Preventing Rabies Exposure from Wild Animals

Onondaga County Health Commissioner, Dr. Indu Gupta, reminds Onondaga County residents to take precautions to protect themselves, their families, and their pets from rabies. Rabies is a deadly but preventable disease that is transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.

There have already been positive cases of rabid animals reported this year in Onondaga County, both domestic as well as wild animals. Fortunately, human rabies is rare in the United States. Although there is no treatment for rabies, it is PREVENTABLE in both humans and pets.

Dr. Gupta reminds residents that “rabies is a fatal disease, so if you find wildlife on your property, do not touch it, even if it looks friendly. If you see an animal that looks sick or injured, do not try to approach it. You may contact a wildlife rehabilitator for their expert assistance.” It is very important to take the following precautions to prevent rabies in yourself and your pet:

Make sure rabies vaccinations are up-to-date for all your pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets). New York State Public Health Law requires that all puppies and kittens get their initial shot at three months of age, the first booster shot within 1 year after the initial shot, and then a booster shot every three years. Ferrets must get a shot every year.
Maintain control of your pets. Keep cats and ferrets indoors and keep dogs under direct supervision.
Make sure to wear gloves before tending to your dog after a fight with a wild animal. Don’t forget to consult a veterinarian for further care.
Call your town or local municipality for assistance or guidance on how to remove stray or wild animals from your neighborhood.
Never try to approach nor pet a wild or unfamiliar animal, including stray cats.
Do not bring a wild animal, such as a fox, raccoon, woodchuck, or skunk, etc. into your home or treat them as pets.

Teach Children to Stay Safe around Animals

Supervise children while interacting with animals.
Respect a dog’s space. Never approach a dog, especially one that is tied or confined behind a fence or in a car. Be cautious around strange dogs. Don’t pet a dog—even your own—without letting it see and sniff you first.

Protect your Family from Bats
About 5 percent of bats may carry rabies, so take steps to keep bats out of your house:

Bat-proof your home. Look for holes in places like the garage, attic, and basement and plug them with steel wool. Repair window screen holes with wire mesh and caulk any openings or cracks.
Trap any bat found in your home—do not let it escape outdoors. Before trapping the bat, protect yourself with gloves and a hat. Collect the bat in a container with a secure lid. For complete instructions and a video on how to trap a bat visit: net/health/env/rabies.html.
Once the bat is caught, call the Animal Disease Control Program at 315.435.3165 to bring the bat in for testing at our location at 4170 Route 31, Clay, NY 13041.
If you cannot trap the bat, call a local trapper for assistance.

Vaccinate Your Pets
Onondaga County Health Department is holding a safe and socially-distanced drive-thru rabies clinic on Thursday, July 1 at our Field Office located at 4170 Route 31 in Clay. Appointments are required and can be reserved at https://on.ny.gov/3wWVENX. The shots are free for Onondaga County residents. A voluntary donation per family is appreciated. Additional rabies shot clinics will be offered throughout the year and will be announced on our website and Facebook page.

If You are Bitten by a Wild or Unfamiliar Animal
If you or a family member are bitten, or exposed to the saliva of a wild or unfamiliar animal, first wash any wounds with soap and water and seek medical treatment if necessary. Next, call the Animal Disease Control Program at 315.435.3165 for guidance regarding concern for rabies. More information on how to address animal bites and other frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found at: ongov.net/health/env/documents/RabiesFAQ.pdf

For more information about rabies prevention call 315.435.3165 or visit:
ongov.net/health/env/rabies.html
health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/zoonoses/rabies/
cdc.gov/rabies/

Tobacco-Free CNY Kicks Summer Off with Chalk Art Contest

Reality Check, a project of the Onondaga County Health Department’s Tobacco-Free CNY program, is sponsoring a tobacco-free chalk art contest to kick off the summer with some color!

We are asking youth to use their artistic skills to express why they feel it is important for our community to be tobacco-free. Not only are there many health benefits of living a tobacco-free life, but communities can take steps in reducing youth exposure to tobacco marketing, establishing tobacco-free norms through tobacco-free outdoor policies, reducing secondhand smoke exposure through smoke-free housing policies, and reducing tobacco imagery in youth-rated movies.

The contest is open to youth ages 8 to 19. Prizes will be given, and the top prize will receive a $40 gift card and Reality Check program gear. All materials will be provided for the first 50 participants that sign up. The deadline for submitting a photo of your chalk art is July 30 at 11:59 PM. Winners will be announced on August 6, 2021.

For more information and to register for materials, visit www.tobaccofreecny.org.

Time for Back-to-School Vaccines; Onondaga County Immunization Clinic Reopens

With the return to fully in person school this September, be sure your kids are ready! