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From The Health Director—

Pandemic Flu, Deer, Ticks, Fitness Challenge All On The Health Department’s Agenda

By Donna M. Culbert,

Director of Health

Editor’s note: Due to space constraints, this column which normally appears in this week’s Health Monitor insert is being run in the print edition of The Bee.

The Newtown Health District just held our 15th annual Health Fair at Newtown Middle School, and lucked out with beautiful sunshine to illuminate this important event. We paralleled record numbers of exhibitors and valuable health screenings, as always, all for free.

Free health screenings were provided by local licensed practitioners and included blood pressure screening by the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance, the Bethel VNA, Parish Nurse Program for St Rose and Newtown Congregational Churches and Danbury Hospital; posture and scoliosis screening by Dr Schmid of Colonial Chiropractic Centre; hearing screening by Dr Carol Maksimow of Hearing Aid Specialist of Connecticut; cholesterol screening by Impact Health from the Newtown Health District; vision and cataract screening by Dr Moore and Dr Young thanks to the Newtown Lions Club; and skin cancer screening by Dr William Notaro.

There were many organizations and businesses highlighting health and safety. With all the support and information that is available, the basic message applies to everyone. Good nutrition and increased physical activity will help us improve our overall health.

There are many, many opportunities available, regardless of whether it is structured (studio, trainer, gym, class) or independent (walking, individual activity or sport, Internet-based or local library), high tech or low. Getting started (or keeping active if you already started) is about keeping your efforts and goals “do-able.” If you need some help or ideas, check out the rest of this edition of Health Monitor, “It’s in here,” or visit the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department, or you can always surf the net.

While you are out there getting your fresh air activity, don’t forget to be aware of the ticks. Even though the weather is changing, the ticks are still looking for a warm body. Tick activity may seem slower in the colder weather, but you are never completely out of the woods (no pun intended).

Folks tend to forget about ticks when the leaves fall, but they are out there. Because we live in an area where the ticks are persistent and disease carrying, we must always be on the lookout for the tick itself, the tell-tale rash, which does not always show on every person, and most importantly, we must be cognizant of how we are feeling. I cannot emphasize this enough. Symptoms from tick-borne illness can vary in severity and in type from person to person.

Any illness or disease left unchecked in the human body can wreak havoc. Don’t delay a conversation and/or an appointment with your health care provider whenever you suspect a problem; left untreated, you may have serious and long-term health problems.

With that said, there are a few things I’d like to alert you to — plans for discussion and action of issues that can or will affect you, and you will be hearing about in the coming months. Pandemic flu, deer, and fitness challenges. That’s a pretty good range of ideas!

Pandemic Flu. As you probably know, pandemic influenza is a worldwide outbreak of a strain of influenza virus for which people have little or no immunity. This could happen if a strain of flu mutates into a strain that our bodies have not encountered. During an influenza pandemic, the flu virus spreads easily from person to person, causes serious illness and can sweep across the world in a very short time. The 20th Century saw three pandemics of influenza, including the Spanish Flu of 1918, which caused at least 500,000 United States deaths and up to 40 million deaths worldwide.

 

Taking Preventative Steps

Steps the public can take now to improve their level of preparedness are as follows:

*Become even more diligent about good hygiene. Washing your hands frequently is one of the best ways to protect yourself from any kind of infectious disease. Also, it is important to cough into a tissue or sleeve instead of into your hands and keep your hands away from your nose and mouth. Perform the basics now and make them second nature to you and your family if and when a pandemic occurs.

*Improve your overall health. The healthier you are, the more resistant your body is to disease, so there is no time like the present to have that regular physical checkup. Keep your immunizations — and those of your loved ones — up to date; stop using tobacco, moderate your alcohol intake, and develop better eating and exercise habits.

*Create your family preparedness plan. Pandemic flu planning for individuals and families is not all that different from planning in advance for natural or human-created disasters such as hurricanes or terror attacks. Have a two-week supply of food and water on hand at all times. Have a “cash stash.” Prepare a family communications plan.

*Here’s my personal recommendation: Get to know your neighbors; create your safety network. During an emergency, it is important that we look out for one another. These days, our lives are so busy, and there are fewer sidewalks and opportunities to “run into” our neighbors. Reach out to your neighbors. Let them know who you are; you don’t want to wait until a dire situation to get acquainted.

Another terrific website for preparedness: www.ready.gov

There will be additional educational sessions in the community about preparing for a pandemic flu and how to treat seasonal or pandemic flu at home.

Deer and the potential impact they have on our community is another hot topic to look forward to.

Fairfield County, and much of the state, has been looking at how the deer impact our environment, our safety, and our health. Overpopulation of deer can affect the plant and animal life in our woodlands, wreak havoc on our roadways with motor vehicle accidents, and play a critical role in the tick life cycle.

Ticks are a big concern of mine. Although deer don’t carry the bacteria that cause Lyme, they do carry dozens and sometimes hundreds of the actual ticks on their bodies. Those ticks then lay thousands of eggs and the cycle goes on. Newtown needs to look at its deer population and understand its impact.

It has been recommended that a deer study group be formed that will look at the deer population with consideration to the environment, public safety, and public health here in Newtown. The data gathering and sharing process will be presented to the public for discussion, comment and possible action. Stay tuned for information and opportunities to share your questions and thoughts on this important topic.

On Hundred Days to a Healthier Heart Challenge. Plans are in the making but will be revealed quite soon for a 100-day initiative to help the entire community achieve better cardiovascular health. The 100-day period will run from the week before Thanksgiving to the last weekend in February, and will coincide with the Second Annual Hearts for Harmon health expo and fundraiser.

We are teaming up with The Newtown Bee and participating health facilities, personal trainers, instructors, and nutritionists in our community to help anyone and everyone (including me!) to get on track or stay on track with goals to be healthy and active during the holiday and winter months.

This is a great opportunity to tap into valuable activities and nutrition information that will match your interests.

Please keep reading The Bee and the town website, www.newtown-ct.gov, as we will be releasing details on how you can be involved and benefit from all the talent and expertise our area has to offer for your health!

If you have any questions or would like help finding more detailed information on emergency preparedness, pandemic flu, tick bite prevention or any other health related issue, contact the Newtown Health District office at 270-4291 or email newtownhd@earthlink.net.

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