026 at 4pm. We will meet at the Wheeler County Public Health building (333 W Fourth St, Fossil, OR 97830).

This class is so important for anyone who travels by car with young children. Did you know that nearly half of caregivers have installed carseats incorrectly? This class will give us tips and tricks to ensure the safety of our little ones on the road. We’ll even be distributing car seats and installing them safely to your vehicle.

Contact us to reserve your seat!

12/11/2025

Did you know that traffic crashes are still one of the leading causes of death and injury for children 0-14 years old?

Help keep our children safe and join us for an educational afternoon on January 8th 2026 at 4pm. We will meet at 333 W Fourth St, Fossil, OR 97830.

Come join us to learn all about car seat safety and you can even go home with a new, safely installed car seat or booster!

12/10/2025

📢 We’re Opening a Baby Supplies Closet! 👶💙

Wheeler County Public Health is excited to announce the launch of a Baby Supplies Closet to support families in our community who need a little extra help welcoming their new little ones. As part of this effort, we’re also working to create a simple, community-wide system for sharing and distributing baby items so families can access what they need when they need it.

We’re reaching out to the community for donations of new or gently used baby essentials, including:

🍼 Clothing (newborn–2T)
🧸 Blankets & swaddles
🚼 Diapers & wipes - new items only
🛁 Bath items - new items only
🧦 Socks, hats, and mittens
🪑 Bottles, pacifiers, burp cloths - new items only
🛏️ Sleep sacks
🎒 Diaper bags
…and other infant care necessities!

This is a great chance to pass along those no longer used baby items that are like new or barely used. Thanks for helping promote a healthy start for our youngest residents. ❤️

If you would like to donate, please drop items off at Wheeler County Public Health from Mon-Wed. 8:30-3 pm, or contact us at phprograms@wheelercountyor.gov for more information.

10/16/2025

🌟 We have another job opening! Join Our Public Health Team! 🌟

Wheeler County Public Health is looking for a part-time Public Health Program Assistant to help support community health programs, including health promotion, disease prevention, emergency preparedness, and alcohol & drug prevention.

This community-oriented role is perfect for someone who’s organized, a creative thinker, and enjoys connecting with people while supporting meaningful work that strengthens the health of Wheeler County.

📬 To apply, send your cover letter, resume, and application to:
Wheeler County – Sarah Hartenstein
PO Box 4, Fossil, OR 97830
📧 shartenstein@wheelercountyor.gov
🖥 https://www.wheelercountyoregon.com/

Help us make a difference in your community! 💙

09/22/2025

🚨 We’re hiring! 🚨
Wheeler County Public Health is looking for a half-time Communications Coordinator to help us share important health information, keep our website and social media up to date, and connect the community with local resources and events.

If you’re passionate about health, love creating engaging content, and want to be a part of work happening in our frontier county, we’d love to hear from you!

📍 Location: Fossil & Remote
🕒 Part-Time | 20 hrs/week

👉 https://www.wheelercountyoregon.com/