Prevent Rabies

Rabies, which is almost always fatal once a person becomes infected, can be prevented.

There are steps that can be taken to prevent rabies in homes and in the community.

1. Get pets vaccinated. This includes dogs, cats (even indoor cats) and ferrets. Have questions about vaccinating a pet against rabies? Talk to your vet or call Fulton County Public Health for low-cost rabies vaccination locations.
2. Don’t touch wild or stray animals. Some wild animals may be rabid. It is best to avoid wild animals and teach children not to touch wild animals as well.
Also, avoid touching stray animals. A stray cat may seem friendly, but can become scared and bite. If there is a stray animal in your neighborhood, contact your local animal control authority.
3. Report animal bites to Public Health. Seek medical care for the treatment of animal bites. Follow up with Public Health to determine the best plan for preventing rabies infection. This may include receiving rabies post-exposure treatment to prevent the transmission of rabies. If the owner of the biting animal is known and the animal can be observed for 10 days, it is possible that rabies post-exposure treatment can be avoided.
4. Report all bat exposures to Public Health, even if there are no bite marks. Sometimes bite marks are not able to be seen but a bite still occurred. Better to be safe and call. Call public health if a bat is found in a room with a young child or person who is incapacitated. Also, call public health if someone comes into contact with a bat or wakes up in a room with a bat flying around.
5. Planning to travel abroad? Talk to your doctor to see if you need any travel vaccinations. The risk for rabies exposure is higher in some countries.
Depending on where you travel to, your doctor may suggest a rabies vaccination before traveling. Make sure to call well enough in advance, to give time to receive needed travel vaccinations.
Want to learn more about rabies and how to protect yourself and your family? Check out the Kids Health article here: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/rabies.html
To report an animal bite, bat exposure or to find low-cost rabies vaccination locations in Fulton County, call 518-736-7520.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 

Cancer Services Program
Fulton, Montgomery, and Schenectady Counties
is holding a screening day at St. Mary's Rao Pavilion on March 21st, 2023 from 3 pm -5 pm.
If you are an uninsured, eligible individual between 40-64, we may be able to provide you with a FREE breast exam, mammogram, pelvic exam, and pap smear.
If eligible, you may receive an at-home FIT Kit to test for colorectal cancer.
Call today to see if you are eligible and register at 518-841-3726

NYS Early Intervention Program Needs YOU!

Help! The Early Intervention Program has a shortage of qualified providers! The NYS Early Intervention Program serves infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities and delays from borth to three years old in their own homes and communities.

For more information, please see the NYS Early Intervention flyer on Facebook.

For more information call 518-473-7016 (option 1-Provider Unit) or use visit health.ny.gov/.../service_providers.

Vaccinate from COVID-19 Even if Pregnant

Did you know that pregnant people are more likely get seriously ill if they are infected with COVID-19? COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe and effective for parents and their unborn children.

Learn more and schedule a vaccine appointment here: https://www.vaccines.gov/

Reoccurring Lead Exposures

All children can be exposed to lead through reoccurring exposures to small amounts or one time exposures to higher amounts of lead.

Check out these real-world examples of how, why and what can be done to prevent it. All Children Can Be Exposed to Lead

Know Your Limit for Added Sugars

Make sure you are reading labels. “Low sugar” and “low” or “no fat” can mean added sugar sweeteners, which can be more harmful to the body.

The more you know about added sugars the more aware you will be about what you are eating and feeding your family. Get the Facts: Added Sugars

Lead Poisoning Prevention Photo Contest   

Think you have the cutest child? Submit a photo of your child, 1-2 years of age, to Fulton County Public Health.   

The winning child's photo will be used on a lead poisoning prevention billboard to raise awareness of the importance of having children tested for lead at 1 and 2 years of age.   

Submit photo by 5/31/23 to spulis@fultoncountyny.gov to participate.

March is National Kidney Month

Millions of people in the United States have chronic kidney disease, increasing their risk of developing serious complications from viral infections, like flu and COVID-19. If you have kidney disease, talk to your doctor about which vaccines you need. cdc.gov/.../renal-disease

¡Marzo es el mes nacional del riñón! Millones de personas en los Estados Unidos tienen enfermedad renal crónica, lo que aumenta el riesgo de tener complicaciones graves a causa de infecciones virales, como la gripe o el COVID-19. Si tiene enfermedad renal, hable con su médico sobre qué vacunas necesita. Para obtener más información, visite cdc.gov/.../renal-disease

Learn how a registered dietitian nutritionist can help with kidney disease: eatright.org/.../how-an-rdn-can-help-with-kidney-disease #eatright

Prevent Dog Fights

Oftentimes, owners get bit breaking up dog fights!

-Enroll in dog training class.
-Feed dogs in the home separately.
-Limit play wrestling to a few minutes.
-Spay and neuter your dog.
-Take precautions when family & friend's dogs' visit. Allow your dog alone time.
-Walk your dog outside on a leash.
-Watch for signs your dog is stressed and de-escalate before a fight begins.

