UCHD media

06/25/2022

your home for safety: After filling out your Home Hazard Hunt, make necessary corrections as soon as possible. Prevention is the best first aid. Download this brochure from Be Ready for the Home Hazard Hunt checklist: http://ow.ly/5nva30rRduV

06/16/2022

A bat found on June 11 at the Southeast corner of Thompson Park in Longmont, near Fourth Avenue and Pratt Street, has tested positive for rabies.

Public health officials recommend that the following precautions be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to rabies:

• DO NOT handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. Contact animal control to collect the animal.
• Thoroughly wash any wound caused by an animal with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
• Keep vaccinations current for all dogs, cats and ferrets. Keep cats and ferrets inside and dogs under direct supervision.
• Contact your local public health department or animal control if people or pets have been bitten or exposed to a bat.
• Attempt to contain the bat and then contact your local animal control officer to assist with capturing the bat and delivering it for testing.

For information about rabies, visit https://www.BoulderCountyRabies.org

04/09/2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed a backyard flock detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Pitkin County, Colorado. This finding is the first case of HPAI in domestic poultry in Colorado and confirmed cases can be tracked at ag.colorado.gov/hpai

If you are a backyard flock owner, it’s critical to increase your biosecurity measures by keeping your flock closed (not introducing new birds), decreasing interactions between domestic and wild birds, and keeping feed away from wild birds. Please report any sick or dead birds to the State Veterinarian’s office at 303-869-9130.

03/09/2022

02/11/2022

Vaccines can protect you from serious illness and death from COVID-19. But DYK that after being vaccinated, you should STILL:

😷 Wear a mask
↔️ Keep a safe distance
🪟 Open windows
🤧 Cough/sneeze into your elbow
👐 Keep hands clean
to stop the virus? Here’s why ⬇️

01/08/2022

EXTENDED Air Quality Advisory: Cold and stagnant weather conditions in the Grand Valley have allowed fine particulate matter to climb into the 'Moderate' category on Saturday.

Mesa County Public Health recommends people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children in the area to reduce prolonged or heavy indoor and outdoor exertion.
See more information on our website,
https://bit.ly/3JNIfPB.

01/05/2022

Tips for Safe Cleanup After a Fire

Everyone impacted by the and should assume debris and ash contain hazardous materials and take the following precautions:

• Stay indoors or leave the burn area on windy days.
• Keep doors and windows closed.
• For homes with central air, check air filters regularly and replace when visibly soiled.
• Use rugs inside and outside entrances to catch any possible debris on shoes.
• Avoid tracking debris into the house; remove shoes.
• Wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when cleaning ash – N95 or equivalent mask, latex or nitrile gloves, and eye protection.
• Use a damp mop or cloth to clean away visible dust in the house.
• Do not use harsh chemical cleaners or vinegar as they can react with chemicals in the ash. Soap and water are adequate to clean ash from hard surfaces.
• Soft surfaces and fabrics should be laundered or discarded.
• Use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter system.
• For exterior cleaning, spray with water – do not sweep ash and consider wearing an N95 or equivalent mask or respirator.

More information: https://www.boco.org/marshallfire

01/03/2022

Are you prepared for a positive COVID-19 test?

01/02/2022

Here are some important steps for staying healthy after a fire

Do not disturb ash or debris from fires!

An N95 or equivalent mask is strongly recommended when you’re cleaning your home and if you’re outdoors in burn areas.

• PLEASE NOTE: Most face coverings worn to protect against COVID-19 are not adequate to protect against the fine ash particles created by a fire.

Wipe surfaces with a damp cloth and avoid harsh chemical cleaners – stick with soap and water.

Only use vacuum cleaners with a HEPA filter.

If you are considering purchasing an air filtration unit, be sure that is has a HEPA filter.

Take off your shoes before entering your home to avoid spreading ash.

Get your HVAC ducts professionally cleaned as soon as you can.

• Replace your HVAC filters as soon as they appear soiled.

• Use the highest level of filtration recommended by the manufacturer.

• Consider an activated carbon pre-filter to reduce odors.

Test your fire and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure that they work properly.

If you are using a combustion space heater, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s guidance for ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide exposure.

• Never leave the house or sleep while combustion space heaters are operating.

Thoroughly check all visible plumbing fixtures and piping for leaks and be alert for signs of broken pipes inside the walls – especially exterior walls.

• Visit https://www.bouldercounty.org/environment/air/wildfire-air-quality-and-health/ for more information on the potential health impacts of exposure to fire smoke.

• Visit https://www.bouldercounty.org/safety/fire/safe-cleanup-after-a-fire/ for more information on how to safely clean up after a fire.

01/01/2022

12/27/2021

Hospital stays can be expensive, but COVID-19 vaccines are free. Help protect yourself from being hospitalized with COVID-19 by getting vaccinated.

Find your vaccine: www.vaccines.gov.

12/17/2021

12/06/2021

Be healthy for all of your holiday adventures and parties🎄
Grab a friend and commit to one new healthy behavior this season. Double bonus if you get a flu or COVID-19 shot now so you'll be protected by Christmas.

