Public Input Requested for 100% Smoke and Tobacco Free Rutherfordton

The Town Council of Rutherfordton is asking for public input on their consideration of adopting 100% smoke and tobacco-free ordinance to improve the health of citizens. Please take the time to visit their website and complete the survey located here:  https://www.rutherfordton.net/rutherfordton-looking-to-clear-the-air-with-a-smoke-tobacco-free-ordinance-and-seeks-public-feedback/

 

If the COVID-19 Vaccine is free, why are you being asked to show your health insurance card?

We ask for your insurance card because, we can be reimbursed an administration fee, paid by your insurance company, to help cover the cost of setting up the clinic, storing the vaccine, and all the data and record keeping the federal government requires for every vaccine that is administered.

Congress has ruled that insurance company’s CANNOT pass along the charges to the consumer. If someone try’s to charge you for the vaccine, don’t pay it.

Those persons who do not have insurance, the fee is covered by the Provider Relief Fund.

It might help to think about when you receive your flu, pneumonia, or shingles vaccine. Your insurance covers the cost of the administration fee associated with those vaccines as well.

We want to assure you that you will not receive a bill for your COVID-19 vaccine.
And, we want to say “THANK YOU” for helping North Carolina move forward in this pandemic.

 

 

Photo of cars in lines ready to receive the COVID vaccine.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Schedule for Rutherford County, North Carolina

Beginning Tuesday, May 4, 2021, anyone in need of a COVID Vaccine can visit the Rutherford County Health Department (221 Callahan Koon Rd. Spindale, NC) on Monday thru Friday 8:30am until 4:15pm. Vaccine services will be provided through our immunization department. No appointment needed

Vaccine is currently available for anyone over the age of 12*.   18 years old is the minimum age for the Moderna vaccine.  For 12-18 year old, please call prior to visiting our office to insure availability of Pfizer vaccine which has been authorized by the FDA and CDC.  You do not need to be a resident of Rutherford County to visit our vaccine clinic.  

 

Tuberculosis

TB In North Carolina

Although tuberculosis (TB) is one of North Carolina’s leading infectious causes of death, cases continue to decline but are far from eradicated.  It is possible to prevent TB disease by providing medical treatment to individuals with latent TB infection (LTBI) so that they do not develop active TB disease.  Although TB disease can sometimes be fatal, prompt treatment and appropriate medication can cure it.

Since 1980, the number of new cases has declined by 4% each year in North Carolina. The number of new cases decreased from 296 to 185 between 2010 and 2019.  TB cases in North Carolina have declined significantly due to the state and local resources used to improve the TB program.

TB is a public health threat in North Carolina that needs to be controlled by reducing the number of new cases of TB and blocking its spread to the general population.

Screening

The cost for a screening or a TB skin test required for employment or school is $25. There is no charge if the client is has symptoms for TB or has been determined to be a contact with someone with active TB. For a client with a positive skin test, a Public Health Nurse will offer counseling, chest X-rays, medical referrals, contact tracing and testing, and provide medication if applicable. Tuberculosis Control Services are provided at no cost to the client.

Appointments

Clinic visits are by appointment only. If you do not have an appointment please contact one of our offices.  The tests are administered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The client is required to return to the Clinic 72 hours after the skin test is placed to be evaluated by a nurse. Tuberculosis skin tests are most accurate at 72 hours after administration.

**Please note: We cannot give you a live vaccine within 28 days of a TB test unless they were given on the same day.




 

 

 

Other Resources:

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Tuberculosis Information (English)

     https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/testing/default.htm

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Tuberculosis Information Spanish / Español)

     https://www.cdc.gov/tb/esp/default.htm

 

 

Appointments at McDowell County Health Department

(828) 652-6811 ext 382

Appointments at Rutherford County Health Department

(828) 287-6100 option #2

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinic

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) also known as sexually transmitted infection (STI), is a disease passed from person to person through sexual contact. Learn more about common STDs.

The health department provides confidential testing, diagnosis, treatment, counseling and reports sexually transmitted diseases. Services are confidential.

STD Clinic: Appointments are available for people with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections & those who report being a contact to someone with a sexually transmitted infection.

Appointments

STD Clinic visits are by appointment only.

If you do not have an appointment, please call your local Foothills Health District Office.

McDowell County Residents please call (828) 652-6811 extension 382
Rutherford County Residents please call (828) 287-6100 option #2

Resources

To learn more about common Sexually Transmitted Diseases please visit:

Appointments at McDowell County Health Department

(828) 652-6811 ext 382

Appointments at Rutherford County Health Department

(828) 287-6100 option #2

 

 

 

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Team Members prepare to give vaccinations

January 27, 2021

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NC – This past weekend the Foothills Health District, along with Emergency Management provided over 800 vaccines at the Rutherford County Health Department. This appointment only clinic was possible with the collaboration and partnerships with outside agencies and volunteers. The team work shown among all these individuals allowed our community to get the much needed COVID19 vaccine. Thank you to Public Health, Rutherford County Emergency Management, Rutherford County Emergency Services, McDowell County Emergency Services and many amazing volunteers. A true testimony of caring for the community! We would like to thank the community for their continued patience, kind words and support as we maneuver this ever changing emergency response to COVID19.    


 

 

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CDC

The Centers for Disease Control Website is a reputable website with up-to-date information

 

NC DHHS

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Website is a reputable website with up-to-date information

Rutherford Regional Hospital

Information from Rutherford Regional Hospital is another reputable website with up-to-date information

 

McDowell Cares

The McDowell Cares website will bring together faith based organizations, community resources and information during times of local crisis.

 

Heading Level 4

 

Legionnaires’ Disease Can Cause Pneumonia Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease can include:
► Cough
► Muscle aches
► Fever
► Shortness of breath
► Headache

Doctors use chest x-rays or physical exams to check for pneumonia. Your doctor may also order tests on a sample of urine and sputum (phlegm) to see if your
lung infection is caused by Legionella.

Legionnaires’ Disease Is Serious, but Can Be Treated
with Antibiotics

Legionnaires’ disease is treated with antibiotics (drugs that kill bacteria in the body). Most people who get sick need care in a hospital but make a full recovery.  However, about 1 out of 10 people who get Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

Certain People Are at Increased Risk for
Legionnaires’ Disease

Most healthy people do not get Legionnaires’ disease after being exposed to Legionella. Being 50 years or older or having certain risk factors can increase your chances of getting sick. These risk factors include:
► Being a current or former smoker
► Having chronic lung disease, such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
► Having a weakened immune system from diseases like cancer, diabetes, or kidney failure
► Taking medication that weakens your immune system

Legionella Are Usually Spread through Water Droplets
in the Air
In nature, Legionella live in fresh water and rarely cause illness. In man-made settings, Legionella can grow if water is not properly maintained. These manmade
water sources become a health problem when small droplets of water that contain the bacteria get into the air and people breathe them in. In rare cases, someone breathes in Legionella while they are drinking water and it “goes down the wrong pipe” into the lungs. In general, people do not spread Legionnaires’ disease to other people.

To learn more visit: https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/index.html

Legionnaires’ (LEE-juh-nares) disease is a very serious type of pneumonia (lung infection) caused by bacteria called Legionella. If you develop pneumonia symptoms and may have been exposed to Legionella, see a doctor right away. Be sure to mention if you have used a hot tub, spent any nights away from home, or stayed in a hospital in the last two weeks.

Graphic from CDC showing 9 in 10 outbreaks were caused by problems preventable with more effective water management.

 

 

 

 

Source: Centers for Disease Control

 

 

 

 

By Jason Masters
     Environmental Health Director

Grill by k8southern is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Re-inventing The Grill…


A

Q: Hello Jason. With summer fast approaching, my family is looking forward to spending more time outdoors. We love to grill out on our patio, but we have always been afraid of undercooking our food, so we end up burning or severely overcooking everything. Is there a safe way to move food from our normal kitchen area to our grilling area, and what are some tips we can use to help us maintain delicious, properly prepared meats and vegetables?

-Julie

A: Hi Julie, I’m glad you asked this question. This is the time of the year when people start spending more and more time outside, with music playing, kids going crazy in the street, everybody wearing their shades until 10 PM…you know what I’m talking about. It’s only natural that somebody throws some meat on the grill and the next thing you know, BAM! Salmonellosis is running rampant.