To learn more about preventing dog fights, talk to your veterinary office and check out this site from the American Kennel Club (AKC):
https://www.akc.org/.../stopping-dog-fight-confrontation-fighting-dogs/

Fulton County Public Health has positions available

• Senior Account Clerk
• Account Clerk
View the job postings and contact Fulton County Personnel office to apply.

March is Save Your Vision Month

Did you know certain vaccines help protect your vision? Shingles is a painful rash that can affect the eyes and cause vision loss. CDC recommends all adults 50 years and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine.
Learn more about shingles vaccine recommendations

¡Marzo es el mes de la protección de la vista! ¿Sabía que ciertas vacunas lo ayudan a proteger la vista? El herpes zóster es un sarpullido doloroso que puede afectar a los ojos y causar pérdida de la vista. Los CDC recomiendan que los adultos de 50 años o mayores se coloquen dos dosis de la vacuna contra el herpes zóster. Para obtener más información sobre recomendaciones de la vacuna contra el herpes zóster, visite cdc.gov/.../shingrix/

Lead Exposure Warnings

Primark Recalls Children’s Bamboo Plates Due to Risk of Lead and Chemical Exposure Hazards

Hatley USA Recalls Children’s Opalescent Angel Wings Headbands due to levels of lead that exceed the federal lead content ban

March is Multiple Sclerosis month

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease that impacts the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can vary from person to person and therefore treatments can differ. Follow the link below to learn more about what MS is, the symptoms, risk factors, complications, and treatment options.

Multiple sclerosis - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

(APHA) Keep It Moving Challenge  

Are you ready Fulton County? Get set, and go to The American Public Health Association (APHA) Keep It Moving Challenge, which starts January 1, 2023 and runs through April 9, 2023.  

Evidence shows that consistent physical activity helps prevent chronic disease, improve quality of life, maintain mental health, and promote healthy aging.  

Please join us downloading the APHA Keep It Moving Challenge app or go to https://nphw.org/Get-Involved/Keep-It-Moving for more information.  
https://www.hekahealth.com/apha-keepitmoving-2023

Prevent Exposures to Lead When Renovating

Check out this EPA video on how to prevent exposures to lead when renovating a home.
Lead based Paint PSA (60sec) - U.S. EPA - YouTube

Want to know if your COVID-19 home tests’ expiration date was extended?

The expiration date on some Covid-19 home tests have been extended. Check out this site from the FDA fda.gov/…/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests (scroll down the page) to find your home test. Then check the lot number on your test to see if the expiration date has been extended.

Have questions? Call Fulton County Public Health at 518-736-5720.

Looking to vaccinate your pet for rabies?

Reminder: New York State Law states that all dogs, cats and ferrets are to be vaccinated against rabies. To learn more about pets and rabies vaccinations in NY, check out the NY State Department of Health Fact Sheet here: https://www.health.ny.gov/.../docs/pet_owners_fact_sheet.pdf

Here is the schedule for the Fulton County Public Health rabies clinics in 2023 (pre-registration will begin three weeks before rabies clinic date). 

Unable to wait until these clinic dates? Did you know Tractor Supply also offers rabies vaccinations for pets? Contact Tractor Supply to learn more. 

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month  

DID YOU KNOW? There are many ways to be screened for colorectal cancer, including easy take home tests. If you are 45 and older, talk to your health care provider about getting screened and choosing the test that's right for you. The best test is the one you take. health.ny.gov/ColonCancer

MADD Support Group 

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) offers support to those who have been impacted by drunk and/or drugged driving. 

MADD of NY & NJ is offering a support group that will be meeting virtually on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:00pm-7:30pm. 

For more information email the Victims Services Director at rachael.browngardt@madd.org or follow the link below to register for the virtual meeting. 

MADD Virtual Support Group Registration Form (jotform.com) https://form.jotform.com/222644475505861

Affected by Arthritis?  

You are not alone. According to the Arthritis Foundation, nearly 60 million adults are diagnosed with arthritis or about 1 in 4 adults.  

Learn more about living with arthritis including fitness solutions, coping with fatigue, healthy eating habits, joint-protection tips, and more at arthritis.org/healthy-living

Fuel your future while you protect the planet  

Check out these 6 tips to minimize your carbon footprint: sm.eatright.org/Foodprint.  
#eatright #NationalNutritionMonth

Are you currently pregnant?    

Have you heard about the Text4Baby program? Check out this video about the Text4Baby program to see if it is right for you: https://vimeo.com/98980682 For more information, visit the Text4Baby website at: https://www.text4baby.org/

Asthma   

Asthma is a chronic disease that can be very serious and has no cure, but with proper management, a person can lead a normal lifestyle. The American Lung Association offers many tips and tools on causes, treatments, management of asthma.   

For more information click to view the about Asthma or go to lung.org/.../asthma

YT video in Spanish https://youtu.be/0a7zkfbGxxg