It's Tick Time!  Protect your family

Rabies vaccination for cats and dogs scheduled for May 31

Free Skin Cancer screening set for Sunday, May 4

Don't flush medications down the toilet—dispose of them safely

WWHD Informs Public on Tuberculosis Health Advisory

WWHD Encourages Residents to test homes for Radon

WWHD Alerts Residents on Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

What you should know about MRSA

Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities - Are YOU Ready?

School Emergency Preparedness - Are YOU Ready?

September is Emergency Preparedness Month - Are YOU Ready?

WWHD Asks Local Businesses: Are YOU Ready?

Thank you for reporting Lyme Disease

WWHD and TB Screening

Shingles Vaccine now available to those over sixty

Policy on Tick Testing

WWHD reminds parents to take action to protect your family

Spring is here and the Health District encourages parents to be on the alert for ticks – peak season is from April to September. Children are at particularly high risk! The incidence of Lyme disease is higher in children under the age of 10 than in any other age group.

Most cases of Lyme disease are associated with the nymphal stage of the deer tick. Nymphs are small (about the size of a pinhead), difficult to spot, and are active during the late spring and summer months when you and your family spend more time outdoors.

Yard play and camping activities are high on the list of childhood options and should be encouraged and enjoyed. By using recommended personal protection techniques consistently, you can assure that you and your children can enjoy the wonders of nature without fear of Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses. Learn about the strategies recommended by Westport Weston Health District to decrease your exposure risk or if you have questions you can contact Monica Wheeler, RN at 227-9571 ext 242.

Get your pet vaccinated for rabies

Has your dog or cat been vaccinated for rabies? The Westport Weston Health District and the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association are holding a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic for dogs and cats on Saturday, May 31, 2008 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Westport Weston Health District, 180 Bayberry Lane, Westport. Connecticut law requires all dogs and cats three months of age or older to be vaccinated against rabies.

Rabies is a public health threat so it is important to protect your pets from this virus. Vaccinated pets are the most effective method of preventing the spread of rabies from area wildlife to domestic animals and their human caretakers.

The cost for vaccination is $15 per animal, cash only. There is no residency requirement. All dogs must be on leashes and cats must be in carriers. Pet owners who are on public assistance are permitted to have one pet vaccinated at no charge by showing their State Public Assistance Identification Cards to the Clinic Coordinator.

Bring the animal’s prior vaccination records, if available. Written proof, either a valid rabies certificate or dog license showing a prior vaccination, must be presented to qualify for a three-year vaccination. Otherwise, a one-year vaccination will be given. Collar tags and certificates of vaccination will be provided.

Rabies is a viral infection that attacks the central nervous system of warm- blooded animals. The virus is transmitted in the saliva of infected animals, usually through a skin puncture or open wound. It is fatal to both animals and humans if left untreated. Post exposure vaccinations are available for humans but must be given before the onset of symptoms, as there is no cure once symptoms appear.

WWHD Offers Free Skin Cancer Screenings

Dr. Robin Oshman and Fellows of the American Academy of Dermatology Team Up to Provide Screenings

The Westport Weston Health District, Dr. Robin Oshman and the American Academy of Dermatology team up to celebrate National Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention month by providing full body skin cancer screenings on Sunday, May 4, from 9 – 10 a.m., at the Health District, 180 Bayberry Lane, Westport. Screenings are free and open to individuals who previously have not been screened in this clinic. Children and teenagers are encouraged to attend this screening. No appointment is necessary. All participants at the Health District by 10:00 a.m. will be screened.

“Dr. Robin Oshman has been coordinating our skin cancer screenings for over 18 years,” said Sue Jacozzi, Director of Health at the Westport Weston Health District. “This is a monumental task – coordinating the screening, recruiting doctors – and the health district is very appreciative of her commitment to the screenings and to the Westport Weston Health District. We would not be able to provide this service without her.”

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, affecting 1 out of every 7 Americans. It is curable if detected and removed. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays appears to be the most important environmental factor in developing skin cancer. Building safe sun habits into your daily routine is easier than you think. Simple and effective protection practices are:

  • Dress appropriately, wear long sleeve shirt, pants, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
  • Avoid being in the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are the strongest.
  • Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater on all exposed skin, and apply at least 20 minutes before going outside.
  • Use sunscreen that protects for UVA and UVB.
  • Reapply sunscreen after swimming, perspiring heavily, or drying skin with a towel.

