Personal health affects community health

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Flu Season

Time for your flu vaccine

Centers for Disease Control

U.S. Public Health Service:  (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)

by Paula Maionchi, MD, JD

Most people do not think that their personal health is a major factor in the health of our community. Recently, however local and world events are focusing our attentions on how each person’s health may impact our community health and world health.

A new vocabulary is emerging in the press, on radio and TV. Familiar words like measles and chicken pox are taking a backseat to SARS, Fujian flu and Avian flu. At this time, the Unites States has been very fortunate; we have avoided major outbreaks of these infections. These new infectious diseases have several characteristics in common. They are all viral diseases, they are serious and often fatal, there are currently no vaccines to prevent them and there are no ‘silver bullet’ medications to cure them. SARS and Fujian flu are contagious from person to person by coughing and possibly by hand contact with the virus. At this time, Avian flu is thought to be transmitted by contact with sick chickens, in Asia. There are concerns that if this virus changes structure (a genetic mutation), it may become contagious person to person.

We have not avoided major epidemics of these diseases just because we are lucky! We are blessed with the finest public health system in the world. The US Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control are working ‘24/7’ to monitor and respond to disease situations in the US and around the world.

Our national public health service works closely on a daily basis with our health departments to put into actions methods of prevention, protection and response to serious contagious diseases. We are very fortunate in Madison County to have a public health department that is staffed by intelligent, knowledgeable and dedicated professionals. Our health department tracks disease patterns and monitors the community for unusual health events, in order to be better prepared to alert the community and respond to possible disease outbreaks. They offer effective immunizations programs, at little or not cost to citizens, to prevent such diseases as polio, measles, seasonal human flu, diphtheria and other diseases. They test, evaluate, track and treat people in the community for tuberculosis (TB) and other significant infectious diseases. They have active programs that monitor water and food safety.  They are deeply involved in child health both at the Health Department and in our schools. As competent, trustworthy, efficient and knowledgeable as the Madison County Health Department professionals are, they still need your help to protect everyone’s health.

Until research produces effective vaccines and medications against all infectious diseases, both the old ones like smallpox, anthrax and plague and the new ones like SARS, Fujian and Avian flu, our personal and public health safety depends on a partnership between each of us and our health department

Each of us has a moral responsibility to monitor our health behaviors, to help protect the community health.  Maintain adequate immunizations against vaccine preventable diseases, for yourself and your family. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing and insist that your children exercise this same common protective activity. Frequent hand washing, either with soap and water or the new waterless hand sanitizers can significantly limit the spread of most infectious diseases. Stay home and keep your children home when an illness is characterized by fever and a cough, rash or sore throat.  When you travel, whether inside or outside of the United States make sure you are up to date on all immunizations, be vigilant about hand washing and do not be embarrassed to wear a protective respiratory mask on a plane, train or bus trip. If you become ill, especially with fever and cough, diarrhea or rash while traveling or upon returning home, stay away from other people until you see your doctor. By working together each of us can contribute to a safer, healthier community. Be vigilant in protecting your health. Your health is everyone’s health.

Paula Maionchi, MD is the Medical Director of the Instant Care Center and board certified in Internal Medicine.

2/04

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