Highlights
Protect the Skin That You're In
Sunscreen is a proven way to protect yourself against sunburns and skin cancer. Use sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection. Remember to reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, and toweling off.Read more
Keep the Bugs Away While You Play
As the weather warms up and you plan on spending more time outdoors be sure to keep the bugs away while you play! Ticks and Mosquitoes can make you sick. They can carry illnesses like Lyme disease, West Nile and Zika. Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents to keep you and your family safe this summer.Read more
If you’re planning on grilling or picnicking be sure to remember these food safety tips: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill. Bacteria grows faster in warm temperatures so be sure that foods don’t spend more than one hour sitting out when the temperature is above 90 ˚F or two hours when temperatures are below 90 ˚F. More food safety tips.Read more
Latest from the Commissioner
Virginia’s First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe and State Health Commissioner Dr. Marissa J. Levine presented the USDA Summer Champion Awards to representatives from WIC vendors Food Lion, Fresh Market and Grant’s Market for their efforts in promoting the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). In partnership with the Virginia No Kid Hungry Campaign, The Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Community nutrition helped spread the word that citizens can text the word “Food” to 877-877 in order to find the closest sites that offer a SFSP feeding location. These three vendors promoted the texting service by alerting their customers that they could text to find a meal site. This contributed to a significant increase in the texting service as compared to 2014, and an increase of over 170,000 meals served!Read more