Public Health Bureau

Summer time is here!

Summer news you can use to keep your loved ones safe.

The UV Index, developed by the National Weather Service and EPA, indicates the strength of solar UV radiation on a scale from 1 (low) to 11+ (extremely high). You can use the UV Index to take appropriate sun-protective behaviors and avoid overexposure to UV radiation.

Click here to find the UV Index forecast for your community,

Seniors and Heat Illness

What You Can Do to Help Protect Seniors from Heat Illness

If you have senior relatives or neighbors (people over 65 years of age), you can help them prevent heat illness during hot weather.

Visit them at least twice a day and watch for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Seniors may not feel thirsty even when their bodies are low on fluids. Encourage them to drink plenty of cool water, juice or sports drinks.
Take them to air-conditioned places if their residence is hot. They can also shower or bathe in cool water.
Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness.

Seniors can get heat illness more easily than younger people.

Their bodies do not adjust as well as those of young people to sudden changes in temperature.
They are more likely to have a condition that upsets the body's normal response to heat.
They are more likely to take medicines that make it harder for the body to control its temperature and to sweat.

Excessive Heat Exposure Can Pose Higher Risks for those on Psychotropic Medications,Other Substances

During this period when parts of the nation are experiencing record high temperatures, The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is reminding everyone that these conditions can pose certain health risk to everyone – including people with mental and substance use disorders.

Exposure to excessive heat is dangerous and can lead to heatstroke which is considered a medical emergency. Heatstroke occurs when an abnormally elevated body temperature is unable to cool itself. Internal body temperatures can rise to levels that may cause irreversible brain damage and death.

Individuals with behavioral health conditions who are taking psychotropic medications or using certain substances such as illicit drugs and alcohol may be at a higher risk for heatstroke and heat-related illnesses. These medications and substances can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate heat and an individual’s awareness that their body temperature is rising.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective methods to prevent heat exhaustion includes drinking plenty of fluids, replacing salt and minerals that may be removed from heavy sweating, wear loose light-colored clothing, wear sunscreen, stay cool indoors with air conditioning, and monitor those at high risk.

Should you put sunscreen on your infant?

examples_of_protecting_infants_from_the_sun

Here are some of the most important ways to protect your infant from the harmful rays of the sun: an umbrella and brimmed hat for shade, a cooler for liquids, a bottle for hydration, and clothing for covering the skin. To see a larger graphic with labels, go to Flickr.

You're at the beach, slathered in sunscreen. Your 5-month-old baby is there, too. Should you put sunscreen on her? Not usually, according to Hari Cheryl Sachs, M.D., a pediatrician at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"The best approach is to keep infants under 6 months out of the sun," Sachs says, "and to avoid exposure to the sun in the hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when ultraviolet (UV) rays are most intense."

Sunscreens are recommended for children and adults. What makes babies so different?

For one thing, babies' skin is much thinner than that of adults, and it absorbs the active, chemical ingredients in sunscreen more easily, explains Sachs. For another, infants have a high surface-area to body-weight ratio compared to older children and adults. Both these factors mean that an infant's exposure to the chemicals in sunscreens is much greater, increasing the risk of allergic reaction or inflammation.

The best protection is to keep your baby in the shade, if possible, Sachs says. If there's no natural shade, create your own with an umbrella or the canopy of the stroller.

If there's no way to keep an infant out of the sun, you can apply a small amount of sunscreen—with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15—to small areas such as the cheeks and back of the hands. Sachs suggests testing your baby's sensitivity to sunscreen by first trying a small amount on the inner wrist.

Cover Up

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests dressing infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn. Tight weaves are better than loose. Keep in mind that while baseball caps are cute, they don't shade the neck and ears, sensitive areas for a baby.

Summer's heat presents other challenges for babies.

Younger infants also don't sweat like we do, Sachs says. Sweat naturally cools the rest of us down when we're hot, but babies haven't yet fully developed that built-in heating-and-cooling system. So you want to make sure your baby doesn't get overheated.

In the heat, babies are also at greater risk of becoming dehydrated. To make sure they're adequately hydrated, offer them their usual feeding of breast milk or formula, says Sachs. The water content in both will help keep them well hydrated. A small of amount water in between these feedings is also okay.

Sun Safety Tips for Infants

Here are some things to keep in mind this summer when outside with infants:

Keep your baby in the shade as much as possible. If you do use a small amount of sunscreen on your baby, don't assume the child is well protected.
Make sure your child wears clothing that covers and protects sensitive skin. Use common sense; if you hold the fabric against your hand and it's so sheer that you can see through it, it probably doesn't offer enough protection.
Make sure your baby wears a hat that provides sufficient shade at all times.
Watch your baby carefully to make sure he or she doesn't show warning signs of sunburn or dehydration. These include fussiness, redness and excessive crying.
Hydrate! Give your baby formula, breast milk, or a small amount of water between feedings if you're out in the sun for more than a few minutes. Don't forget to use a cooler to store the liquids.
Take note of how much your baby is urinating. If it's less than usual, it may be a sign of dehydration, and that more fluids are needed until the flow is back to normal.
Avoid sunscreens containing the insect repellant DEET on infants, particularly on their hands. Young children may lick their hands or put them in their mouths. According to AAP, DEET should not be used on infants less than 2 months old.
If you do notice your baby is becoming sunburned, get out of the sun right away and apply cold compresses to the affected areas.