12/03/2021

Some people, who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, will still get sick because no vaccine is 100% effective—these are called breakthrough cases.

All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States are very effective at preventing COVID-19 and decrease your chances of severe illness and hospitalization.

Visit https://health.mesacounty.us/covid19/datadashboard/ for local COVID-19 case data in Mesa County.

11/20/2021

Pregnant women who become infected with the delta variant are at increased risk of a stillbirth or dying during childbirth, according to two new studies

11/18/2021

They’re still heroes. Now it’s your turn.
Protect Colorado’s health care resources by wearing a mask, washing your hands, watching your distance, and waiting to join large gatherings. Stay up to date on routine care.
Make plans to get your flu shot, your COVID-19 vaccine booster, or your child’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine today. Learn about getting a flu vaccine during COVID-19 at https://bit.ly/3vVjZVk

11/13/2021

Q: Are pets getting sick from COVID?

A: TL, DR. Yes, pets and other animals can get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Most of these pets that get sick with COVID-19 have mild illness and fully recover. However, people with COVID-19 should still act in a way to protect pets from infection.

A recent study out of the UK demonstrated a large increase in myocarditis (heart inflammation) among dogs and cats (from 1.5% to 12.5% of pets) during December 2020 to March 2021, coinciding with the surge of the alpha variant. Many of the owners of the sick pets also became sick with COVID-19 in the month or two before the pets got ill (and about half of the pets themselves tested positive for either the alpha variant of the virus or the antibodies). While myocarditis among pets in the UK has returned to pre-COVID levels, the possibility of viral mutation and health effects of the virus in other species is something we are watching closely.

Here are some tips to help you protect your pets:
• Pet owners and their household members should get vaccinated if eligible.
• If someone in your household has COVID-19, they should isolate from all other people and animals. If isolation is not possible, people with COVID-19 should avoid snuggling, petting, and sharing the same bed with their pets. In addition, they should wash their hands well before and after interaction with their pets.
• Pets should have limited contact with unvaccinated people outside of the household.
• Do not put a mask on your pet.
• Do not wipe your pet down with disinfectants, hand sanitizer or other surface cleaners. Talk to your vet for guidance on proper care of your animal.

Thankfully, there seems to be low risk of pets spreading COVID-19 to humans. In addition, pets do not appear to spread the virus from skin, fur, or hair.

Tips for protecting your pet from COVID.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/covid-19/pets.html

Uptick in myocarditis in dogs and cats.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-linked-heart-inflammation-cats-dogs-rcna4319

Prior post on risk of getting COVID-19 from dogs:

https://www.facebook.com/dearpandemic/posts/201193291509326

11/13/2021

“"The most important job the surgeon general has is to make sure that he or she is doing everything possible to help people around our country stay healthy and safe." Watch TFK Kid Reporter Lucy's interview with Dr. Vivek Murthy https://t.co/rcxGtwvbAM https://t.co/siuRd5fZAP”

11/11/2021

More than 22 million infants around the world missed their first dose of the measles vaccine during the pandemic.

11/10/2021

The recent rise in unvaccinated patients with COVID-19 is taking a toll on hospital staff. The commitment that they have to provide care for these people deserves widespread encouragement, support that helps morale, and what they really need is higher vaccination rates. If you are unvaccinated, a regular trip to the grocery store, a night out to dinner are more dangerous than they have been at any point during this pandemic. So, please get vaccinated and make the right choices, not just for us, but for them.

11/09/2021

! Let's take a quick together. If you've been feeling particularly lonely throughout the pandemic, you're not as alone as you thought! Here are some tips for reducing that sense of .

📚 Read more posts from the COVID-19: Managing the Mental Mayhem blog at boco.org/MentalMayhem

🌧 Reduce and Manage Loneliness 🌧

As we continue coping with , we may find ourselves feeling more and more isolated. We can reach out by phone, videoconference, or physically distanced outings, yet we may still feel lonely.

Loneliness is different than isolation. means we are physically separated from others. Loneliness means we feel sadness because we are without friends or companionship. We may also feel lonely because our relationships do not seem meaningful. In fact, research has shown that frequent loneliness is most often associated with dissatisfaction with one’s family, social and/or community life.

Remember that loneliness is a natural response to ongoing isolation and social uncertainty. This is especially true when we are missing meaningful relationships and life experiences.

Try these tips to help reduce and manage loneliness:

1 - Take a moment and identify the people in your life who are meaningful to you. How often are you in contact with them? What methods of contact do you have with them? (phone, video, in-person, email, text, letters) Which methods of contact leave you feeling most connected to them? Now, make a schedule for yourself that includes regular contact with each of the people you have identified. When you reach out, utilize the answers to these questions to guide your experience together.

2 - Take a moment and identify the activities in your life that bring you fulfillment and satisfaction. Make a list or menu of the activities that you could still pursue during the pandemic. You may need to be creative and rework some of your activities to fit current safety needs.

3 - Re-connect with friends from your past or lookup relatives that you do not yet know or have not seen for a long time. This is a great time to reach out because we are all adjusting to new life demands.

4 - Learn something new. Occupy and nourish your mind by learning a new hobby, skill, language or concept. Take advantage of a little extra time to yourself.

