What the Health?

Wellness news and notes
About Amanda Cuda

Family Centers gets grant for ‘Healthy Hearts’

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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The Aetna Foundation recently awarded the Greenwich-based Family Centers a $10,000 grant to bring its Healthy Hearts Program to families and individuals living in area public housing communities.

Healthy Hearts is an initiative designed to encourage people to make simple lifestyle changes in an effort to reduce their risk of heart disease and obesity.  Taught by trained professionals, the Healthy Hearts curriculum features interactive demonstrations and discussions touching on topics ranging from understanding cholesterol to exercise routines.  Participants also learn how to read nutritional labels and cook meals that are both heart-healthy and tasty.

Healthy Hearts is offered in community centers, housing complexes, senior centers and other public locations throughout Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan and Stamford.  For more information, contact Marisol Rivera at 203-629-2822 or mrivera@familycenters.org.

Categories: heart disease

Advice about medications following severe weather

Thursday, September 1, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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In the wake of Hurricane Irene and related power-outages, the Department of Consumer Protection is reminding persons who take insulin or other medications requiring refrigeration that proper storage is critical. Official said items that require refrigeration, like insulin, should not be relied upon for full effectiveness if they could not be maintained at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer. Temperature-sensitive drugs lose potency if not refrigerated and should be replaced with a new supply as soon as possible.

DCP Commissioner William M. Rubenstein urges anyone having questions about the safety or storage of any medication they are taking to contact their pharmacist.

Drugs that have been exposed to environmental conditions that fall outside the manufacturer-recommended storage standards are considered misbranded or adulterated, and should not be used. In addition to temperature issues, even non-refrigerated items such as tablets or capsules that have been exposed to water, excess heat or humidity can be considered adulterated.  This applies to both prescription and non-prescription drugs. Storage information for over-the-counter medications is found on the package or label.

Storm-related outages and transportation issues can affect deliveries of medicines and supplies, so consumers should plan ahead for products and devices that they need, such as oxygen, diabetic supplies or batteries. In addition, consumers should allow themselves adequate time to find necessary items at local stores, or to ensure that their delivery service can reach them before they run out.

Persons who had to leave their home and are temporarily staying at another address – with a neighbor, family member or at a shelter – should notify their medical supply providers to have their supplies delivered to the temporary location with no lapse in their care.

More information is available at the following Food and Drug Administration web pages.
Hurricanes: Health and Safety News http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm064572.htm

Impact of Severe Weather Conditions on Biological Products http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/ProductSecurity/ucm147243.htm

Safe Drug Use After a Natural Disaster http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/ucm085200.htm

Information Regarding Insulin Storage and Switching Between Products in an Emergency http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/ucm085213.htm

Categories: General, health

Irene forces School of Nursing Schedule change

Thursday, September 1, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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Just received from Bridgeport Hospital:

Due to power issues related to Tropical Storm Irene, the Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing class schedule has been changed from Tuesday, Sept. 6 to Thursday, Sept. 8 All students should report to the School of Nursing at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

For more information, call 203-384-3205.

Categories: General, health

Towns throughout the state under ‘boil water advisory’

