|
Hi there,
Happy Fall Y’all! Did you know mosquito season in Oakland County extends past summer? Warmer autumns can increase the mosquito population and the risk of mosquito-borne diseases. The temperatures we have been experiencing allow mosquitos to stay active longer in the year. Since mosquitoes prefer warmth, we find them more active during the daylight hours as well. As you enjoy outdoor Fall festivities like football games and cider mills, take steps to prevent mosquito bites. Read more here.
October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention Month: a time to celebrate survivors, honor those who have died, raise awareness, and commit to preventing intimate partner violence in our community. Join our partner Centro Multicultural La Familia for its annual Domestic Violence Awareness Walk this afternoon, from 1-4 pm at 91 North Saginaw in Pontiac. The walk brings the community together to raise its voice against domestic violence. This event is an opportunity to show solidarity and promote safety, justice, and support for victims and survivors. A resource fair will have food, drinks, and activities following the walk. Resources are available in Oakland County to assist individuals and families who need support and assistance.
It's that time of year when flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) will be circulating at the same time during fall and winter. Vaccines provide life-saving protection against all three respiratory diseases. We plan to begin giving flu shots for the 2024-2025 flu season soon at our North and South Oakland Health Centers in Pontiac and Southfield. We also expect to begin providing the updated COVID-19 vaccine very soon. Continue to visit oakgov.com/health for more information. As always, check with your local pharmacy or healthcare provider about local availability for all these vaccines.
In good health,
Leigh-Anne Stafford, Director, Health and Human Services
Protect yourself this fall and winter virus season
Respiratory infections are projected to cause millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths throughout the United States and Michigan this year.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is recommending residents get flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines to protect themselves and their communities against respiratory viruses during this upcoming fall and winter season.
This recommendation follows the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation for the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines. The updated vaccines are expected to provide protection against severe COVID-19 disease from currently circulating variants. The COVID-19 vaccine can be given with other vaccines, including flu and RSV vaccines.
Read the full MDHHS Press Release HERE.
Contact your local pharmacy or health care provider for availability of vaccines.
Neighborhood & Housing Development Spotlight: New Wixom Playscape
Outside of the Wixom Public Library, a beautiful new playscape was built courtesy of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) provided by Oakland County Neighborhood and Housing Development. CDBG is a funding program provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are distributed to communities for revitalization projects, home improvement and public services for senior citizens, low-income people and families, disadvantaged youth, and residents with disabilities throughout Oakland County.
Wixom resident, Emily, brought her five-year-old son to try out the new playscape. “It’s bigger, much nicer, and safer than the former playscape,” she said, adding that her son really enjoyed all the features, knobs and buttons to push on the playground.
Playscapes are great spaces for children to get their daily physical activity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children 6 – 17 years old need to get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Children between 3 – 5 years old need to be physically active throughout the day to promote growth and development.
Learn more about Neighborhood and Housing Development services at https://bit.ly/3ZyiRHU
Create a safe sleep environment for baby
October is Safe Sleep and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month. Infant safe sleep practices decrease baby's chances of dying from a sleep-related death or SIDS in their first year of life. Many actions can be taken to protect baby including having baby sleep by themselves, on their back, and in a bassinet, crib or portable crib.
A safe sleep environment includes:
- Baby sleeping in a crib, bassinet or portable crib like a Pack 'n Play
- Firm and flat sleep surface (such as a mattress in a crib), covered by a fitted sheet
- Smoke-free home
- Alone in their own room or in the same room as a responsible adult.
- Baby's sleep space is clutter free—no pillows, blankets, comforters, stuffed animals or other objects.
Visit www.oakgov.com/SafeSleep for more information. If you are in need of additional infant safe sleep support or resources, call Nurse on Call 1-800-848-5533.
Dr. Calandra Green Memorial Scholarships
Two scholarship opportunities are now available for nursing students!
Dr. Calandra Green’s Memorial Scholarship has announced the award of four $1,500 scholarships to qualified Oakland Community College Nursing students. These scholarships will be given to students who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities through their involvement on campus and in the community, by breaking down racial and cultural stereotypes, and by promoting unity and equity among all people.
Calandra Green served Oakland County as a nurse for more than 28 years after earning her Associate Degree in Nursing through Oakland Community College. As the pandemic began, Dr. Green played a pivotal role in hiring and training nurses for county-wide public and private or charter schools, as well as launching COVID-19 testing at churches in Oakland County. One of Dr. Green’s many achievements is being named Oakland County’s first African American Health Officer in 2022. Dr. Green envisioned that public health would be rooted in the community. She used her knowledge, skills, and commitment to move public health forward to achieve the goal of having healthy residents.
For more details and how to apply for the scholarship, click HERE. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, Nov. 4 at noon.
 Oakland University (OU) also has a scholarship fund in honor of Green for nursing students at OU. Green attended the Nightingale Nursing Awards at OU the night she was taken too soon. To donate to the Calandra Green Dream Builders Scholarship fund, click here.
Hispanic Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples Day
Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15. It marks the independence of several Latin American countries such as Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras Mexico, and Nicaragua. Oakland County, in partnership with Centro Cultural Hispano, co-sponsored a celebration in Ferndale kicking of the heritage month.
Metro Detroit has a strong Latino community both within Oakland County and Southwest Detroit, and we encourage you to explore ways to celebrate locally. The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is offering several exhibits centered around Hispanic Heritage Month. One free month-long exhibit is called Ofrendas: Celebrating el Diá de Muertos. Diá de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), celebrated on Nov. 1, is part of the Mexican culture honoring loved ones who have died.
This month, we also celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 14. On this day, Macomb Community College is holding moments of silence in honor of the 12 tribes within Michigan. This moment is meant to honor the contributions by Michigan Indigenous Tribes while also recognizing the violence, racism, and generational trauma experienced by them. You can continue learning about Indigenous Peoples history here in Oakland County by attending a fireside chat hosted by Oakland County Parks Historian Carol Bacak-Egbo. November’s chat is: “Caretakers of the Land: Tracing Indigenous History in Oakland County.”
More Health Division info
Check out our webpage page for information about our services and various health topics. You can also call our Nurse on Call hotline at 1-800-848-5533, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oakgov.com/health is the best place to receive the latest information. Add, update, or opt out of Health Division email or text communications by clicking here.
|
