Public Health Crisis

Communicable diseases are diseases transmitted through contact with contaminated people, animals, or surfaces that have the potential to spread quickly through the community. Examples include H1N1 and Tuberculosis. Similarly, food-borne illnesses can spread quickly through a population but result from the consumption of contaminated foods. Examples of food-borne illness include Salmonella and Hepatitis A. Exposure to both food-borne illnesses and communicable diseases can cause a variety of symptoms and can even result in death.

In the event that a communicable disease or food-borne illness is circulating throughout the community, please take the following preventative actions:

• Get the facts. Learn the signs, symptoms, and preventative actions for the disease or illness outbreak.
  
• Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands often. Cover your mouth when you cough. Use hand sanitizer. Clean and sanitize surfaces regularly.
  
• Stay home when you are sick. Do not go to work or class when you are sick; you run the risk of infecting those around you. Additionally, staying home will enable you to get needed rest so you can more quickly return to good health.
  
• Seek medical attention. If you begin to experience the signs and symptoms associated with an identified outbreak contagion, visit your physician in order to receive the prescribed care for the health condition.

Posted on Oct 28, 2010 - 01:06 PM

Back to top