Thursday, September 1, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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State health officials today announced that 91 small public drinking water systems in the
state — including some in Greenwich, New Milford, Ridgefield and Bethel are under a boil water advisory.
The Department of Public Health (DPH) is monitoring these systems and working to contact other small public drinking water systems to determine their status and offer assistance as needed.
Here is a full list of systems under advisory:
• Ashford Hills Associates, LLC, Ashford
• Birch Hills Condominiums, Ashford
• Woodlawn Apartments, LLC, Ashford
• Mar-Lea Park Apts, Ashford
• Elmwood Court LLC, Bethel
• 168 Boston Turnpike, Bolton
• Brooklyn Manor, Brooklyn
• Gorman Road Apartments, Brooklyn
• Knollbrook Village Elderly Housing, Canterbury
• Cedar Grove Mobile Home Park, Clinton
• Evergreen Trailer Park – System #1, Clinton
• Nod Hill Apartments, Clinton
• Evergreen Trailer Park – System #2, Clinton
• Evergreen Trailer Park – System #3, Clinton
• Evergreen Trailer Park – System #4, Clinton
• Goodrich Mobile Home Park ,Clinton
• Colchester Courtyards, Colchester
• Kugeman Village, Cornwall
• CTWC – Pilgrim Hills Division, Coventry
• Twin Hills Water District, Coventry
• Hill Hollow Association, Durham
• Metacomet Homes-Well 2, East Granby
• East Haddam Elementary School, East Haddam
• Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School, East Haddam
• Neipsic Woods Water Association, Glastonbury
• Greenwich Reform Synagogue, Greenwich
• Lakeview Mobile Home Park, Griswold
• Colonial Efficiency Apartments, Groton
• Rogers Mobile Home Park, Groton
• Quonnipaug Hills – Lower System, Guilford
• Quonnipaug Hills – Section I, Guilford
• Young Horizons Daycare, Haddam
• High Meadow, Haddam
• Garden Lane Apartments, Harwinton
• Abby Water LLC, Hebron
• Hebron Arms Apartments, Hebron
• Hillside Condominiums, Hebron
• CTWC – Christ Lutheran Church, Hebron
• Country Manor Apartments, Hebron
• Wellswood Estates Foundation, Inc, Hebron
• Killingworth Kids Center ,Killingworth
• Carefree Homeowners Association, Lebanon
• St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Madison
• Knollwood Acres Apartments, Mansfield
• Orchard Acres Association, Mansfield
• Club House Apartments, Mansfield
• Woods Edge Apartments, LLC, Mansfield
• Maplewood Apartments, Mansfield
• Renwood Condominiums, Mansfield
• Mansfield Village, LLC, Mansfield
• Reja – Rainbow Spring Water Company, Middlefield
• Oakridge Gardens, LLC, Montville
• Oakridge Village, Montville
• Thompson Hill Water Co – Beechwood A, Montville
• St. Thomas More School-The Cove, Montville
• SCWA, Seven Oaks (Oak), Montville
• United Water Ct, Inc.-Indian Ridge Sys, New Milford
• Candlewood Trails Association, New Milford
• Newtown Village, Newtown
• Meadowbrook Terrace Mobile Home Pa, Newtown
• SCWA, Cedar Ridge Division, North Stonington
• Stonington Institute – Main Building, North Stonington
• Chadwick Homeowners Assn., Inc., Old Lyme
• Mile Creek Apartments, Old Lyme
• Boxwood Condominium Association, Old Lyme
• Westview Terrace Mobile Home Park, Plainfield
• Jumbo Apartments, Plainfield
• Moosup Manor, Plainfield
• Arnio Lake Realty LLC, Plainfield
• Rural Wat Co-Ridgefield Lakes-Main Sys, Ridgefield
• Rural Wat Co-Ridgefield Lakes-Well #4, Ridgefield
• Rural Wat Co-Ridgefield Lakes-Well #11, Ridgefield
• Salem Manor Condominiums, System #1, Salem
• Crystal Lake Condominiums, Salem
• Salem Manor Condominiums, System #2, Salem
• Eastview Kozley Water Association, Tolland
• Norwegian Woods Apartments, Tolland
• Stone Pond Condominiums, Tolland
• Ivy Woods, Tolland
• CTWC – SDC Water, Voluntown
• Clinton Nurseries – Primary System, Westbrook
• Clinton Nurseries – Secondary System, Westbrook
• Willington Ridge Condos – System #1, Willington
• Willington Ridge Condos – System #2, Willington
• Wyndham Park Apartments, Windham
• Wolcott High School, Wolcott
• Woodbury Place Condominium Assn, Woodbury
• Brookwood Apartments – System #2, Woodstock
• Woodstock Meadows Condominium Ass, Woodstock
• Brookwood Apartments – System #1, Woodstock
• Fawn Ridge Association Inc., Woodstock
This list will be updated daily on the DPH Hurricane Irene website: www.ct.gov/dph.

