This Webinar series focuses on how parents can support their children in caring for their changing bodies, navigating relationships, understanding privacy and boundaries, and maintaining safety of their bodies. The series addresses the unique needs of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities and special healthcare needs providing information and strategies to support your children as they grow and mature. This series is presented by Allison Wiest/Maine Parent Federation and Lynette Johnson/Maine Family Planning.

Lyme Disease Awareness Month 2026

The 2026 Lyme Disease Awareness Month theme is: Tick Free Zone

Maine CDC observes Lyme Disease Awareness Month during May each year. This is a time to encourage everyone to enjoy the outdoors while staying tick free. 

On January 5, 2026, the Acting Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) signed a decision memorandum that reduced the number of immunizations routinely recommended for all children on the U.S. CDC Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. 

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Some people are at higher risk of serious complications due to influenza. There are two main types of influenza viruses: A and B. The influenza A and B viruses that routinely spread in people (human influenza viruses) are responsible for seasonal epidemics each year. 

RSV is a respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Healthy people typically recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious for infants or older adults. RSV is most common in the fall and winter months.

Symptoms

People with RSV usually show symptoms 4 to 6 days after getting infected. Common RSV symptoms include:

Pertussis is a respiratory illness commonly known as whooping cough and caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough can be very serious, especially in infants.

About

Whooping cough is a very contagious disease only found in humans and spreads easily from person-to-person. When a person with whooping cough sneezes or coughs, they release small particles with the bacteria in them. Other people can then breathe in the bacteria.

Activity Summary

The respiratory virus activity level categorizes the percentage of emergency department (ED) visits for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV into five activity levels. These activity levels are very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. This uses methodologies adopted from U.S. CDC's Level of Respiratory Illness Activity.