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

June 20, 2012

Eating Outdoors, Handling Food Safely

Picnic and barbecue season offers lots of opportunities for outdoor fun with family and friends. But these warm weather events also present opportunities for foodborne bacteria to thrive. As food heats up in summer temperatures, bacteria multiply rapidly.

To protect yourself, your family, and friends from foodborne illness during warm-weather months, safe food handling when eating outdoors is critical. Read on for simple food safety guidelines for transporting your food to the picnic site, and preparing and serving it safely once you've arrived.

Quick Tips for Picnic Site Prep

Food safety begins with proper hand cleaning — including outdoor settings. Before you begin setting out your picnic feast, make sure hands and surfaces are clean.

Outdoor Hand Cleaning: If you don’t have access to running water, simply use a water jug, some soap, and paper towels. Or, consider using moist disposable towelettes for cleaning your hands.
Utensils and Serving Dishes: Take care to keep all utensils and platters clean when preparing food.

Pack and Transport Food Safely

Keep your food safe: from the refrigerator/freezer . . .
all the way to the picnic table.

Keep cold food cold. Place cold food in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. Cold food should be stored at 40°F or below to prevent bacterial growth. Meat, poultry, and seafood may be packed while still frozen so that they stay colder longer.
Organize cooler contents. Consider packing beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another. That way, as picnickers open and reopen the beverage cooler to replenish their drinks, the perishable foods won’t be exposed to warm outdoor air temperatures.
Keep coolers closed. Once at the picnic site, limit the number of times the cooler is opened as much as you can. This helps to keep the contents cold longer.
Don’t cross-contaminate. Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood securely wrapped. This keeps their juices from contaminating prepared/cooked foods or foods that will be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables.
Clean your produce. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water before packing them in the cooler - including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Rub firm-skinned fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water. Dry fruits and vegetables with a clean cloth towel or paper towel.
— Packaged fruits and vegetables that are labeled "ready-to-eat," "washed," or "triple washed" need not be washed.

Follow Safe Grilling Tips

Grilling and picnicking often go hand-in-hand. And just as with cooking indoors, there are important guidelines that should be followed to ensure that your grilled food reaches the table safely.

Marinate safely. Marinate foods in the refrigerator - never on the kitchen counter or outdoors. In addition, if you plan to use some of the marinade as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion separately before adding the raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Don’t reuse marinade.
Cook immediately after "partial cooking." If you partially cook food to reduce grilling time, do so immediately before the food goes on the hot grill.
Cook food thoroughly. When it’s time to cook the food, have your food thermometer ready. Always use it to be sure your food is cooked thoroughly.
Keep "ready" food hot. Grilled food can be kept hot until served by moving it to the side of the grill rack, just away from the coals. This keeps it hot but prevents overcooking.
Don't reuse platters or utensils. Using the same platter or utensils that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood allows bacteria from the raw food’s juices to spread to the cooked food. Instead, have a clean platter and utensils ready at grill-side to serve your food.

Serving Picnic Food: Keep it COLD / HOT

Keeping food at proper temperatures - indoor and out - is critical in preventing the growth of foodborne bacteria. The key is to never let your picnic food remain in the "Danger Zone" - between 40° F and 140° F - for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if outdoor temperatures are above 90° F. This is when bacteria in food can multiply rapidly, and lead to foodborne illness. Instead, follow these simple rules for keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot.

Cold Food

Cold perishable food should be kept in the cooler at 40° F or below until serving time.

Once you've served it, it should not sit out for longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90° F. If it does - discard it.
Foods like chicken salad and desserts in individual serving dishes can be placed directly on ice, or in a shallow container set in a deep pan filled with ice. Drain off water as ice melts and replace ice frequently.

Hot Food

Hot food should be kept hot, at or above 140° F.

Wrap it well and place it in an insulated container until serving.
Just as with cold food - these foods should not sit out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in temperatures above 90° F. If food is left out longer, throw it away to be safe.

Pet Tidbits: Sumer Safety

June 2012

Summer has begun—the season meant for fun, sun, and spending time outdoors with pets. But summertime dangers lurk just outside. Whether taking a walk, a drive or just hanging out in the backyard, there are extra precautions that people can take to keep their four-legged family members happy and safe.

1. Never leave a pet unattended in the car on a warm or sunny day. Cars quickly heat up to a dangerous temperature, even with the window slightly open.

2. Keep pets up-to-date on their vaccinations and preventative medications. Fleas and ticks stay busy in warm weather and summer is also the prime time for heartworms. Check with a veterinarian about the best way to keep pets healthy.

3. Keep cats indoors to keep them safe. Cars, other pets and wild animals can all pose risks to cats' safety. By tabby_cat providing playtime, cat trees and other enrichment, a cat will be happy and content to stay indoors.

4. Beware of cocoa mulch and other gardening products. Cocoa mulch can be deadly if ingested and has an appetizing scent to some animals. Pesticides, fertilizers and other harsh chemicals can also be quickly fatal if ingested. More common items that can be hazards for pets »