The list is also available at www.ct.gov/dph/ (click on “Hurricane Irene: Important Health Information.”)

While some large public water supply systems in the state lost their normal power source, their water
supply was not interrupted due to emergency power capabilities. DPH continues to monitor and provide
assistance to these systems to ensure drinking water safety.

Residential customers served by water systems under a boil water advisory should:

• Safely boil their water by bringing it to a rolling boil for one minute. A rolling boil means that
there are very large bubbles in the water, making the water move very quickly. Make sure the
water does not have any floating pieces in it before you boil it. To make the boiled water taste
better, pour the water back and forth between two clean containers a few times. Boiled water
should be allowed to cool to a safe temperature before drinking or handling.

• Use boiled or bottled water when cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, brushing teeth, or
making baby formula. Boiled water should be allowed to cool to a safe temperature before
drinking and handling.

• Use water that has previously boiled and cooled to a safe temperature or bottled water to wash
hands when cooking.

• Adults and older children do not need to use boiled water to shower or bathe, but should try not
to swallow any water or get any water into their mouths. Infants, toddlers, the elderly, and people
with severely compromised immune systems should be bathed using water that has been
previously boiled and cooled to a safe temperature or bottled water.

State health officials said that large systems serve a population of 2.6 million people. There are
approximately 500 smaller community public water systems that each serve less than 1,000 people.
Private Wells

Homeowners with private wells in flooded areas should consider their wells contaminated and disinfect
their wells before resuming their use. Drilled wells located in well pits where groundwater tables have
risen in the pit above the top of the well head and shallow wells are most at risk of contamination. Other
indicators of contamination may include water discoloration or unusual taste or odor to your private
water supply.

If you feel that your water supply may be contaminated, disinfection of the source followed by water
sampling (both bacteriological and certain chemical parameters) is encouraged. If you notice any unusual
changes to the water (color, taste or odor), precautionary measures should be taken such as using bottled
water for drinking and cooking until water testing is done to find if contamination is present in the water
supply.

You should also contact your local health department or the DPH Private Well Program at (860) 509-
7296 for additional advice if necessary. Testing at the DPH laboratory is available through your local
health department. To contact your local health department, go to www.ct.gov/dph/localhealth.

For more information on how to boil water or disinfect your private well, go to www.ct.gov/dph and
click on “Hurricane Irene: Important Health Information.”

The Department of Public Health Drinking Water Section is responsible for the administration of state
and federal drinking water regulations and is dedicated to assuring the quality and adequacy of the
state’s public drinking water sources. DPH provides technical assistance, education and regulatory
enforcement to over 2,600 public drinking water systems, which provide drinking water to
approximately 2.9 million persons on a daily basis.

Categories: General, health, safety

You survived Irene. Now try not to accidentally poison yourself

Monday, August 29, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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With thousands of households in the state still without power, it is important to prevent
getting sick from food that has spoiled or water that has been contaminated.

The Department of Public Health provides the following tips to stay safe in the aftermath of Irene:

Food Safety:
• The refrigerator will keep food at proper temperature for about four hours if the doors are
not opened. A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is
half full).
• If the temperature in your refrigerator or freezer goes above 40 degrees, throw away
perishable foods such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and cut fruits and vegetables.
• Food can be safely refrozen if it still has ice crystals on it or has stayed below 40 degrees.
• Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water. This includes
packaged food items in plastic, paper, cardboard, cloth, and similar containers that may
have been water damaged, as well as beverage containers with screw-caps, snap lids,
crimped caps (soda bottles), twist caps, flip tops, and home canned foods, as these tops
cannot be disinfected appropriately.
• As always, if there is any doubt as to the safety of the food, it is best to discard the food
rather than take a chance of contracting a foodborne illness. WHEN IN DOUBT,
THROW IT OUT!
Drinking Water:
• Listen for water reports from local authorities to find out if your water is safe for drinking
and bathing.
• If an advisory has been issued concerning contaminated water, use only bottled, boiled,
or treated water for drinking, cooking, food preparation, and hand washing.
• Homeowners in flooded areas whose private wells have flooded should consider their
wells contaminated. For information on disinfecting flooded wells, go to
www.ct.gov/dph/floods.
• Throw away any bottled water that may have come in contact with flood or storm water.
For more information about staying safe and healthy after a disaster or storm, visit
www.ct.gov/dph.

