Houston HealthScope - May 26, 2023
Memorial Day Reminder: You Can Get It Too!
From barbeques to vacations, sleepovers to pool parties, Houstonians are ready to get back out and enjoy the first big holiday of the summer months.
Memorial Day is just days away. Families and friends come together to celebrate in grand fashion. This is the first Memorial Day in four years that COVID-19 has not been the main topic of conversation.
But…COVID-19 is still here, and you can get it too.
It is imperative for Houstonians to stay aware and updated on the area’s COVID-19 numbers. Good news! Houston’s 14-day average COVID-19 positivity rate fell to 4.4% from 4.9% the previous week. But the same May 22 dashboard shows Houston’s wastewater data seeing an uptick in the numbers registering at 85%, up 9% the previous week.
Launched in 2021, Houston Health Department (HHD), in partnership with Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, and Houston Water, created the first public COVID-19 dashboard to track the amount of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and see whether levels of the virus in that community are increasing, decreasing, or staying the same.
“Houstonians are using the dashboard to gather information and gauge the situation and make informed decisions to protect their families,” said Dr. Loren Hopkins, Chief Environmental Science Office for the Houston Health Department and Professor of Statistics at Rice University. “A high level of virus in your neighborhood’s wastewater means the virus is spreading locally and you should be even more stringent about masking up when visiting public places.”
Additionally, there are testing sites throughout Houston. At schools, low-income neighborhoods and homeless centers, as well as outlying areas, HHD has over 60 locations ready for testing.
No one knows for sure if rising temps will slow down this recent uptick in COVID-19 but it’s always best to use caution, be tested and get vaccinated as safeguards for yourself, your family and friends.
To locate free COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites near you, click here.
--> COVID-19 positivity in HoustonHouston's 14-day average COVID-19 positivity rate is 4.4%, and the wastewater virus load is 85% of the baseline. Stay up to date with vaccines to help lower the numbers.
Free vaccine sites: https://bit.ly/3jy5Rzv or 832-393-4220. -->
Annual Symposium resumes post-COVID
This year, the Houston Health Department (HHD) - Bureau of HIV/STD and Viral Hepatitis Prevention partnered with Houston’s Viral Hepatitis Task Force and Baylor College of Medicine’s AIDS Education Training Center to present the third Annual Houston VIral Hepatitis Task Force Symposium, at the Third Ward Multi-Service Center, May 19.
Speakers from all over Texas offered the Symposium participants insights and updates on their programs and the work being done to help fight the spread of the hepatitis virus. Discussions were also raised about the alarming uptick in fentanyl cases being linked to increases in acute hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV transmission cases which are also transmissible via sharing needles, syringes, and other injection equipment.
Over 2 million adults in the United States manage the hepatitis virus daily.
Over 14,000 deaths in the United States were caused by hepatitis C (HCV) in 2019, with the Black and Hispanic groups bearing the brunt of this burden.
“What we are wanting to do is, not just increase visibility around hepatitis, but muster resources to do something about it and to have that strategy be led by community enforcement policy,” said Eliot Davis, Secretary of Task Force and Policy Analyst for Houston Health Department (HHD) - Bureau of HIV/STD and Viral Hepatitis Prevention.
Each year National Hepatitis Testing Day is observed on May 19. Teams of medical personnel are readily available to accomplish the daunting task of testing and vaccinating people as well as encouraging them to know their status. If left untreated, hepatitis can cause advanced liver disease, liver cancer and, in some cases, death.
But there is still hope. Treatment is available.
For more information on HHD’s HIV/STD, Viral Hepatitis Prevention services, please click here.
--> Houston Health Department joins Bike to Work DayHouston Health Department (HHD) employees donned their helmets, strapped in their feet, and set out for the wild ride of National Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 19. The event was part of the Bike to Work Day events at Houston City Hall, downtown.
Celebrated annually in May, the event is geared towards celebrating cycling as a primary mode of transportation, and recreation and essential to our well-being and everyday lives.
Did you know that 40% of all trips in the US are shorter than a 2-mile ride?
The group was led by bike-aficionado, HHD Director, Steven L. Williams. The team met up at the HHD Administration building, 8000 N. Stadium Dr. before heading downtown for the main city-led event. The 15-member team peddled fervently to the finish line at Hermann Square Pond near City Hall and completed their ride by cycling back to work at N. Stadium Drive. Once the gears cooled and the legs shook out, the team cycled over 15 miles. What a feat!
“Bike to Work 2023 was a fantastic event, the HHD Team showed up strong with a team of avid riders and presented a solid showing of support as they zealously biked from the office to EaDo and City Hall. I can’t wait to do it again next year,” said Steven L. Williams, Houston Health Director.