The Health District encourages anyone who has never been tested for skin cancer to utilize this free screening. Individuals will be referred for further medical attention if needed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 1, 2007

WWHD Alerts Residents on Hazards of Flushing Unwanted Medications down Drains and Toilets

Westport Weston Health District (WWHD) alerts residents on the hazards of flushing unwanted medications down drains and toilets. “Disposal via the toilet takes your medications into the local sewage system. Modern water treatment plants are not fully designed to deal with medication disposal,” said Sue Jacozzi, WWHD Director of Health.

The long-term health risks posed by consumption of even minute quantities of these medications in drinking water, and the full extent of environmental damage remain under investigation. Pouring the medications into drains is no better than flushing them down the toilet. They still end up in the same place. If your home uses a septic system, there is a chance that the drugs might leach into the local waters, like a nearby lake or stream, or even out onto your own property, where pets, livestock or wildlife could be at risk.

The following are recommendations to properly dispose your unwanted medications:

  • •Keep Medications in its original container.
  • Modify the medications to discourage consumption (i.e., add salt, pungent spice, or kitty litter).
  • Seal the container with duct tape to prevent leaks and breakage. Do not conceal medicines in food products because animals could inadvertently consume them.
  • Discard the container in your trash can. Do not recycle.

For more information on disposal of medicinal supplements download a fact sheet from the CT Department of Public Health Web Site.

WWHD Informs Public on Tuberculosis Health Advisory

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a health advisory after an international passenger flying on an American Airlines carrier was diagnosed with Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB).

Tuberculosis is a bacterium that can cause chronic pneumonia, and in some cases disseminated disease. It is easily spread through coughing, sneezing or even talking. Prolonged exposure to tuberculosis such as prisons and crowded homeless shelters in countries where the disease is endemic (native to that area), puts one at risk of contracting the disease.

If you plan to travel to countries and think you might be exposed, the CDC recommends you get tested before departing and 8-10 weeks after returning. If the TB screening test is positive, it does not mean that you have tuberculosis; further confirmatory tests are needed, such as a Chest X-ray and a sputum culture. In some instances, tuberculosis can be latent with no obvious symptoms, but anytime conversion to highly infectious active TB can occur.

In addition, Westport Weston Health District (WWHD) recommends that you test your children’s caretakers/nannies when they arrive from a foreign country to ensure their safety and your kids’ safety.

If you have concerns or you would like to be screened for tuberculosis, the health district offers TB screening at a cost of $20. The screening test is administered under the skin of the forearm and needs to be checked within 48 to 72 hours for a reaction (redness or swelling).

To find out more about Tuberculosis and endemic areas check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web Site: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-TB.aspx  

WWHD Encourages Residents to Test Homes for Radon

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has designated the month of January, National Radon Action Month. Radon is a cancer causing gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers according to the EPA. Unfortunately, you cannot see, smell, or taste radon if it is present in your home.

Depending on how houses are built and ventilated, radon may accumulate in basements and dwellings. According to the EPA’s statistics, one out of 15 homes has a high level of indoor radon. Fairfield County, CT is located in a high zone for radon, and the Westport Weston Health District (WWHD) would like to inform you of ways to get your home tested. Do-it-yourself test kits are available in limited quantities at WWHD, 180 Bayberry Lane, Westport. Please call 227-9571, ext 241 to arrange to pick up a kit. WWHD also provides $12 coupons if you wish to purchase the kit from the Connecticut American Lung Association Web Site at www.alact.org or by calling 1-800-LUNG-USA. Also, some hardware or drug stores may carry the kits.

If you prefer, you can look into hiring a professional to test your home. Keep in mind, the best season to test is the winter season. Since radon has been found all across the United States with high amounts in our area, the Health District advises you to take precautionary actions by testing to ensure the safety of your family and loved ones.

If high levels of radioactive Radon are detected in your home (equals to or more than 4 Picocurie/Liter), EPA recommends certain Radon reduction techniques, for more information about these methods check http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon

WWHD Alerts Residents on Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning claims nearly 500 lives, and causes more than 15,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms annually. CO is a colorless, odorless and deadly gas released from incomplete burning of fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil, kerosene, coal or wood. Carbon monoxide is produced by common household appliances, such as water heaters, stoves/ovens and charcoal fires.

