DIRECTORS' CORNER

Summer Safety 101 - photo of child with sunscreen on her nose

Things are heating up! With the hottest time of year upon us, summer safety is top of mind for all of us. Do you have a plan on how to stay safe this summer?

Here are some tips on making this the safest season yet:

Wear sun protection gear like hats, sunglasses and SPF-rated shirts. It’s also important to get plenty of shade and use broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF-15 for sun protection.
Use insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites and ticks.
Exercise during cooler parts of the day – going on a morning or evening walk is a great family activity and will have lower temperatures.
Do NOT leave any children or pets in cars - even if windows are cracked! The temperature in your car can rise almost 20 degrees in just 10 minutes.
Stay cool in extreme heat. Days of extreme heat can be dangerous for everyone, but especially dangerous for people with chronic medical conditions.
Stay hydrated – keep a reusable water bottle wherever you go and limit liquids that dehydrate you such as coffee and alcohol.
Sign up for air-quality alerts and limit outdoor activity when air quality is poor.
Make a plan for wildfires and extreme weather – being prepared is the best thing you can do.

JCPH is committed to making Jeffco a safe and healthy place to live. Find more ways that you can have a fun summer!

Together,
Christine Billings
Interim Director of Emergency Preparedness and Infectious Disease
Jefferson County Public Health

COVID-19 UPDATES

Vaccines Now Available for All People 6 Months and Older

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave its official recommendation for all children ages 6 months and older to be vaccinated against COVID-19. On June 21, 2022, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) updated its standing orders for the state to allow medical professionals to begin vaccinating the youngest members of our population. This means COVID-19 vaccines are available and strongly recommended for all Coloradans ages 6 months and older. Learn more.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Healthy Kids Colorado Survey — Caring for Youth

Last month, CDPHE released the latest statewide and regional results from the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey — the state’s only comprehensive survey on the health and wellbeing of young people. More than 100,000 youth responded to the voluntary survey in the fall of 2021, and the results provide a snapshot of what young people were experiencing at that point in the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey highlights areas of improvement around risk factors for youth, and the need for more services for high-risk populations. Learn more.

Know Your Status — Get Tested for HIV/HCV today

Rates of many sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV), are on the rise in Colorado. The best way you can protect yourself and your loved ones is to know your status. JCPH provides HIV/HCV testing at our clinic every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at no cost to clients, and neither identification nor insurance is required. JCPH is also providing $10 incentives for each HIV test, and additional incentives may be available for HCV testing. Learn more about sexual health services at JCPH.

Take Steps to Prevent Animal- and Insect-borne Diseases This Summer

It’s summer in Colorado, and it’s the perfect time for Jeffco residents to enjoy their favorite outdoor activities. Whether you’re spending your days at cookouts, hiking or by the pool, JCPH reminds you to make sure insects and wild animals don’t crash the party. In Colorado, there are several insect- and animal-borne diseases you need to know about so you can keep your summer safe, healthy and fun for yourself, your family and your pets. Check out a news release with some helpful tips.

Stay Informed — Avian Flu in CO

JCPH is reaching out to all county residents who keep backyard poultry flocks (chickens, geese, ducks, quails, etc.) and farm owners with poultry to alert them to a strain of avian flu that has been detected in Colorado. CDPHE and the Colorado Department of Agriculture have been monitoring the state for reports of wild and domestic birds that have been infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as H5N1 flu. The virus has been found in wild and domestic bird populations in at least 15 counties in Colorado as of June 2022, including Jefferson County. As a precaution, residents and farmers are urged to be alert to unusual illnesses or deaths in wild and domestic birds. Learn more.

County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Statewide Standards Research Underway

CDPHE will begin work to improve EMS services across Colorado and oversee a task force dedicated to evaluating how to reduce disparities in access to emergency services.

Ground ambulance agencies in Colorado are currently licensed at the county level. This new law allows CDPHE to set statewide standards for ground ambulance agencies, similar to the department’s current role in licensing air ambulances. The law also preserves the ability for local governments to control the services of ambulance agencies operating in their jurisdictions and to negotiate contracts with ground ambulance agencies. Learn more.

DATA ROUNDUP: COVID-19 Case Summary

5,583 Jeffco hospitalizations, 1,480 deaths in Jeffco

1,213,018 vaccines distributed in Jefferson County

As we work to lessen the spread of COVID-19 in Jefferson County, you can stay up to date on COVID-19 data. Click here for a summary at the state level. Click here for our newly updated data dashboard with information on COVID-19 in Jefferson County.

GET INVOLVED

Attend the July Board of Health Meeting

Join the Jefferson County Board of Health for their monthly meeting. Public comment for this meeting can be submitted through form or email, or you can use the form to sign up to provide comment during the live (virtual) meeting. This month, the Board of Health meeting is on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, beginning at 3:30 p.m. The agenda and dial-in information will be available on the JCPH website.

Talk with Teens about Alcohol

Underage alcohol use, particularly binge drinking, leads to risky sexual behavior, use of other drugs, alcohol poisoning or violence. Fortunately, youth-collected data show less than one in six Jeffco teens binge drink. Teens report that their peers who drink heavily are often coping with trauma, major stressors or other challenges. Make sure you are talking to your teen about alcohol. Open-ended questions are a good place to start: What would you consider to be too much to drink? Why do people your age drink? Learn more.

Join JCPH Baby Café This Week

Calling all nursing parents – come join our breastfeeding support club Baby Cafe! This is the perfect place if you have lactation questions, need support on your breastfeeding journey or just want to spend some time around other parents and caregivers going through the same things. We can't wait to see you Mondays from 1-3 p.m. at Belmar Library.

PARTNER PROFILE

Foothills Animal Shelter

Where would we be without our pets? They’re an important part of our families, and to recognize the importance of pet-related services in Jeffco, we’re proud to highlight Foothills Animal Shelter. As a Socially Conscious Animal Welfare Organization, they create the best outcomes for all animals that enter their care and place every healthy and safe animal for adoption. In addition, Foothills works to provide affordable vaccination for pets across the county, including against rabies. Across the state, animal shelters and rescues are seeing a high influx of animals and community need for these services. Thank you, Foothills Animal Shelter, for caring for our favorite fluffy (and scaly) Jeffco residents. Learn more.

Join the conversation! Follow Jefferson County Public Health on Facebook at @jeffcopublichealth and on Twitter and Instagram at @jeffcoph. Visit our website at www.jeffco.us/public-health.

July 2022 // Volume 4, Issue 7