National Bike to Work Day, part of Bike Month, represents a unified day of celebration across the United States where the nation comes together to celebrate the bicycle as a mode of transportation, a fun way to explore the city and a way to get to work or around your neighborhood.
--> HHD Programs receive honor and recognition
Every year Alief ISD celebrates businesses and organizations across Houston for their extraordinary collaboration with the district by hosting a Partnership Banquet.
This year, the Houston Health Department’s See to Succeed program and Mobile Vaccination Unit received recognition for their contributions to the district.
See to Succeed, Administrative Manager, Jacy King accepted the award on behalf of the See to Succeed program, honoring its 10-year partnership with the district.
The program provided eye exams and glasses to over 700 Alief students this year.
Launched in 2011, See to Succeed’s vision is to ensure that all school-age students have access to vision clinics and free eyewear. The program has served over 100,000 Houston children.
Administration Manager, Jacy King said, “Alief has been a great partner to work with, they truly care about their students and are very involved with the entire See to Succeed process from start to end.” She said, “Nursing leads from the district dedicate their time to remain onsite during their week at the West End Health Center which is extremely helpful to us.”
Roselynn Ruth and Tammara Jordan accepted the award on behalf of the Mobile Vaccination Unit (MVU) which provided $40,000 worth of vaccines to Alief ISD students this year.
The MVU offers weekly pop-up sites to serve Houston’s general public in need of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, flu shots, meningitis and routine vaccines.
To learn more about See to Succeed here.
To learn more about MVU here.
--> Bridges Conference resumes post-pandemicThe 6th Annual Bridges Conference 2023: Chartering a Course for a Happier and Healthier Community took place Tuesday, May 9, at the Bayou Event Center in southwest Houston.
The Care Connection Aging and the Disability Resource Center presented its first in-person conference since 2019, post the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was a day for idea exchanges, amplifying messages, and sharing experiences related to elder care.
Keynote Speaker, Scott Abel JD, discussed a culture of change where creativity and innovation could thrive using anecdotal animations from Disney and Pixar to motivate the audience into creating their own “magic” at work.
The day-long conference was designed to educate professionals and the community about the latest trends and emerging issues in aging, disability, caregiving, and veterans services from local, state and federal perspectives.
Since 2015, the Bridges Conference has brought healthcare professionals from various fields, including social work, counseling, community health, long-term care and academia, together to share resources and receive professional development.
The Harris County Area Agency on Aging (HCAAA) is a city-county partnership housed in the Houston Health Department, that provides services to adults 60 years of age and older and the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) provides services to people with disabilities ages 17 to 59. Both provide services for older adults (60 years +) and their caregivers residing in Harris County are the largest in the state of Texas within their perspective fields.
Click the link for more information on HCAAA.
--> --> You are not aloneMental health is just as important as physical health. Don't be afraid to talk about your mental health. Sharing your struggles can help feel less alone and inspire others to seek help as well. Learn more. --> Seasonal Allergies Spring is in the air, but so are allergies and asthma triggers. Keep your lungs healthy by staying informed, taking precautions and seeking proper medical care. Learn more. --> Asthma Awareness
Knowing what to expect when you walk outside is very important if you have asthma. Stay aware of Houston's air quality by signing up for Air Asthma Air Aware Day alerts today: AlertHouston.org.
Subscribe to AlertHouston and choose "Asthma Air Aware Day" from the drop-down menu. --> The future of health begins with you
The All of Us Research Program is inviting one million people across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle and environment affect health. This may one day help them find ways to treat and prevent disease. Learn more. --> Boost your protection
Stay up to date with COVID-19 shots for the best protection against new variants. COVID-19 shots are safe and effective. Get a booster shot when eligible. Learn more. --> --> Join our mailing list
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May 26, 2023 The Houston Health Department (HHD) works in partnership with the community to promote and protect the health and social well-being of Houstonians and the environment in which they live. HHD is a full-service health department that not only performs all core functions of a Public Health Department but also many enhanced functions including initiatives to address health inequities. HHD services
benefit all Houston residents but the department also takes additional steps to support those most in need, such as low-income mothers and children, the elderly and minority populations. Most HHD functions serve the 2.3 million residents of the City of Houston but the scope and impact extends into Harris County’s population of 4.7 million people through the department’s Area Aging on Aging, Bureau of Youth and Adolescent Health, Project Saving Smiles, See to Succeed, immunization strategies, syndromic surveillance and HIV-STD surveillance. HHD’s laboratory also services a 17-county region.
Learn more at HoustonHealth.org.
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