Now, hopefully, none of us will experience this scenario this summer, and there are several things you can do to help avoid this. This is a good time to remember the “core four” rules of sanitation…

Clean-You want to make sure that everything that comes in contact with your food is clean. I’m talking about pans, cutting boards, utensils like tongs, knives, EVERYTHING. There is no easier way to contaminate your food than with dirty utensils.
Separate-This seems easy, but is sometimes surprisingly difficult. You must make sure that cooked food never comes in contact with utensils that have previously handled or touched raw meat.
Cook-Unless you haven’t been to a restaurant in the last 25 years, I’m sure you are familiar with the consumer advisory. It’s usually that tiny print at the bottom of the menu that talks about eating raw or undercooked food, and the possibility of becoming sick by consuming certain foods. (We will talk more about the consumer advisory in another issue…) Same rules apply at home…you want to make sure that all your food is completely cooked for food safety, but at the same time, you want to maintain quality by not overcooking. There is only one way to do this…~spoiler alert~-it’s not the poke and feel method, it’s not the cut and watch the juices to see if they run clear method, it’s not the “been on there for 2 and a half hours” method, and it’s not the “well, my brother-in-law always leaves chicken on the grill for 2 minutes per side and it’s the best! Ain’t never got sick yet” method. The only way to be sure a food is cooked is to use a food thermometer, and know the correct final cook temperatures for the food you are cooking. Now, with that being said, a chef or experienced cook may be able to tell when a food is properly cooked through learned methods and awareness of conditions, but to be on the safe side, I recommend using a food thermometer.
Cool or serve immediately-After your food is removed from the grill (or whatever method you are using) don’t let it sit around** while you finish that second gin and tonic. Hopefully you have prepared sides or other dishes that are ready to go when your food is removed from the grill. If you aren’t going to be eating the dish shortly after it is removed from the heat, you need to begin actively cooling the food to ensure it is not maintained in “the danger zone” (145 degrees F – 45 degrees F) for a long period of time.
If you are a long time reader of our “Ask A Health Inspector” column, you already know the importance of thoroughly washing your hands before, during, and after food preparation. It’s not OK to grab raw meat, slap it on the grill, and wipe your hands on your “AC/DC” T-shirt. Even Angus Young wouldn’t do that.

Other things to remember during the summer months include proper thawing, proper marinating, and correct holding temperatures. Putting a 2 pound package of frozen hamburger in the sink and letting it sit there all day because “Gotta get ready for tonight!” is not proper thawing. Safe methods for thawing food include placing it under running water of 70 degrees or less, as part of the cooking process (which I don’t recommend for burgers) or the preferred method of thawing; under refrigeration. Yes, it’s going to take a little more planning to remember to grab the meat out of the freezer, but hey, you’re reaching in there for ice anyway for that gin and tonic, right? It’s right there! Just grab it!

It is possible to safely thaw meat in the microwave, but be careful, as microwaves tend to fluctuate, and can pretty easily “over-thaw” something. Sometimes it’s hard to hide that really dry, overcooked part of a burger with cheese (yeah, I do that too…~wink~)

Marinating is an issue that we run across frequently as well. It is not safe to marinate something on the counter at room temperature. Many people think that because their marinade contains citrus juices, or salt, or hot sauce, or whiskey, or whatever, that microorganisms can’t grow. WRONG. Just as with cooked food, raw food held at “danger zone” temperatures can grow multitudes of bacteria. Yes, when you put the food on the grill and thoroughly cook it to its appropriate final cook temperature, the bacteria will be killed…BUT, what won’t be killed is toxins that the bacteria can produce. Toxins are made up of proteins, and technically aren’t “alive”, therefore they can’t be killed by heat. So be sure to marinate your food under refrigeration, and ensure that you are storing your foods correctly in the fridge. Don’t put your banana pudding under the marinating chicken. It’s a well-known fact that bacteria love banana pudding… (This is not true, and is just used as an illustrative point, but for real, don’t put raw, marinating foods above ready-to-eat foods. It is a really bad idea, and I would mark a restaurant for doing this and take points.) This leads us into correct holding temperatures.

If you are going to be holding foods they must be maintained at temperatures above 135 degrees F or below 45 degrees F. Holding at these temperatures will prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, and therefore be less likely to produce toxins, not to mention most people like their food hot, not tepid. I’m not one to cite etiquette, but it’s just not polite to serve your guests cold food.

So this summer, when you are out chilling with your buddies, hanging around, talking about how crazy the kids are, remember to be safe when Bubba tells you he’s just going in to grab another beer and that chicken that’s been sitting on the table since noon in his special blend of liquor and clam juice. It might not be the best idea to put Bubba in charge of the grill next week…if you live to see next week…

**By “sitting around” I mean left for longer than about 30 minutes or so. It is usually a good final cook step to let your food (especially meat) rest for a period of about 5-10 minutes before slicing or serving. This rest time will allow for the juices of the meat to redistribute, and will allow the food to reach its final cook temperature… (You DO know your final cook temperatures, right? If not, we will cover those in another issue. Sorry, you are not allowed to grill anything until you read that article…lol)-

JM