Categories: food safety, General, health

Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile in East Haven, Groton and Westbrook

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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The State Mosquito Management Program today announced that mosquitoes trapped
in East Haven, Groton and Westbrook on August 11 – 16  have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). This means WNV-infected mosquitoes have been found in 26 towns this year — surpassing last year, when WNV-positive mosquitoes were trapped in 24 municipalities.

No Connecticut residents have been identified with illnesses related to WNV infections this year. Last year, there were 11 human cases of the illness.

Authorities urged state residents to take necessary precautions to avoid contact with mosquitoes, such as wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants, using repellents, and eliminating pools of standing water on your property. For more information on the state mosquito management program, visit http://www.ct.gov/mosquito/site/default.asp.

Categories: General, health

Connecticut health department receives $10.1 million in grant money

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded up to $137 million to states to strength the public health infrastructure and provide jobs in core areas of public health. The grants will fund key state and local public health programs supported through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Connecticut’s Department of Public Health will receive about $10.1 million in grant money, in the following categories:

  • $96,478 for tobacco “Quitlines,” the toll-free numbers people can call to obtain smoking cessation treatments and services
  • $1,225,182 to strengthen public health immunization
  • $296,877 for emerging infections program, to  continue improvement in disease monitoring, professional development and training, information technology development and laboratory capacity
  • $199,515 to the CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring program
  • $8,330,000 for screening, brief intervention, referral and treatment programs. These programs will allow communities to provide more comprehensive substance abuse screening, secondary prevention, early intervention and referrals to treatment for people at higher risk for substance abuse.
Categories: General, health

Hospital employee offers quirky but sound hurricane advice

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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While others in the region offered a wealth of hurricane preparedness advice in anticipation that Hurricane Irene will hit the region this weekend, Bridgeport Hospital Director of Facilities Management Christopher Burney had some wise advice on dealing with some of the more overlooked aspects of such an event.

While others urged folks to stock up on batteries and form an evacuation plan, Burney issued the following note to Bridgeport Hospital employees Thursday morning advising them to … do laundry?

See below:

Good morning, with the latest National Weather Service Hurricane forecast showing the Bridgeport area in the path of Irene, I thought that I would share some items that are not normally mentioned by the media when they talk of preparing for the storm.

So, if there is an extended power outage, most commercial establishments do not have emergency generators so assume the following.

  • Gas stations will be closed.
  • Coffee Shops will be closed.
  • Restaurants will be closed.
  • Any stores that are open will not be able process credit cards, so you will need cash.
  • Banks will be closed and ATMs will not work.  Also, when you get cash, try to get small bills.  It is easier to pay for emergency purchases with singles and fives than it is to try to change a $50 or a $100 bill.
  • Dry cleaners and laundromats will be closed.  Get your cleaning out on Saturday and do your laundry then too.
  • Make sure that you can open your garage door manually.
  • When the power goes out, your cordless phones in the house will not work.  If you have one of the old phones that has a cord between the hand set and phone, then it will still work.
  • If you have a car charger for your cell phone, it’s probably a good time to find it.  Either that or bring your charger to work.  Cell phones should continue to work unless a specific cell tower gets damaged.
  • A 75 mph wind (Category 1) will move a lot of things, including sheets of plywood and 2 X 4 lumber.  If you have any in your yard, secure it.
  • Bring in the dog.
  • If you have anything expensive in your freezer, it would be a good idea to cook it for dinner on Saturday.

And above all, keep smiling.

Categories: General, health, safety
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