5 - Change the idea of “ ” to “ .” We can be physically apart yet socially connected.

6 - Acknowledge your strengths and accomplishments. You've done a lot to make it this far, and that deserves some positive thinking.

Wishing you good health, comfort and connection,

Dr. Lori Kleinman

10/12/2021

DYK? COVID-19 and flu can both cause fever, cough, and body aches. However, shortness of breath and loss of taste or smell are more common with COVID-19 than with flu. Use this chart to learn some more similarities and differences between COVID-19 and flu.

For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/2LxknGF.

10/11/2021

I like the way this is represented

In New Zealand, as in all countries with reasonable COVID vaccination rates, COVID is becoming a disease of the unvaccinated.

Graph by on Twitter. Source in comments

10/08/2021

Vaccination (and vaccine science!) is nothing new.

Vaccines have been protecting people from dangerous, sometimes deadly diseases for hundreds of years. Thanks to vaccines, we've even seen the global elimination and near-elimination of diseases like smallpox and polio.

We don't hear much about these diseases anymore because !

10/06/2021

10/05/2021

💥 Scientists recently did something pretty cool (okay, *Nerdy* cool).

They put COVID-19 infected people in a room and measured how much virus was in the air under different conditions.

❓What did they find?

TL;DR:
➡️ The more virus the person had in their nose, the more was in the room (shocker!)
➡️ HEPA FILTRATION reduced viral load in the air the most
➡️ Increased VENTILATION (air exchanges per hour) also reduced viral load
➡️ Higher relative HUMIDITY reduced the viral load in the air

The study recruited 11 participants that were diagnosed with COVID-19 and studied each for 3 days in a “controlled chamber.” They collected both biological and environmental samples to test for viral load.

Each participant conducted a cough test, speak test, and "speak loudly" test at the beginning of each day, followed by carrying out regular office activities under different combinations of filtration, outdoor air exchange and relative humidity levels.

💥 HEPA filtration had the biggest impact on reducing aerosol viral load. HEPA filters reduced the aerosol viral load *10-fold* compared to control conditions.

➡️ Look for a unit with a HEPA filter and a clean air delivery rate, or CADR, of 300 cubic feet per minute (not hour) or better, without extra bells and whistles.

You can also try a DIY Air purifier:
https://dearpandemic.org/making-an-air-purifier/

❓Why is humidity important? Aerosols evaporate more readily at lower humidity and can stay airborne longer longer.

💥 Humidifiers in the winter can help! Maintaining relative humidity in the 40%-60% range in indoor spaces is recommended. Higher than that can encourage mold growth.

The Nerdy Girls like this study as it’s one of the first we’ve seen testing viral output from people actually infected with SARS-CoV-2 rather than under simulated conditions. This means these results probably generalize well to conditions in the real world when an infected person is in an enclosed space.

❓What are we left wondering?
The study didn’t include direct measures of transmission to uninfected people (since it would be unethical to expose people to COVID-19 experimentally!). But it’s probably safe to assume that dramatically lowering the viral load in the air is important for transmission.

❓What about masks?
The study didn’t include masks as one of their experimental variables (🤷‍♀️), but another recent paper measured aerosols from COVID-19 infected people and found that masks (cloth and surgical) significantly reduced viral RNA shedding (link below).

➡️ BOTTOM LINE:
“Our findings indicate that building operation practices such as ventilation, filtration, and humidification substantially reduce the environmental aerosol viral load, and therefore inhalation dose, and should be prioritized to improve building health and safety.”


________________
Links:

“Quantifying human and environmental viral load relationships amidst mitigation strategies in a controlled chamber with participants having COVID-19.”
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-940891/v1

"What everyone should know about ventilation and preventing Covid-19"
https://qz.com/1907977/how-to-check-air-ventilation-to-prevent-covid-19-spread/

“Indoor Air Changes and Potential Implications for SARS-CoV-2 Transmission”
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2779062

"Infectious SARS-CoV-2 in Exhaled Aerosols and Efficacy of Masks During Early Mild Infection"
https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciab797/6370149

09/28/2021

09/22/2021

Health departments and public health professionals have used contact tracing and case investigation for decades to slow or stop the spread of infectious diseases at the source.
Help stop COVID-19 in Mesa County and work together with our highly-trained, compassionate team of Case Investigators by answering their phone calls.

09/22/2021

Did you know many of the ingredients in the COVID vaccines are in some of your favorite foods? From fats and oils found in avocados, to acids found in lemons and limes to sugar found in fruits and salt used to season foods. Get the facts @ cocovidvaccine.org or call 877-CO-VAX-CO.

09/13/2021

But wait! There's more! Get a free vaccination and save $20,000 on an average COVID-19 hospitalization!

Although vaccines have been widely available in the U.S. since April 2021, 26.6% of adults over the age of 18 remain unvaccinated. Unvaccinated individuals are at a higher risk of severe illness, and are driving up cases, hospitalizations, and the vast majority of deaths.

These costs are high, but the cost of your life is even higher. Please get a FREE vaccine for COVID-19 if you're eligible.