When not properly ventilated, CO emitted by these appliances can build up. This silent killer gas replaces oxygen molecules carried by the red blood cells reducing oxygen saturation. Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning such as headaches , dizziness, nausea , and fatigue , are often mistaken for the flu because the deadly gas goes undetected in a home. Prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and even death. To prevent CO poisoning, Westport Weston Health District advises all residents to take proper measures such as installing a CO detector in their homes, checking and servicing heating systems, chimneys and gas appliances yearly, not using kerosene heaters inside the house, never going to bed with a fire burning or smoldering, and not running cars, generators, lawn mowers, snow blowers in closed spaces such as a garage or basement.

If you suspect CO in your home, leave immediately; call 911 or CT Poison Control Center (800-222-1222); call local fire department to test for carbon monoxide.

For more information please check the Connecticut Department of Public Health CO Fact sheet: http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/eoha/pdf/co.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OCT. 17,2007

What you should know about community-associated Methicillin-resistant Stayphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Staphylococcus aureus or Staph bacteria are normally found on the skin or in the nose of about one-third of healthy people. If you have staph on your skin or in your nose but aren't sick, you are said to be "colonized" and not infected with MRSA. Staph bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through skin cuts and wounds; they are the most common cause of skin infections such as boils and pimples.

People with a weak immune system or those in hospitals, dialysis centers, nursing homes, and other health care facilities are most vulnerable to MRSA infections. The healthcare-associated staph infections include: surgical wound infections, septicemia (blood infection), urinary tract infections, and respiratory tract infections (pneumonia).

 “MRSA infections emerged initially in hospitals, which is a more serious infection than community-associated MRSA. If you see a boil that looks like a spider bite surrounded by ruddy skin you need to see your doctor” said Dr. Stu Steinman the Westport Weston Health District (WWHD) medical advisor.

Resistant staph strains can be treated with antibiotics. It is imperative if diagnosed with MRSA to complete the full course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. If you fail to complete it there is a possibility that the infection might recur and even worsen.  

WWHD recommends proper hygiene practices to avoid contracting MRSA infection:

  • Wash hands with soap and water rubbing for a minimum of 20 seconds; if using a hand sanitizer it should be alcohol based.
  • Keep cuts, boils, lesions and wounds clean and covered until healed
  • Avoid contact with other people’s wounds, wound secretions, or bandages.
  •  Avoid sharing personal items like towels, razors and athletic equipment.
  • Wipe health club equipment with a sanitizer after use, if you needed to share equipment.

For more information about community-associated MRSA please check the following CDC link.  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPT. 21, 2007

Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities

The Westport Weston Health District has launched its “Are YOU Ready?” campaign to encourage every resident and business to be prepared before any emergency occurs. If you or a loved one is someone with disability or special needs, Westport Weston Health District strongly encourages you to consider how this may influence your emergency plans and supplies. If assistance will be needed to evacuate from your home in an emergency, pre-register yourself or loved one on the health district’s Emergency Evacuation List. This list is maintained in a confidential manner and will be used by emergency planners and first responders during an emergency only.

If you are responsible for a person with disability, evaluate the capabilities, limitations, needs and surroundings to determine if and what type of support may be needed in an emergency. Hearing impaired may need to make special arrangements to make sure they receive emergency warnings. Mobility impaired individuals may need assistance to get to a shelter or to evacuate from buildings. Elevators will not work in power outages.

Westport Weston Health District also advises you to:

  • Contact and register with utility companies to receive priority consideration for return to service or for amplified or enhanced equipment to receive emergency warnings.
  • Contact service or equipment providers to obtain backup supplies to be used during emergencies.
  • Keep a 7-14 day supply of necessary medications on hand at all times. Be sure to make provisions for medications that require refrigeration.
  • Keep a record with medical conditions, medications and dosages, allergies,  medical insurance, pharmacy, and physicians
  • Keep a list of the type and model numbers of any medical devices required Keep specialized items ready, including extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, service animal supplies and any other needed items
  • Make sure service animals are registered and have a service tag
  • Store adequate foods for special dietary needs in your emergency food supplies

If you are a person with a disability, be prepared and pre-register by calling 227-9571.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPT. 14, 2007

Are YOU Ready? School Emergency Preparedness

When a disaster hits, there will be no time to think, and barely enough time to act. Therefore, we should all be prepared to do whatever is necessary for our safety. We want the schools and daycares to be a safe haven for the most vulnerable members of our community; our beloved children.

