MCHD rabies clinics planned on Saturdays in October for dogs, cats and ferrets

MOBILE, Ala. -- Every month, the Mobile County Health Department’s veterinarian provides hundreds of residents with low-cost vaccines for their dogs, cats and ferrets at a variety of locations.

Here’s a list of the weekend rabies clinics planned for Saturdays in October in Mobile County:

• 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 11, Pet Supplies Plus, 803 Hillcrest Road, Mobile
• 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 18, City of Mobile Animal Shelter, 855 Owens St.
• 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 25, City of Mobile Animal Shelter

There is an $8 charge, per pet, at St. Elmo Feed and Seed and a $10 charge, per pet, at all other locations for rabies vaccines, health officials said. Only cash payments are accepted.

Between October 2013 and September 2014, the Mobile County Health Department Rabies Officer provided 2,250 rabies vaccines to domesticated pets. The state of Alabama tasks local Health Department’s with providing rabies vaccinations to pet owners.

About Rabies

Exposure to rabies may be minimized by eliminating all stray cats and dogs; having pet dogs, cats and ferrets vaccinated; staying away from wild animals, especially those acting abnormally; and not keeping exotic or wild animals as pets, health officials said.

Not all woodland creatures are kind: Second raccoon found with rabies in Baldwin County

MOBILE, Ala. -- Local public health officials are urging people to take basic, but extremely important, precautions in the Foley area against rabies. The warning follows the confirmation of a second positive raccoon found during the past two weeks.

Baldwin County is considered to be endemic, which means that rabies is regularly present, but the close proximity of two recent positives in a short period of time has increased public health concerns. The biggest concern is that a rabid raccoon may come into contact with humans, their pets or livestock. Raccoons are the primary carriers for rabies, but the virus can infect other animals such as dogs, cats, foxes, coyotes and skunks.

“The concern with the second positive in such a small geographical area means that it increases potential exposure to humans and domestic animals, especially in densely populated areas," said state Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Dee W. Jones. “It is not uncommon to get clusters of rabies infections within an endemic area, and such occurrences are not indicative of rabies becoming more prevalent, widespread or more dangerous.”
 
To avoid possible exposure to rabies, take the following precautions:
·         Don't allow pets to run loose. Confine them in a fenced-in area or with a leash.
·         Don't leave uneaten pet food or scraps around your house.
·         Do not illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets.
·         Don’t go near domestic animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner.
·         Tell children not to go near wild animals regardless of its behavior.
·         Tell children to tell an adult if they are bitten or scratched by an animal.

A person who is bitten or scratched by an animal should wash the wounds immediately with mild soap and water, apply first aid, and seek medical attention. Bites should be reported to the county health department as soon as possible.  Rabies is preventable in humans exposed to a positive animal if special medical treatment is provided in a timely manner.

Vaccinating domesticated animals reduces the risk of exposure to rabies. Rabies vaccination not only protects the animals from rabies, it helps protect the owners, family members, and other pets as well.

Alabama state law requires that all dogs, cats and ferrets must be kept current with rabies vaccination. Rabies vaccines are also available for horses and other livestock if recommended by a veterinarian. 
For more information, contact the Alabama Department of Public Health, Bureau of Communicable Disease, Division of Epidemiology, at 1-800-338-8734 or the Baldwin County Health Department at (251) 972-6834.
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Mobile County Health Department staff "rolling up their sleeves" for the flu vaccine in October

Mobile County Health Department nurse Becky Dixon gives a shot to a staff

member of the Vector Control Department on Oct. 3, 2014. MCHD encourages

everyone who can to get the flu shot early in the season. 

MOBILE, Ala. -- We're rolling up our sleeves to beat the flu here at the Mobile County Health Department. Staff members are giving and receiving flu shots. It's another way the staff is working to prevent, protect and promote the health of everyone in Mobile County.


The Mobile County Health Department is now offering the 2014-2015 seasonal flu vaccine to those age 6 months and older without an appointment Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Health Department’s Immunization Clinic, 251 N. Bayou St.

