Colds? Flu? Diarrhea? Hepatitis A? SARS?
WHY
Many outbreaks of food borne illness are traced to unwashed or poorly washed hands.
Sneezing and coughing can spread cold germs into the air, but most colds are caught and spread through germs on people's hands.
The germs that cause flu, SARS, Hepatitis A and many kinds of diarrhea can also be picked up and spread by your hands.
If these germs are on your hands, touching your mouth or nose to east, sneeze or cough can make you sick.
Touching a doorknob, pressing an elevator button, grabbing a pole on public transit or shaking hands can spread germs to others.
WHEN
Always wash your hands
BEFORE YOU
Touch or serve hood
Eat or drink
Put in or take out contact lenses
Treat a cut, scrap, burn or blister
Take care of someone who is sick
AFTER YOU
Go to the bathroom
Help someone else use the bathroom
Change a diaper (don't forget to wash the baby's hands too!)
Cough, sneeze, blow your nose or wipe a child's nose
Handle uncooked food, especially raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs
Handle garbage
Touch an animal - especially a reptile - or clean up animal waste
Take care of someone who is sick or injured
Use public transit
HOW
Washing our hands is a lesson we all learned at children, but when we're busy or in a hurry, we tend to rush or forget to do it. We think our hands are clean, but they're not it we haven't done it right.
Just rinsing your hands isn't washing them, it's wetting them. To get them clean you NEED TO USE SOAP.
A quick run, even with soap, won't get your hands clean, and few second your save could cost you days if you get sick later.
To make sure your hands are really clean, scrub your palms, between your fingers, the backs of your hands and under your fingernails for at least 20 seconds. After rinsing, dry your hands with a paper towel. Use the same towel to turn off the water and open the restroom door.
To prevent transmission of rabies to humans and their domestic pets, immunization and licensing of cats and dogs is required in Allendale.
Please be advised that Allendale residents must notify the health department and/or police department of all bites, scratches, and other incidents involving domestic and/or wild animals, whether animal to human or animal to animal.
The Allendale Board of Health office has been contacted regarding the proper way to dispose of used needles and syringes generated in the home for medical purposes.
1. Needles and/or syringes must be placed in a protective container made of metal, tin or hard plastic such as a coffee can, detergent or Clorox bottle. The lid must be placed back on, taped and marked homecare-needle/syringes. This is to be diposed of in your regular trash not recycling. Additionally, a Red Sharps Container can be purchased in your pharmacy. All of the above can be disposed of safely in your regular trash pickup.
2. Englewood Hospital (201) 894-3189 and Holy Name Hospital (201) 833-3371 offer a program whereby sharps containers are provided to the individual. When they are full they are brought back and exchanged for empty ones.
Your cooperation is appreciated because improper disposal of the above poses a potential health hazard to family members, children, residents in our community, sanitation workers, pets and wildlife.
Should you have any questions, please call (201) 818-4400 x211. Thank you.
A free rapid HIV test is now available in a publicly funded counseling and testing site in Bergen County. The new test means people can receive results in minutes rather than days, ensuring HIV patients can be sure of their status immediately and get access to care as soon as possible.
The rapid HIV tests will be conducted through a finger stick blood test (using OraQuick HIV) whose results can be determined in less that an hour. Locally, this service is available at the Bergen County Health Department.
This service is free to all community residents who wish to take advantage of it. For more information on rapid HIV testing, visit www.njhiv.org or call the New Jersey HIV/STD Hotline at 800-624-2377.
Community Meals is an outreach service of The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ. It is a nonprofit service to meet the nutritional needs of the homebound - those who are unable, even temporarily, to obtain meals for themselves. It is a non-profit service partially funded by the United Way of Bergen County and staffed by volunteers.
Each delivery includes one hot dinner and one cold supper. Meals are well-balanced, and menus are varied daily. All meals are prepared by the Valley Hospital, including special diets in accordance with physician's instructions. Meals are packed and picked up for delivery at Christ Church in Ridgewood.
Volunteers will deliver two nutritious meals to the homebound Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) approximately between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 12 noon.
Telephone the Community Meals office at (201) 447-8295, Monday through Friday between the hours of noon and 1:30 p.m. for sign-up and/or further information.
The County of Bergen is pleased to announce this new program designed to check on the well-being of residents in need.
This program is available free of charge to Bergen County residents living alone, over the age of 60, homebound, or disabled either on a permanent or long-term basis.
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS
At approximate pre-specified hours, you will receive a free daily phone call from the Bergen County Wellness Check Program to check on your well-being. The call will being with the following pre-recorded message: "This is a phone call from the Bergen County Wellness Check Program. Please press '1111" if you are okay."
When you become a participant in the program, you will be asked to identify friends or family who may assist you in an emergency. When the system cannot make contact with you, it will call the relatives or friends you have designated.
If your telephone line is busy or there is not answer, the system will call back two more times over the span of twenty (20) minutes. If there is no answer or the line stays busy, your primary and secondary contacts will automatically be notified to check on you.
The system will only respond to touchtone telephones or through a TTY, a device for the deaf and hard of hearing.
REGISTRATION
If you would like to enroll in this program, please contact Jean Manus at (201) 818-4400 x211 for an application. Please complete the application and forward it to the address specified on the form. You will receive a phone call prior to your first phone call to let you know your application has been processed.
With temperatures expected to hit the high 90's on and off throughout the summer, residents are urged to take steps to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition and heat exhaustion can also require hospital care. When the weather turns extremely hot and humid, it is vital to drink plenty of fluids, spend time in cool places and reduce or reschedule any physical activity.
Please remember to check on elderly family members and neighbors to make sure they are safe.
To avoid health complications from excessive heat
- Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic beverages
-Make sire children and the elderly are drinking water and ensure that persons with mobility problems have adequate fluids in easy reach.
- If you do not have air conditioning, spend time in air-conditioned places such as libraries, movies, malls or other public buildings during the hottest hours of the day.
- Wear loose and light-colored clothing. Wear a hat when outdoors.
- Reduce physical activity or reschedule it for cooler times of the day.
-Don't leave children, a frail elderly or disabled person, or pets in an enclosed car-NOT EVEN FOR A MINUTE- as temperatures can quickly climb to dangerous levels.
-Talk to your health care provider about any medicine or drugs you are taking. Certain medications -- such as tranquilizers and drugs used to threat Parkinson's disease -- can increase the risk of heart-related illness.
People suffering heatstroke can go from appearing normal to extremely ill in a matter of minutes. Victims may hat hot, dry skin, a high body temperature of 106 degrees or more, an absence of sweat and a rapid and strong pulse. Victims may become delirious or unconscious. Persons suffering from heatstroke need immediate medical attention.
Heat exhaustion is a milder illness that may take several days of high temperatures to develop. Victims may have pale, clammy skin and sweat profusely. They may feel tires, weak or dizzy and have headaches or sometimes cramps, but their temperature will remain close to normal.