Health District Gets

Bio-Terrorism Grant

By Jan Howard

Director of Health Donna McCarthy told members of the Newtown District Department of Health Board of Directors on March 5 that the Newtown District Department of Health has received $7,000 of an $8,756.97 bio-terrorism grant from the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH).

The state DPH received the funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration

The purpose of the funding is to enhance the state’s bio-terrorism emergency response capacities, she said.

On November 4, the directors approved a resolution allowing Ms McCarthy to act in the board’s behalf in seeking the funding.

The grant calls for coordination with the DPH, attending workshops, completion of an assessment, development of a bio-terrorism emergency response plan, collaboration with state agencies to develop a regional response plan, filling one or more gaps identified in the assessment, and having staff receive education and training related to bio-terrorism preparedness and response.

Ms McCarthy noted she has attended workshops and is working locally on an emergency response plan.

She is also working with the part-time health director in Brookfield regarding planning for a smallpox mass vaccination clinic. The DPH has divided the state into 41 Smallpox Vaccination Clinic Regions. Region 7 includes Newtown, Brookfield, and Garner Correctional Facility.

“This is an ongoing effort,” Ms McCarthy said. She said planning for the clinic is periodically facilitated with meetings with the DPH and the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health.

“The clinics, if necessary, are to be set up to vaccinate approximately 50,000 people in ten days,” Ms McCarthy said. Because she is a full-time director, she is responsible for the Region 7 clinic, which would be set up at Newtown High School.

“It would only happen if there is a bio-terrorism event,” she said.

Planning includes bringing people to the school by bus from satellite locations, such as places with large parking areas, she said.

The clinic would operate two eight-hour shifts per day, or possibly three, if necessary, if sufficient volunteers are available. Approximately 120 volunteers per eight-hour shift would be necessary. Clinic days would alternate between Newtown and Brookfield.

For populations unable to get to the clinic, teams would provide vaccinations within their facilities. “We would bring a team to the correctional facility,” she said.

Ms McCarthy said that she and Medical Advisor Dr Thomas Draper have begun making presentations about smallpox and vaccinations to school nurses, churches, and clubs and organizations, such as the Rotary Club, St Rose, the Brookfield Local Emergency Planning Committee, Board of Education, and Board of Fire Commissioners. Sessions are being scheduled for each of the fire companies.

“The more groups of people we can talk to and educate, the better,” Ms McCarthy said. “The more informed our community is, the better.

“Hopefully, we’ll never have to activate the clinic,” she said. “Planning gets us ahead of the game. It’s reassuring to the community that we’re working on it.”

 “Screening for the vaccination is very specific as to who is eligible for it,” Dr Draper told the Board of Directors. “New data on the vaccinations is being kept. The CDC is concerned about adverse reactions so there is more information on possible side effects.”

In other business, Ms McCarthy reported on the NO SUDS subcommittee of the Prevention Council. NO SUDS is an acronym for Newtown Organization to Stop Underage Drinking Now.

She said the Health District is represented on the Prevention Council and the NO SUDS subcommittee. “The meetings are once or twice a month,” she said. “It’s a community issue that needs to be dealt with on a community level.”

A needs assessment is currently being done with a $40,000 grant from the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management to prevent youth from using alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. Newtown was one of only three towns to receive the grant.

Ms McCarthy reported that an oil spill from an underground tank at a private residence on Aunt Park Lane in February resulted in identifying eight homes that will initially have their water tested for evidence of contamination.

“Depending on the result of that sampling, we will decide if further sampling is necessary,” she said.

In regard to Lyme disease prevention, Ms McCarthy said the Health District “will continue with what we are doing,” such as spraying programs and bait boxes at the schools and parks and information. She noted her department would work with the schools, Parks and Recreation, Lyme Disease Task Force, and others in prevention efforts.

Dr Draper said that because of all the moisture this winter, “I think we can anticipate a more active season.”

Ms McCarthy said the Health District would continue its program of collecting ticks from residents and sending them out for testing, adding that the testing of ticks is not for diagnostic purposes. “It does not take the place of going to the doctor.”

She said the tick collection program “has been an excellent opportunity for the Health District staff to have one-on-one contact with people,” she said. 

Dr Draper advised parents to practice prevention continuously by having their children wear appropriate clothing and recognizing and removing ticks. “Prevention and early treatment is an ongoing process,” he noted.

He said he is continuing to work with the schools to collect ticks. “The nymph is the major culprit. If it is engorged, it raises the potential for infection.” He noted, however, “Not all bites lead to Lyme disease.”

Ms McCarthy said, “Our most important job is to work on prevention and early treatment.” Maggie Shaw of the Lyme Disease Task Force is expected to attend the next board meeting.

The Health District staff is also working to promote a local issue each month, Ms McCarthy said, such as blood donation through the American Red Cross in January and Healthy Hearts Month in February. This month the department is helping with a food drive for the Salvation Army Food Pantry located at the Social Services office at 3 Main Street.

“Together we can reach more people,” Ms McCarthy said. “Food supplies are low. More and more people are accessing food pantries.”