The shots also are available by appointment at MCHD’s outlying Family Health centers. Appointments can be made by calling 251-690-8889. The shots are $15 each, payable in the exact amount by cash or credit card, or by using Medicaid or Medicare Part B, or private insurance that covers the cost.

The 2014-2015 flu vaccine is an inactivated vaccine that contains killed viruses and is given with a needle. It contains three seasonal influenza viruses that are grown in eggs. Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of severe influenza and their close contacts, health care personnel and close contacts of children younger than 6 months and people age 65. Pregnant women also should get vaccinated for the flu, health officials said. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following people should not be
vaccinated without consulting a physician:
                    
• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome within six weeks of getting an influenza vaccine
• People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever.
Dr. Bernard Eichold, Health Officer for Mobile County, advises people to take the following precautions to prevent the spread of colds and flu this season:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. No tissue? Cough and sneeze into your upper arm or sleeve.
• Throw the tissue in the trash after use.
• Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

USA and Family Health physician Dr. William Green interviewed about the ebola outbreak

Dr. William Green speaks with the media about the ebola virus on Oct. 2, 2014,

at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, Ala. An infectious 

disease specialist, Dr. Green also treats Family Health patients at the

Mobile County Health Department.

MOBILE, Ala. -- Dr. William Kevin Green talked about the ebola outbreak that reached the United States this week during a news conference on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014 at the University of South Alabama Medical Center. An infectious disease specialist with the University of South Alabama, Dr. Green also treats patients at Family Health, the primary care division of the Mobile County Health Department.

Local new agencies are reporting today that four close relatives of an Ebola patient hospitalized in Dallas have been formally told to stay home and not have visitors to help prevent spread of the disease. The Texas Department of State Health Services on Thursday announced the legal order for the family of Thomas Eric Duncan, who recently flew to Dallas from Liberia, according to the Associated Press.

Duncan has been hospitalized since Sunday. Health experts on Tuesday diagnosed him with Ebola, which can be deadly. Dallas County Health and Human Services officials previously told the four individuals, whose names weren’t released, to stay home. A public health control order is needed to ensure compliance. The orders were hand-delivered Wednesday night.

The four, who have not shown symptoms, must stay home until at least Oct. 19 when the Ebola incubation period has passed.

Family Health: Reach out and read event teaches the importance of going to the doctor

Pediatric patients at the Mobile County Health Department's Family Health clinic
listened on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, as staff member Denise Peel read "Nicky
Goes To The Doctor" by Richard Scarry during a Reach Out and Read event.

MOBILE, Ala. -- Dozens of Mobile County Health Department pediatric patients gathered Tuesday morning for a reading event that featured Nicky the rabbit visiting his favorite physician in Richard Scarry’s book “Nicky Goes To The Doctor.”

Denise Peele, a member of MCHD’s human resources department, grinned as she described the ways Nicky’s doctor, a friendly brown rabbit with floppy ears, measured his height, listened to his heart and checked his vision. When she was finished, children took home a copy of the book and a healthy snack of apples, bananas and bottle of water.

 “We want to remind parents and caregivers that reading to children is one of the most important things you can do to foster an early love of learning,” said Dr. Bernard Eichold, Health Officer for the Mobile County. “That’s why our pediatric clinics take part in the Reach Out and Read initiative every year.”

Throughout the year, children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years seen at MCHD pediatric clinics receive new books during regular checkups as part of the Reach Out and Read-Alabama initiative. This year, copies of the book will be distributed by pediatric healthcare providers statewide who will also talk to parents about the importance of annual well-child visits.

Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based, national nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud. The model includes providing a new, age-appropriate book for each child to take home from every checkup from 6 months through 5 years of age.

Along with the free book for every child, health providers also offer guidance to parents about the importance of reading out loud with their children daily. Research shows that families served by Reach Out and Read do read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten with larger vocabularies, stronger language skills and a six-month developmental edge
.
Nationwide, Reach Out and Read doctors and nurses serve nearly 4 million children and their families annually at 4,688 pediatric practices, hospitals, clinics, and health centers in all 50 states, targeting those centers which serve children at socioeconomic risk. The 67 Reach Out and Read programs in Alabama serve a total of 129,000 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers annually.

