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In Your Neighborhood . . .
SMLA Addresses Harmful Algal Blooms
The Smith Mountain Lake Association (SMLA) has created several initiatives to be better prepared this year for harmful algal blooms (HABs) which negatively impact recreational and tourism activities at the lake.
SMLA’s Dock Watch Program currently consists of about 40 volunteers who monitor lake quality from about 20 docks around Smith Mountain Lake by looking for long-term trends of cyanobacteria along the shoreline. Another initiative is a watershed assessment study of the Blackwater arm of Smith Mountain Lake, where HAB outbreaks led to swimming advisories for much of last summer. The association is also working with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) to lean why HABs form and what can be done about them. More details are available in this article from the Smith Mountain Eagle.
Mark your calendar for the Second Annual 'A Day at the Lake' event set for June 8 at Goodhue Boat Company – Blackwater (formally Crazy Horse Marina), located at 400 Crazy Horse Drive, Moneta, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. This free event is put on by the SMLA to bring the community together for an afternoon of fun and interactive activities for all ages. Darrin Doss from WPHD and Jim Bowles from Central Virginia Health Department will represent VDH with a booth and information regarding algal blooms and other public health issues they may be asked about.
WPHD's Steve Bailey Earns BEACON Award
Steve has received the VDH 1st Quarter BEACON award winner (Jan – Mar 2024). BEACON award winners are VDH public health nurses recognized for Breaking Barriers, Empathy, Art of Caring, Community Advocacy, Original Ideas, and Never Ending Diligence.
Verna Burnette, Nurse Manager, Sr. nominated Steve for the award. The nomination is forwarded to the state Director of Nursing, and a Beacon Award Committee selects quarterly winners. Part of the nomination is shown below.
"Steve is empathetic towards both clients and coworkers. He meets clients where they are, always working from the time he calls a name in the waiting room to establish rapport with them. Steve is also empathetic to nursing staff, often offering to stay late if necessary to finish clinic so that other nurses can leave on time to attend to family duties. He jumps in as needed to assist nursing or clerical staff to ensure efficient clinic flow, and even assists EH as needed. Steve is always a "listening ear" for staff of any discipline and is an encourager while also ensuring professional accountability."
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 News You Can Use
This Could Be the Worst Hurricane Season in Decades
Meteorologists have predicted 17 to 25 tropical storms and said eight to 13 of them are likely to become hurricanes, fueled by record ocean temperatures. It could outpace the 2005 season, which had seven major hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina. And global warming is encouraging stronger storms. Prepare for hurricane season now.
Pilgrims Beware - Meningococcal Disease Linked
Cases of meningococcal disease have been linked to Umrah travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that can be performed any time in the year; the Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage this year taking place June 14–19, 2024. Since April 2024, 12 cases of meningococcal disease linked to KSA travel for Umrah have been reported to national public health agencies in the United States (5 cases), France (4 cases), and the United Kingdom (3 cases). …..
Fake Drugs, Real Dangers
In need of medications but faced with steep prices, more Americans than ever are purchasing discount drugs online—exposing them to the risk of receiving substandard and falsified medications. Despite FDA safeguards, the U.S. has seen an “alarming” growth in fake medications, like counterfeit Adderall pills laced with meth and a cancer drug with no active ingredient. To increase awareness of fake meds among patients and health care providers, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health experts have partnered with Pfizer in a project called BESAFE. In a survey of providers, the BESAFE team found that:
- 91% don’t talk to patients about counterfeit drugs.
- 74% said an inability to determine counterfeit products is a barrier to reporting incidents.
- ~90% said cost savings are the main reason patients end up with counterfeit medications.
Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Crises Affect Families Too
The mental health crisis isn’t just about patients with mental illness or the teens struggling with emotional problems or individuals coping with loneliness, it’s also deeply and centrally about families...while we have inadequate services for families dealing with mental illness generally, we have even fewer services and supports for the families dealing with crisis events. The numbers of families experiencing a very serious mental health-related event is so large that it may constitute a crisis within the larger mental health crisis, and it’s one that does not receive enough attention…. half of American families (51%) experienced one or more of these severe crises. It means that when you measure the impact of the mental health crisis, you really need to multiply manifold, something official statistics don’t do. These are the kinds of crises that truly challenge families. - Kaiser Family Foundation
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No More Free COVID Vaccines?
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program that provides uninsured adults access to free COVID-19 vaccines is set to expire. The CDC said its Bridge Access Program will end in August. The program also offers free vaccines to those with insurance plans that do not fully cover the cost of the shots. People looking to see if their COVID-19 shots are covered by insurance should contact their health insurance provider or search their coverage plan on their provider’s website
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