Brookline Department of Public Health

It's CPR & AED Awareness Week. Every second counts in a cardiac arrest. Learning basic skills of hands-only CPR and AED use could help in an emergency.

Anyone can learn how to help save a life. No certification is required; just your hands. Brookline Public Health & Human Services' program, The Heart Beat Project, teaches these skills to residents. Learn more about the program at brooklinema.gov/HBP.

We're heading into the summer and things are heating up! Before you head out, make sure you protect your skin properly:

👉Be sure to apply sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF or higher regularly, reapplying every 2 hours.
👉Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect your head and face.
👉Make sure your wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection.
👉Wear protective clothing while you're in the sun. Protective clothing should have a certified UPF 50+ rating.
👉Seek shade while you are outdoors or try to stay indoors between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm.

We need your help! Brookline Public Health & Human Services is teaming up with the Town of Brookline Public Works to celebrate the opening of the new Public Health Plaza. What better way to celebrate than to plant a pollinator garden?! Learn about the importance of native plants and urban pollinator habitat while helping bring new life to this public space.

📍Public Health Plaza (Harvard & Pierce St.)
🗓 Tuesday, June 16
🕝 4:00 - 6:00 pm

Light refreshments will be served.

Audre Lorde (1934–1992) was a poet, essayist, feminist, and civil rights activist. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Hunter College and a master’s degree in library science from Columbia University. Her influential works, including Sister Outsider and The Cancer Journals, explore race, gender, sexuality, illness, and systemic oppression. Lorde identified as “Black, le***an, mother, warrior, poet” and helped shape intersectional feminist thought. She challenged racism, sexism, and homophobia through both writing and activism, leaving a lasting legacy in literature, q***r theory, and social justice movements worldwide. Her impact is also reflected in institution named in her honor, the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which provides comprehensive healthcare services to LGBTQ+ communities, and the Audre Lorde Project, a community organizing center that promotes health, wellness, and social justice for LGBTQ+ people of color.

Can the measles vaccine give you measles?

The measles vaccine does not cause measles. The MMR vaccine combines measles, mumps, and rubella. It teaches the body to recognize and respond to the measles virus. Two doses are recommended. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective.

During childhood, it is recommended that the first dose be given between 12 and 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years. Adults should have at least one documented dose of MMR. Ask your doctor if you should receive a second dose.

An emergency can happen anywhere. Be prepared by keeping naloxone on hand. If you would like to pick up a Project CAN kit, visit the Public Health Building on Monday - Thursday, 8 am - 5 pm or Friday 8 am - 12:30 pm.

Next month we're teaming up with the Recreation Department to celebrate International Day of Yoga! Join us at Emerson Park on Sunday, June 21 from 2:00 - 3:30 pm for a free yoga session on the park led by instructors from Boston Yoga Collaborative, Down Under School of Yoga , and Healthworks. All ages and skill levels are welcome. In the case of rain, his event is canceled.

Brookline Bounty is on CARES Brookline. CARES Brookline is a self-service resource navigation platform available to all Brookline residents. Find out if you are eligible for the program and apply online. For more information, visit brooklinema.gov/BrooklineBounty.