“Scheduled well-child visits help us make sure our youngest patients are developing as they should,” Eichold said. “The book brings that message home in a fun way that even young children can understand.”

University of South Alabama Psychology Clinic offering free depression screenings Oct. 9

MOBILE, Ala. -- The University of South Alabama Psychology Clinic will provide free screenings for depression and other mood disorders at the USA Psychology Clinic, 75 South University Blvd., from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, as part of National Depression Screening Day.

National Depression Screening Day raises awareness and screens people for depression and mood disorders and allows individuals to identify warning signs and connect with the appropriate treatment resources. Similar to many physical illnesses, early recognition and treatment offers the best opportunity for recovery from mental illness.

National Depression Screening Day, held on Oct. 9 through the nonprofit, Screening for Mental Health, serves as a supportive community initiative to connect the public with mental health screenings. This year’s theme focuses on viewing and treating mental health with the same gravity as physical health. Hundreds of organizations across the country including community centers, hospitals and colleges are hosting National Depression Screening Day screening events. 

“Mental Health deserves the same attention as physical health,” said Dr. Kim Zlomke, director of the USA Psychology Clinic. “We want to raise awareness for mental health disorders and connect community members who may be struggling with depression or other mood disorders with quality, local treatment options.”

Although the screenings are not diagnostic, they will determine if someone is exhibiting symptoms associated with depression and other mood disorders and if they should seek help. In a recent independent study commissioned by the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health, 55 percent of study participants who completed a depression and mood disorder screening sought treatment within three months. The USA Psychological Clinic is a community based clinic that provides psychological and counseling services on an affordable sliding fee scale. More information on the USA Psychology Clinic is available at www.southalabama.edu/psychology.

The USA Psychology Clinic is also providing free, online screenings for depression and other mood disorders during the month of October at: http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/usouthal

Mobile County Health Department HIV Coordinator Diane Glass found her niche in HIV/AIDS education

MOBILE, Ala. -- More than a decade ago, Diane Glass decided it was time to take back her life. Divorced with no job, she took the plunge and enrolled in college. That was in 2002.

At 49, she received tuition assistance to earn an Associate’s Degree at the University of Mobile from a local program. After working for the Mobile County Health Department for a few years, and becoming a Registered Nurse, she is now MCHD’s HIV Coordinator.

“I feel like I found my niche,” Glass said. “I really love teaching. I love going out into the community and educating people about HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. It’s very rewarding.”

Glass, who has served in the HIV Coordinator role for two years, was spotlighted by Mobile Works on its Facebook page this week as one of their success stories. One reason her job in public health is meaningful, she said, is because of the opportunities she has every week to change perceptions about HIV/AIDS within the community.

“The education piece is really key because of the lack of understanding about how HIV is transmitted,” Glass said. “I talk about how to protect yourself and empower people to take their health into their own hands.”

On Oct. 7, 2014, Glass will travel to Montgomery to be an exhibitor for HIV/AIDS at The Alabama Youth Council. Young people from across Alabama will gather to promote healthy behaviors among local teens.  Students will be encouraged to take a more active role in the prevention of bullying, HIV/AIDS, STIs, teen pregnancy and other adolescent risk behaviors.

As the HIV Program Coordinator for Public Health Area 11, which is all of Mobile County, Glass also provides education on HIV/AIDS and STDs/HIV testing at homeless shelters, drug and alcohol rehabilitation sites, to Mobile Prison Work Release participants, troubled youth in alternative schools, nursing home employees, at Senior Centers. She performs community outreaches at health fairs, and community events such as National HIV Testing Day and World AIDS Day.

“The state also sends me the names and contact information for those who have been newly diagnosed with HIV in Mobile County,” Glass said. “I confirm they are in care. If they are not, I try to find them and encourage them to get into care.”