Schools may face many crises, ranging from terrorism to natural disasters to locally created chaos, such as gun shootings. Preparedness should not be customized to one event; it should be an all hazard plan that aims at protecting lives, reducing damage, and preserving the well being of the people. Each school in Westport Weston has developed their own crisis plan that is tailored to the community needs and modeled to serve the local population. The school administrators, teachers and staff have learnt and practiced the plan so they can participate in helping guide the children, give them reassurance, reduce their fear and anxiety in case of an emergency.

The Westport Weston Health District urges the parents to include their children in emergency family planning. Teach them how to get help and what to do in different situations, how to maintain a supply kit and how to pack their ready-to-go bag, how to communicate, where to meet and who to call, and quiz them about preparedness information.

As a parent, be prepared for emergencies. Gather information about your children’s school or day care facility. Find out their emergency plans, where you can pick your child up during an evacuation. Ensure that the school has up-to-date contact information for you and at least one other relative or friend. Find out how you can authorize a friend or relative to pick up your child in an emergency.  

The Westport Weston Health District salutes the schools in Westport and Weston for developing, maintaining, and practicing a preparedness plan to protect our children and staff from preventable harm. Don’t get scared, be prepared! 

For more detailed information, please check www.ready.gov or www.fema.gov/kids/

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  SEPT. 10, 2007

September is Emergency Preparedness Month - Are YOU Ready?

The Westport Weston Health District (WWHD) is launching a community- wide campaign to promote a "culture of preparedness" among residents and businesses.  During the next several months “Are YOU Ready?” official guides, press releases, programs and events will focus on helping residents and businesses be informed, make emergency plans, and maintain emergency supplies so as to "be ready" to respond during an emergency.

WWHD invites groups or organizations to schedule "Are YOU Ready?” presentations for their members by calling Ghada Makuch at 227-9571, ext. 241. Residents and business owners are encouraged to visit www.ready.gov for additional emergency preparedness information.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  SEPT. 10, 2007

WWHD Asks Local Businesses: Are YOU Ready?

In the light of the last terrorist attack on the US, the month of September is declared Emergency Preparedness Month. Having a plan in place to protect yourself and property is the right thing to do before you face an emergency situation. Whether a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, being ready is not only required for homes and families or schools and daycares, it is also required for businesses. Being prepared at the workplace involves assessing the risk of a disaster’s impact, and taking the appropriate steps to minimize the loss and damage and to salvage the absolute necessities. 

If a disaster hits, are you ready to shelter in your business place? Do you have enough food and water supply? Do you know where to go in case you were required to evacuate your workplace? Do you have a property protection plan? Do you have a recovery plan? What would you do if your business place became inaccessible? All these questions every business should have answers for.

The Westport Weston Health District urges every business in Westport and Weston to:

  • Develop and practice a plan to protect personnel and important documents
  • Prepare back ups of all computer records and store offsite
  • Maintain sufficient insurance coverage for your business
  • Identify critical business functions that should not be interrupted and develop a process to ensure they continue.
  • Store important documents and records in a fire protected safe or off-site.

For more information on Emergency Preparedness to get your business prepared please visit:

http://www.ready.gov/business/

http://www.fema.gov/business/guide/index.shtm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  AUG 6, 2007

Thank you for reporting Lyme Disease!

The Westport Weston Health District would like to recognize and thank those local physicians who have consistently reported the cases of Lyme disease they have diagnosed in their practices to the district. These physicians understand that it is their responsibility, under CT General Statutes and the Public Health Code, to report Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, in addition to many infectious or communicable diseases. And though inconvenient, these physicians have been willing to help WWHD monitor the trends in Lyme disease occurrence in our community. Thank you:

  • Internal Medicine Associates of Westport
  • Dermatology Associates
  • Westport Family Health
  • Dr. Robin Oshman, Dermatologist
  • Bay Street Pediatrics
  • Willows Pediatrics
  • Children’s Health Services (Weston)

Why is it so important for one’s doctor to report Lyme disease? There happens to be one very good reason – laboratory testing is not warranted nor recommended if a person develops the characteristic rash of Lyme disease. Consequently, since the rash occurs in greater than 70% of cases, more patients are treated for Lyme disease without testing than are being tested! And when laboratory tests are performed they are not always conclusive, often yielding false negatives and positives. Laboratory testing may support the presence of the disease, but physicians very often must rely on clinical factors such as symptoms, having found an engorged tick, where one lives and what activities a person may participate in that raises his or her risk of exposure to ticks.

