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Back to School!
RCAHD Supports Families Preparing for Back to School
The Roanoke City & Alleghany Health District is encouraging families to schedule their back-to-school physicals and immunizations. Families should contact their child’s primary care provider or urgent care for an appointment. For families without a primary care provider, please call your local health department. Appointments fill up fast. Scheduling physicals now can save you a last-minute scramble this fall.
We will also be at the following back-to-school events offering immunizations:
· Back to School Bash at the Alleghany YMCA on July 31st from 4pm – 7pm
· Cuts with Cops at Carilion Children’s Tanglewood on August 1st from 9am - 2pm (or while supplies last)
· Back to School Extravaganza at William Fleming High School on August 8th from 9am – 12pm
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Summer may be winding down, but the sun is still in full force. Community members are busy with outdoor activities, backyard barbeques and beach trips. It is a time when protecting yourself from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and reducing the risk of skin cancer is more important than ever.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer, accounting for about 3.5 million cases in the U.S. Most are caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun.
Ways to protect your skin from the sun include:
· Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
· Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming, sweating, or after toweling off.
· Wear clothes that cover your arms and legs.
· Wear a wide-brimmed hat to shade your face, head, ears, and neck.
· Seek shade, especially during midday hours.
· Shield your eyes with sunglasses with 100% UV protection.
Breastfeeding is hard. We can help.
August is National Breastfeeding Month, and we are celebrating in our WIC program!
Your choice for the best way to feed your baby is unique and individualized to you, your support system, family, and partner. When you choose to breastfeed your baby, it can be helpful to learn, prepare, and plan together. The more you know about breastfeeding, the more comfortable and confident you will feel the first time you feed your baby.
Infectious Disease Updates
While Virginia has seen an increase in cyclosporiasis cases, we are not currently part of the outbreak associated with shredded lettuce.
To help reduce the risk of any foodborne illness, you should always:
- Check food recalls
- Wash fruits and vegetables
- Follow general food safety tips
Virginia has already experienced 177 cases of measles in 2026. The majority of these cases are linked to a current outbreak in Buckingham and Cumberland counties. While RCAHD has not had any confirmed case of measles in our community, let's do a brief recap of measles and how you can protect yourself:
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable, viral illness. It spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Because the virus is airborne, it can linger in the air for up to two hours after a contagious person has left. The infection usually occurs in two stages.
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First signs and symptoms begin about 7-14 days after being exposed. These include:
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Small white spots may be seen on the gums and inside of the cheeks. These can appear a few days after initial symptoms begin.
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Typically starts 3-5 days (range of 1-7 days) after stage 1 symptoms appear.
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Begins as a rash on the face that spreads to the rest of the body.
A person can spread the measles virus from just before the fever starts (usually four days before the rash appears) to about four days after the rash appears. Immunocompromised patients can spread the virus for the entire duration of their illness.
Measles is preventable through a safe and effective Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR is recommended for all children, starting with the first dose at 12-15 months of age, and a second dose before a child enters kindergarten (4-6 years of age). The second dose can be administered earlier, as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose.
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