World AIDS Day is December 1 of every year.  On this day, we show support for people living with HIV and we remember those we lost in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  We also strengthen our resolve to end HIV.

Cooler weather is here, bringing relief from many biting insects and other pests. While it’s the perfect time to enjoy outdoor activities, including hikes in the woods, don’t forget that ticks may still be active. Some ticks are active into the fall and late winter.

In Virginia, the blacklegged tick can carry Lyme Disease, Powassan Virus and several other illnesses that you may not have heard about. These diseases can cause severe illness and some could be fatal if they aren’t treated.

It’s important to take steps to keep ticks off your clothing when you are outside, especially if you go into a wooded area. Using tick-repellent, tucking your pant legs into boots or socks and tucking shirts into pants are a few ways to avoid ticks. It’s always a good idea to do a tick-check as well, and remove any ticks that you find on yourself as soon as possible.

Don’t forget to check your pets for ticks after they have been outdoors. Dogs can bring them inside and can get sick from the diseases they carry. Vaccines are not available for most of the diseases that dogs can get from ticks. Do keep up to date with your vet’s anti-tick, flea, and mosquito prescription to keep your animal healthy

There are several different types of ticks in Virginia that carry different diseases. The Virginia Department of Health has a tick activity dashboard and is asking citizens who find ticks on themselves to send them in to be identified as part of the Virginia Tick Survey.

Residents who find the ticks and want to send them in are also asked to fill out a brief survey. The information collected is being used to create maps that show which types of ticks are active around the state and their locations.

It also helps the VDH team learn more about the types of ticks that bite humans and keep everyone better informed.

November marks American Diabetes Month and, this year, it’s happening along with an early onset of the flu season.

In Virginia, more than 740,000 people are at a higher risk of severe complications from the flu that can lead to hospitalization or sometimes death, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent flu seasons, about 30 percent of adults with flu in hospitals had diabetes.

People who have diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease, stroke or other problems such as kidney failure, blindness, and amputation of a toe, foot, or leg.

Diabetes Month also is an opportunity to learn more about the disease and the challenges of managing diabetes.

Virginia’s plan to help fight diabetes includes federal money to take part in the National Diabetes Prevention Program. It’s a partnership of public and private organizations working to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. The program helps make it easier for people at risk for type 2 diabetes to participate in programs that help them reduce their risk through healthy habits.

Those diagnosed with diabetes can get help through Diabetes Self Management Education and Support programs. The DSMES services help diabetics learn about taking medicines, planning healthy meals, and being active. Diabetes care and education specialists work with diabetics on a plan that works for them. To learn about the types of diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association’s website.

One in three Virginians has prediabetes, and most do not know it. To learn whether you are at risk for prediabetes, take the Prediabetes Risk Test. Prediabetes can be reversed before it becomes Type 2 Diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program is a year-long program, funded by private and public institutions (and free to you), that focuses on lifestyle change. For help finding a program, visit the Virginia Diabetes Council’s website. 

Are you ready to quit smoking?

The Great American Smokeout is coming soon and it is the perfect time to quit smoking. This year’s smokeout is November 17, giving you plenty of time to get a plan in place and to use the day as your target date to quit smoking for good.

The event, held for more than 40 years, offers a chance to learn more about the dangers of smoking and get help to quit.

More than 480,000 people in the United States die from smoking each year. About 41,000 of those are from secondhand smoke. In Virginia, smoking causes about 10,300 adults to die every year.

You have a better chance of quitting if you make a plan and get support, according to the American Cancer Society. Help from counselors and medications such as nicotine patches or gum can double or triple your chance of success.

Quitting tobacco starts with a call. The Virginia Department of Health offers help. Quit Now Virginia, is a program that helps support anyone age 13 or older who wants help quitting.

The program has a Quitline phone number that offers coaching and Nicotine Replacement Therapy, along with education for anyone who wants to learn more.

If you are thinking about quitting smoking, vaping, or using tobacco products,  Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669)  or visit Quit Now Virginia to connect with a Quit Coach. Call a Quit Coach today for help and make a plan to quit for good.

The coaches are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are confidential, non-judgmental and available to help you design a personal plan. Help also is available to quit vaping, including information and tips for parents and teens.

Quit smoking and vaping with a plan that works for you.

The Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Water and Wastewater Services helps make sure private wells are safe and that people don’t get sick from touching sewage. The division works with Environmental Health staff across VDHs 35 health districts. They put programs in place for marinas, private wells and onsite sewage programs to protect public health.

The employees of Water and Wastewater Services help enforce rules for marinas, private wells and onsite sewage systems. They work with contractors, engineers, environmental groups, manufacturers, real estate agents, homeowners, lawmakers, and others to keep people and the environment healthy.

Safe drinking water is critical to good health.  You can make sure your private well water is safe by looking over your well head and the area around it. Test the water for bacteria every year. Every few years, do tests that are on the EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.

Safe septic systems are also critical to good health. More than a million homes in Virginia use septic systems and almost as many use private wells. When a septic system fails, wastewater can have a negative impact on  nearby waterways.

There are also ways to keep up your septic system:  

• Avoid pouring fats, grease, solids and harsh chemicals down the drain.
• Use water in the best way possible by not using several appliances that use water at the same time.
• Reroute rain and surface water away from your drainfield. Avoid parking cars and planting trees on your drainfield.
• Pump out your septic tank on a regular basis. A professional can help you decide how often to pump. 
• A typical septic system should be checked every one to three years by a septic system professional.
• If you use a well, test your drinking water on a regular basis to make sure it is safe.

Keeping your system in good shape, can keep you healthy and save you thousands of dollars in repairs.

October is National Dental Hygiene Month, when the focus is on the important work of dental hygienists, and good oral health.

The Dental Health Program at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) supports good oral health for all Virginians. VDH dental hygienists work throughout the state to provide dental services and education. These dental hygienists work remotely in schools, providing dental cleanings, sealants and education. They also work in WIC clinics providing fluoride varnish and education to young children and their families.

Other VDH dental programs focus on adult oral health and chronic disease and people with special health care needs, both of which rely on dental hygienists to help adults get equitable access to dental care.

Oral disease at any age can cause infections that lead to problems with eating, speaking and learning. More than 40 percent of adults have reported feeling pain in their mouth within the last year and more than 80 percent will have had at least one cavity by age 34, according to the CDC.

Poor oral health can lead to severe gum disease and tooth loss and is associated with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

Regular dental visits can help prevent cavities and gum disease and lead to the early detection of oral cancer.

Learn more about dental hygiene on the VDH Oral Health page where you’ll find information about programs, help finding a dentist for people with special healthcare needs along with facts, figures and other resources.

October is National Pharmacy Month! This month, we will spotlight one of pharm-tastic pharmacy staff each week to tell you a little more about them and their role at VDH. 

This week’s pharm-tastic member of the team is Ms. Nancy Wade! Nancy retired in October 2022, but her positive impact on the pharmacy team at VDH will march on. Division of Pharmacy Services Director, Stephanie Wheawill, says, “Nancy is well known and appreciated for her expertise in public health. She is one pharmacist behind the scenes to many, but her retirement is going to be felt among our pharmacy staff and programs due to all of her knowledge and experience.”

Nancy began her career in public health at the Richmond City Health District 40 years ago and soon moved to VDH Division of Pharmacy Services where her work put her a little more behind the scenes but had no less impact. While working with Richmond City Health District in the wake of the Vietnam War, Nancy interacted directly with the public, filling prescriptions, administering vaccines, and working in general medical clinics. She noted that working in a structured environment with protocols for everything made it “feel like you could really help.” 

During her time at VDH, Nancy also worked as an HIV manager on the pharmacy team, providing leadership to inventory purchasing, managing grant funds, and establishing procedures to ensure the best use of funds, management of stock, and distribution of medications. According to Wheawill, “She managed over a $10 million dollar annual pharmaceutical inventory for the Ryan White Drugs Assistance Program” while also staffing the pharmacy, filling prescriptions, and assisting with the tuberculosis response and, later, the COVID-19 and monkeypox responses. 

When asked what she wanted the general public to know about those working in public health, Nancy’s first response was to stress “how hard everyone works, not just in pharmacy” and that public health workers are a “caring, dedicated group of people” who are just one part of a bigger picture. She says it gives you a “different perspective on humanity” and puts you in a place where you are always learning.

VDH would like to thank Nancy for her contribution and service. We asked what she would miss most about working at VDH, and Nancy said that she’d miss “interaction with [her] coworkers” and building “relationships with other people and being part of a team,” but she is looking forward to the opportunity to travel and spend more time with her family.