WWHD’s Target Lyme Disease reminds residents to avoid tick habitats whenever possible, and to perform daily tick checks on themselves, their children and pets after spending time outdoors.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  JUNE 29, 2007

How the Westport Weston Health District would handle a resident with tuberculosis

Recently, a man traveling with active tuberculosis to Canada made the media headlines.  Should the man have resided in Westport or Weston, the Westport Weston Health District (WWHD) would have known what to do.

“One of the many services we provide in this community is TB screening,” said Sue Jacozzi, WWHD Director of Health.  “It is not unusual for the WWHD public health nurses to investigate, evaluate and track individuals with suspected or known cases of TB.”

When such situations arise, WWHD public health nurses will conduct a case interview with all family and close contacts, including au pairs/caretakers.  Testing is required, and can be conducted by the Health District or personal physician.  If the individual has a positive skin test, the Health District will refer him/her for diagnostic follow up and work with them and their physician to see that they are compliant with their medications and treatment plan.  In active TB cases, the Health District nurses may conduct direct observed therapy (watching the individual take their medications daily) until the treatment is completed or stopped.  Following two weeks of prescribed medications and three (3) negative sputums, a person is no longer considered infectious and may return to work and other activities.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a life threatening infection that primarily affects the lungs.  TB is spread through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs, talks, sings or sneezes.  Typically, tuberculosis affects people in crowded conditions, poverty and those with HIV.  TB is treatable and preventable. 

There are two types of TB: TB infection or latent TB which causes no symptoms and is not contagious; Active TB is when you are both contagious and symptomatic. Symptoms of active TB include:

  • A cough lasting three or more weeks that may produce discolored or bloody sputum
  • Unintended weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Slight fever
  • Night sweats
  • Chills
  • Loss of appetite
  • Pain with breathing or coughing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEB. 16, 2007

Shingles Vaccine available to those over sixty

The Westport Weston Health District has announced that  Zostivax, the shingles vaccine, is now available to Westport and Weston residents sixty years of age and older. The cost is $200 and methods of payment include cash, check, or Mastercard or Visa. At this time, Medicare does not cover the cost of the vaccine.   

Shingles, also called Herpes Zoster, is a painful rash, often with blisters.  The rash usually appears on one side of the face or body and lasts two to four weeks.  The most common and debilitating symptom is pain.  Other symptoms include headache, chills, and upset stomach.

Shingles is caused by the Varicella Zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.  Only someone who has had chickenpox or has received the chickenpox vaccine can get shingles. Also, you cannot catch shingles from a person with shingles. However, a person who has never had chickenpox (or the vaccine), can get chickenpox   from someone with shingles.  This is not very common.  

Shingles is more common in individuals over the age of fifty and those with weakened immune systems due to disease such as cancer or drugs such as high dose steroids or chemotherapy. It is estimated that at least one million people per year in the United States get shingles.

The shingles vaccine (Zostivax) is a live virus vaccine and was licensed for use in 2006.  The vaccine is contraindicated in persons who are allergic to neomycin or gelatin, those with a weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDS, steroids, leukemia, or chemotherapy, and those with active, untreated tuberculosis. In clinical trials, the vaccine prevented shingles in half of those over the age of sixty and also helped to reduce the pain associated with shingles.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 227-9571 X231, and ask to speak with Loren Pace, RN.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  DEC. 20, 2006

Policy on Tick Testing

As of January 1, 2006 the Westport Weston Health District (WWHD) will no longer submit unengorged ticks to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) for testing due to a change in CAES policy. WWHD will continue to identify ticks for residents and the fee is $10. There will be no additional fee to send engorged ticks to CAES for testing.

In the past thousands of the deer ticks submitted for testing were “flat” or unengorged. Research has shown that infected nymphs or adults do not transmit the Lyme disease agent until blood is engorged. The probability of pathogen transmission increases with time as more blood is ingested by the tick from the host. Obviously, this is why tick checks and early removal are so important to the avoidance of tick-borne illness. Find out more at the CAES website.

Tick testing is a costly and time-consuming process. This change in policy will greatly reduce laboratory costs, and more importantly, improve the reporting of results on the blood-fed ticks that are more likely to have transmitted the Lyme disease pathogen if infected.

There is an alternative available for tick testing. The CT Veterinary Diagnostic Lab will examine ticks for the presence of the pathogen that causes Lyme disease. The fee is $35 and ticks may be brought or sent (wrap tick in moist paper towel and seal in zip-lock bag) to Connecticut Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, University of Connecticut, 61 North Eagleville Rd., Storrs, CT 06269-3203. Results will be received in 1 – 2 days.