Mar. 08, 2024
Exciting times here at UCHD. We are four days from our annual District Advisory Council, one week out from our Stay Active 5K, and one month away from the total solar eclipse. Shew! Check out some of highlights below, and as always, email us anytime if we can help.
Happy March,
Jennifer Thrush
Public Information Officer
contact@uchd.net
Annual Report to Hit Mailboxes
We’ve finished up our 2023 annual report and a postcard version will hit mailboxes before the end of the month. Click here to flip through it and get a sneak peek at the highlights before the postcard version arrives in your neighbor’s mailbox. We promise, it’s a quick read.
Stay Active 5K –Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Us
We’re just one week away from our Mar. 16 St. Patrick’s Day themed Stay Active 5K. Not a 5K kind of person? Then this run/walk is perfect for you! You don’t even have to wake up early as we step off at 10am. The goal is simple, create a supportive community where we all can take a step forward on our health journeys. We welcome kiddos, families, fur babies, newbies, and experienced runners. Only condition is you have to like fun and be willing to give a wave at your fellow run/walkers. You’ll get a race medal, super soft t-shirt, and Bundtini cakes at the end. Click here to register today and get more details. Same day registration closes at 9:30am.
Solar Eclipse – One Month Away
The rare and breathtaking total solar eclipse is just a month away on Apr. 8. A partial eclipse will begin around 2pm, with totality occurring at about 3pm and lasting about 3 minutes. Similar events in other parts of the country have demonstrated the potential for travel impacts due to roadway congestion following the end of totality. That’s why we encourage Union County residents to be aware of potential traffic congestion and delays and why Union County Tourism encourages visitors to come early and stay late. If you may be visiting us from Columbus or another state, check out Union County Tourism’s event listing.
Facilitated by the Union County Emergency Management Agency, partners from across Union County continue to plan for the possibility of increased visitors and traffic. We hope you give a few moments of thought and preparation as well.
Things to Think About:
þ Get your solar eclipse glasses (make sure they meet ISO 12312-2 International Safety Standard).
þ Get medications refilled so you don’t have to run to the pharmacy on Apr. 8.
þ Traffic congestion & delays are possible in the afternoon/evening of Apr. 8.
þ Communication congestion is possible, diminishing cell phone and internet service
þ Unusual animal behavior often occurs during a total eclipse. During eclipses across the globe, people have observed nocturnal animals emerging while those that are typically active during the day suddenly retreat to their nighttime abodes.
See more tips at www.uchd.net/eclipse.
Fun Fact: A total solar eclipse is visible somewhere on Earth about once every 18 months, but often only viewable in remote locations. Generally, total solar eclipses are visible every 400 years from any one place. – Natural History Museum, London
Safety Town – Little Town Teaches Big Safety Lessons
Tricycles, a real-life tiny town, a firetruck, a visit from a tail-wagging puppy, and coloring! These are the tools used to teach safety to kindergartners in Fairbanks, Marysville & North Union schools during Safety Town each year. I think our adults have as much fun teaching as the kids! Safety Town for incoming kindergartners living within the Marysville school district will be June 10-13 with registration opening April 1. Safety Town for kindergartners in Fairbanks and North Union schools is held during the school year as part of the school day. A big thank you to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, our schools, and all the community partners who work alongside UCHD to keep Safety Town going!
Reproductive Health Clinic – Bridging Gaps
Many patients who come to our reproductive health clinic do not have a doctor or haven’t visited a doctor in a long time. They are often young adults who have transitioned out of the care of a pediatrician, someone who just hasn’t found the time to visit a doctor, a person who has an insurance or financial barrier to seeing a doctor, or a healthy person who just needs birth control or STD testing. This is where our supportive public health nurses can help provide a safety net. We address immediate needs such as birth control, testing & treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and treatment of minor illnesses, but we also provide cancer screening, health education, and connections to community resources that support your overall health. Funded through a grant from the Ohio Department of Health, our clinic is ensuring every Union County resident has the opportunity for basic reproductive healthcare and information that is affordable and medically accurate.
Updated CDC Guidance for Both COVID Vaccination & Isolation When Sick
VACCINATION UPDATE: The CDC updated COVID vaccine recommendations for people age 65 and older on Mar. 1. The CDC recommends people age 65 years and older receive an additional dose of the updated 2023-2024 Covid-19 vaccine this spring. This is the same formula rolled out in the fall of 2023. This age group should receive an additional dose 4 months after the previous dose.
ISOLATION UPDATE: The CDC has updated COVID isolation guidance to align it with general guidance for Respiratory Viruses. The new guidance recommends people with COVID, flu and other respiratory viruses stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19.
It is important to note that the guidance doesn’t end with staying home and away from others when sick. The guidance encourages added precaution over the next five days after time at home, away from others, is over. Since some people remain contagious beyond the “stay-at-home” period, a period of added precaution using prevention strategies, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.
