Tag: dr. noelle bissell

New River Health District Announces Emergency Preparedness Fair

April 8, 2025

Media Contact: Beverly Hill, 540-585-3298, Beverly.Hill@vdh.virginia.gov

New River Health District Announces Emergency Preparedness Fair
Focusing on Emergency Preparedness Skills and Community Resilience in Times of Disaster

FLOYD, Va. – The New River Health District is co-hosting a free Emergency Preparedness Fair Saturday, April 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Floyd Ecovillage, located at 718 Franklin Pike SE, in Floyd.

The community-focused event will offer education on how to be prepared for potential emergencies. Presentations will be conducted by local first responders and various community organizations. Live demonstrations will be ongoing throughout the day. Panel discussions will enable community members to learn vital information and ask questions related to emergency preparedness and response. Booths will feature free takeaways and will give the public the opportunity to meet local emergency professionals. Light refreshments will also be available.

“Being prepared is one of the best ways to prevent severe health impacts that result from disaster situations,” says Dr. Noelle Bissell. “If you haven’t already assembled an emergency kit for yourself, your family and pets, and do not have an emergency plan in place, this event will provide a meaningful opportunity to add this important layer of protection.”

It is important for individuals of all ages to know how to build an emergency kit and develop a family emergency plan, and to know what documents are essential to take during an evacuation. Pet owners should also know how to care for their companions during a disaster.  Learning these basic skills can be the difference between life and death.

The following agencies, businesses, and organizations will be providing educational resources during the event:

  • American Red Cross
  • Child Care Aware of Virginia
  • Citizens COOP
  • Floyd Community Development
  • Floyd County EMS Ambulances & Responders
  • Floyd County Sheriff’s Office
  • Floyd County Fire Department
  • Floyd Department of Social Services
  • Functional Medicine Health Coach
  • Living Light River Studio
  • Medical Reserve Corps, New River Health District
  • NRV Master Naturalist
  • Partnership for Floyd
  • Scout Troop 19
  • Virginia Cooperative Extension – Floyd
  • Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM)
  • Virginia Department of Health, New River Health District
  • Virginia Disaster Assistance Team (VDAT)
  • Women’s Resource Center NRV
  • 211 Virginia

For more information on this event, please visit: https://partnershipforfloyd.org/emergency-preparedness-fair-saturday-april-12-2025/

New River Health District Announces Efforts During National Preparedness Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 11, 2023

Media Contact: Beverly Hill, M.Ed.,
Public Health Emergency and Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator,
New River Health District, beverly.hill@vdh.virginia.gov

New River Health District Announces Efforts During National Preparedness Month
The annual designation focuses on preparing older adults for disasters

Christiansburg, Va. – September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) annual preparedness outreach event sponsored by FEMA’s Ready Campaign. The New River Health District has committed to participate in NPM to increase preparedness in the community by offering educational resources to the public, providing training opportunities to local health department staff and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers, and providing Stop the Bleed training to community members across the district.

This year, National Preparedness Month will focus on preparing older adults for disasters. Older adults have specific needs during a disaster, specifically those who are disproportionately affected by all hazards. Older adults face greater risks associated with disasters, especially those who live in rural areas, live alone, are low-income, or have a disability. National Preparedness Month is a perfect time to create or review your own emergency plans, or those for our parents, grandparents, and elderly friends and neighbors.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility that takes the Whole Community.  Learn ways you can take action by visiting www.ready.gov/older-adults and Ready.gov/prepare. 

“The importance of preparedness cannot be overstated. Outcomes are far better with these simple measures on the front end versus picking up the pieces on the back end,” said Dr. Noelle Bissell, Health Director for New River Health District.

For more information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month, visit Ready.gov/September.

New River Health District Warns of Rabies Concerns

August 9, 2023
Media Contact: Linda Scarborough, public information officer – Western Region, linda.scarborough@vdh.virginia.gov

New River Health District Warns of Rabies Concerns

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va.  — To protect the health of residents and visitors, the New River Health District is issuing a notice about two foxes testing positive for rabies that were found in in the same general area of Christiansburg within the past week. The most recent encounter, on August 5, marks the fifth laboratory confirmed case of animal rabies in Montgomery County and the twelfth in the New River Health District this year.

