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Norovirus Infections Spreading Widely Across North Carolina:
State Public Health Officials urge precautions to prevent possible exposure
RALEIGH – Throughout January, several local health departments across North Carolina have reported multiple outbreaks of norovirus, prompting state public health officials to issue advice on steps everyone can take to avoid this common and unpleasant gastrointestinal illness.
“The most important message we have right now is that people who are ill with vomiting or diarrhea should not work, go to school or attend daycare while they are having symptoms, “said State Epidemiologist Dr. Megan Davies. “Everyone needs to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water. This is the most effective way to protect yourself and others against norovirus since hand sanitizers alone are not as effective against this hardy virus.”
Noroviruses are easily transmitted by touching a contaminated surface as well as by direct contact or by eating food or drinking liquids that have been contaminated with the virus. Noroviruses are notoriously difficult to kill with normal cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Surfaces that have been contaminated with stool or vomit should be cleaned immediately and disinfected with a freshly prepared diluted bleach solution or a bleach-based household cleaner.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Some may have fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and a general sense of tiredness. The symptoms can begin suddenly and an infected person may go from feeling well to very sick in a very short period of time. In most people, the illness lasts for about one or two days. People with norovirus illness are contagious from the moment they begin feeling sick until at least three days after they recover. Some people may be contagious for even longer, she added. Infection can be more severe in young children and elderly people. Dehydration can occur rapidly and may require medical treatment or hospitalization.
“Unfortunately, there is no specific medications to treat norovirus, but infected people should drink plenty of liquids to replace fluid lost through vomiting and diarrhea,” Davies said. “The best course of action is prevention.”
Davies offered several simple steps to take if you suspect the presence of a norovirus:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water, especially after toilet visits and before preparing, serving or eating food or drink. Hand sanitizers are not as effective against norovirus.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces contaminated with vomit or diarrhea immediately using a bleach-based household cleaner, or dilute household bleach 1:10 in water (must be mixed fresh daily; never use undiluted bleach).
- Stay home when sick.
- Do not prepare food for other people when sick and for at least three days afterward.
For more information about norovirus, see the Division of Public Health Web site at www.ncpublichealth.com. More detailed information about cleanup in private homes and in other settings can be found at http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/norovirus/NORO_personal_health.pdf.
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Job Vacancy
Title of Position:
Social Worker II – Pregnancy Care Manager for the Greene County Health Department
Job Summary:
This Social Worker will perform case management duties to identify needs, obtain history and develop a service plan for pregnant and postpartum women in Greene County. She will be required to work collaboratively with prenatal care providers in Greene and surrounding counties to promote positive pregnancy outcomes. Social Worker will provide supportive/directive counseling, coordination of outside services, and referrals to other programs/agencies. Referrals may include a variety of services to meet financial, psychological, medical, emergency care, emotional and other needs. In addition, the Social Worker acts as a consultant/resource person to other professionals and services as an external liaison between client and community resources. Home visiting will be required.
Minimum Education and Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor’s degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and one year directly related experience; Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience. Directly related experience is defined as human services experience in the areas of case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning.
- Preference will be given to applicants with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work (BSW or MSW).
- Experience in public health prevention, home visiting and field work highly desirable
- Valid NC Driver’s license and reliable transportation.
Starting Salary Range: $30,727 - $35, 167
Availability: January 1, 2012
Closing Date: When filled
Application Procedure: Submit a completed state application form (PD 107) with cover letter, resume, diploma and transcripts to:
Greene County Health Department
Attn: Social Worker II Vacancy
227 Kingold Blvd., Suite B
Snow Hill, NC 28580
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE EOE/ADA
QuitlineNC Offers Nicotine Replacement Therapy at No Cost for a Limited Time
RALEIGH — If your New Year’s resolution was to quit tobacco for good, you don’t have to do it alone. QuitlineNC, the state’s toll-free telephone support service to help tobacco users quit, is making nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum or lozenges) available at no cost for a limited time for North Carolina residents who enroll in quit coaching. Funds for the medication came from this year’s one-time transfer of money to the Department of Health and Human Services from the former Health and Wellness Trust Fund.
“Despite the General Assembly’s elimination of the Health and Wellness Trust Fund, we are able to continue putting those dollars to work to reduce smoking rates and improve health in North Carolina,” Governor Bev Perdue said. “This is a great opportunity for citizens to get the support they need to make a healthy lifestyle change in 2012.”
The Health and Wellness Trust Fund was established in 2001 to invest North Carolina's portion of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement in improving the health of all North Carolinians. A key mission was to prevent, reduce and remedy the effects of tobacco use. The General Assembly transferred funding to DHHS for only one year to continue HWTF’s programs in four areas. The QuitlineNC was not listed as one of the four areas, but the administration believes that funding for QuitlineNC is essential to improving the health of the state.
The supply of nicotine replacement therapy includes enough for more than 9,500 residents and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. North Carolinians ready to quit smoking in 2012 may call the QuitlineNC at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) any time from 6 a.m. until 3 a.m., seven days a week, to sign up for over-the-counter medication and support. Callers who sign up for the four-call program will develop a personalized quit plan with a quit coach and may receive up to eight weeks of medication mailed to their homes.
Health officials say the combination of Quitline support and medication is a proven way to increase the odds that tobacco users will quit for good.
“Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) has been proven in well-designed research studies to significantly increase quit rates when used in combination with cessation counseling,” State Health Director Jeff Engel said. “In fact, in 2010, six-month quit rates for QuitlineNC callers who used nicotine patches and coaching for eight weeks were twice as high as those who received coaching with little or no nicotine therapy.”
QuitlineNC has provided North Carolina tobacco users with telephone quit coaching since 2005. More than 9,840 people used the service during 2010. QuitlineNC is offered in English and Spanish, with translation services available for other languages.
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Flu Shots
Greene County Health Department is giving flu shots on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30 - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Health Department. Calling ahead for an appointment is encouraged, but not required, in order to reduce your waiting time.
Flu shots are $25. Cash, checks and MasterCard/VISA are accepted. If you receive Medicare Part B or Medicaid, please bring your card with you. Other insurances will be accepted, once authorized by our insurance/eligibility staff. To schedule your appointment, please call the Health Department at (252) 747-8181.
Public Health...Everywhere, Everyday, Everybody 
Administration: Responsible for the administrative, operational, and fiscal management of the Health Department, which includes preparing annual budgets and contract addenda, and complying with financial policies both at the local level and state level.
Animal Control:
Rabies control, animal adoption, pick-up of stray cats and dogs, neglect and cruelty investigations, and quarantines for dog bites
Be Smart Program:
Family Planning Waiver Medicaid now available and being accepted for women aged 19-55 and men aged 19-60 that are legal residents, at 185% of the federal poverty level, and that have not had surgery to prevent pregnancy. This program provides coverage for exams, contraception, pregnancy, STD screening, and voluntary sterilizations.
Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP):
Provides free breast and cervical cancer screening, mammograms, and follow-up services for income eligible women aged 50 and above, and also to symptomatic women below the age of 50
Child Health: Well-child assessments, sick care visits, kindergarten assessments, day care physicals and sports physicals provided by the Pediatrician from ECU Pediatrics
Child Service Coordination: Provides developmental screening, refers parents to other needed services, focuses on the family and their needs, assures that children receive routine medical care and immunizations, and identifies infant and children at risk for chronic illnesses or developmental delays
Communicable Disease:
The Health Department is involved in controlling the spread of communicable diseases. We respond to reported outbreaks by surveillance and investigation of communicable diseases in our area.
Dental Hygiene: Dental assessment of kindergarten and fifth grade students including referrals, dental health education and instruction in elementary schools, and promote dental health, fluoridation, dental sealants, and access to dental care
Environmental Health: Food and lodging inspections, soil evaluations, water samples, lead investigations, day care inspections, and public swimming pool inspections
Health Education: Provides education about self-breast exams, pregnancy prevention, prenatal care, breastfeeding, and car seat safety; community education is also provided on various topics to groups within the community
Health Promotion: Focuses on developing and implementing community and school-based health promotion programs concentrating on policy and environmental level changes that promote and support physical activity, healthy food choices, and tobacco use prevention and control
Healthy Greene - a certified Healthy Carolinians Partnership: Healthy Greene is a community partnership dedicated to promoting wellness and improving the quality of life for all Greene County residents. Healthy Greene currently addresses three priority areas: Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injuries.
Healthy Start Baby Love Plus: Helps women and their families increase the chances of having healthy and happy babies; provides information about low or no cost prenatal services and transportation to a clinic or doctor's office for prenatal appointments
Immunizations: Immunizations provided for children and adults - examples of immunizations include: Tetanus, Flu and Pneumonia, and Hepatitis B. The Health Department utilizes the NC Immunization Registry. The registry enables public and private health care providers to consolidate and maintain computerized immunization records on all children and adults within a given geographic area.
Maternal Health: Prenatal and nutritional education, WIC, planning for delivery, postpartum follow-up and care, referral for family planning services, newborn care, immunizations, and prenatal care to include 24-hour medical coverage per telephone services with ECU Family Practice
Maternity Care Coordination: Assists pregnant women - with Medicaid - in defining and addressing a variety of needs throughout their pregnancy; develops a care coordination plan that outlines how the client can best meet her needs and those of her family
Preparedness and Response:
To detect early and respond rapidly to all diseases and public health hazards/emergencies, whether natural or man-made.
STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases):
STD screening to include HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis
Tobacco Education:
Seeks to prevent youth initiation of tobacco use, eliminate youth exposure to secondhand smoke, and promote cessation among youth. Coordinates peer educators (Teens Against Tobacco Use, T.A.T.U.), advocates for a 100% Tobacco-Free School policy, supports local and national tobacco-free events, teaches tobacco prevention curricula to schools, and provides cessation information and assistance.
TB Control Program: Routine Tuberculosis (TB) screening and high-risk screening for identification and treatment of individuals found to have suspected TB disease in order to prevent further spread of the disease. The goal of the TB Control Program is to eliminate TB disease.
WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)/Nutrition: Provides nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, referrals to other health and community resources, and vouchers for healthy foods to income eligible pregnant/postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5
Women's Health: Provides breast exams, pap smears, screening for high blood pressure, diabetes, pregnancy, STDs and HIV, and individual counseling sessions with a RN and FNP regarding available contraceptive methods, including emergency contraception, or other pertinent reproductive issues
"In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
To file a complaint, of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992. Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 (English) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."
You may also contact the State WIC Director, Nutrition Services Branch, 1914 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1914 or call (919) 707-5800.
For more information regarding public health issues or health department services, contact Joy S. Brock at (252) 747-8183 or jspence@co.greene.nc.us.
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