On August 5, 2023, a fox testing positive for rabies was found in a neighborhood around Blake Drive in Christiansburg. This is the second confirmed case of animal rabies in Christiansburg within the past week. A few days prior, another fox testing positive for rabies was located in a neighborhood around Dunlap Drive in Christiansburg. In each incident a person was reportedly exposed to the animal. The New River Health District asks anyone who may have come into contact with either of the foxes in or around the area of Blake Drive or Dunlap Drive to call the Montgomery County Health Department at 540-585-3300.

Due to the relative proximity and timing of these cases within Christiansburg, the New River Health District wants to remind everyone, and especially pet owners, of the risks of rabies.

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system.  It is almost always fatal, unless preventive treatment is administered before symptoms develop. “It is important to keep your pets properly vaccinated and to seek medical attention promptly if you or your pet are exposed,” said Dr. Noelle Bissell, director for the New River Health District.

Virginia law requires that all dogs and cats four months of age and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and that vaccinations be kept current.

Additional Steps to Protect Against Rabies Exposure:

  • Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
  • Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies and their shots are up to date. By law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies.
  • Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.
  • Do not handle sick, injured or dead animals.
  • Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.
  • Do not try to trap or handle stray and wild animals.
  • If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal, do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your doctor or the Montgomery County Health Department for further recommendations.

For additional information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/animal-contact-human-health/ or call the Montgomery County Health Department at 540-585-3300.

NEW RIVER HEALTH DISTRICT OFFERS FREE SEASONAL FLU VACCINE AT DRIVE-THRU CLINIC FOR ADULTS

NEW RIVER HEALTH DISTRICT OFFERS FREE SEASONAL FLU VACCINE AT DRIVE-THRU CLINIC FOR ADULTS

(CHRISTIANSBURG, Virginia) – The New River Health District (NRHD) will offer free seasonal flu vaccine at a special drive-thru dispensing clinic on Tuesday, October 4 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the NRV Fairgrounds, 5581 Fair Grounds Cir, Dublin, VA

Vaccine will be available free on a first-come, first-served basis to those 8 years old and above. Be sure to wear clothing that is loose around the arm so that a public health nurse can administer the flu shot in the upper arm, without having to leave the comfort and convenience of your car.

Influenza, commonly called “the flu,” is a serious disease caused by the influenza virus that affects the respiratory tract. It is highly contagious and generally spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can be transmitted even before flu-like symptoms appear. A person usually becomes sick one to three days following exposure to the virus. Typical flu symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches and extreme fatigue.

“Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza and its potentially severe complications. This unique ‘drive-thru’ approach is proven to be a fast and efficient way to vaccinate a large number of folks in a short time,” said Noelle Bissell, M.D., director, New River Health District. “Herd immunity develops when more people get vaccinated,” Dr. Bissell explained. “There is less virus present to potentially infect those who cannot be immunized such as infants under 6 months old; this helps protect everyone from this potentially deadly disease.”  It is especially important to get a shot this year because Covid is still circulating and getting infected with both flu and Covid can increase the severity of illness. Based on data from the southern hemisphere, we expect this to be a more severe flu season than we have had the past few years.

“The timing and duration of flu seasons vary – they can occur from early fall to late spring. Receiving an annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to reduce your risk of becoming sick with the flu and spreading the virus to others. When more people get vaccinated, less flu can spread through the community. It takes up to two weeks to develop the vaccine’s full protection,” said Dr. Bissell.

All persons aged 6 months or older should be vaccinated against influenza each year. Particular effort should be made to vaccinate people at higher risk for influenza complications, including:

  • Pregnant and postpartum women, or those who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
  • Persons over 65 years of age, including residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities;
  • People who have chronic lung or heart problems, including asthma; and
  • People who have other serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, anemia, cancer, weak immune systems (including those with HIV), or a seizure disorder.

To help prevent the spread of influenza to people in high-risk groups, those who live with people in a high-risk group and healthcare workers should also receive an annual influenza vaccine. Travelers to countries outside of the U.S. may also need to consider influenza vaccination, even at different times of the year.

Each year in the U.S. approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu illness, and flu-related deaths range from 12,000 to 56,000 each year, averaging 34,000 per year over the last three decades.

To minimize your risk of contracting or transmitting the flu, follow these simple steps:

  • Get vaccinated;
  • Consider wearing a mask if one is high risk or if one is having symptoms.
  • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, for at least 20 seconds;
  • Cover your cough, either by using a disposable tissue or coughing into your sleeve, not your hand; and
  • Stay at home when you are sick.

For more information, call the New River Health District at 540-585-3300 or visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/flu/.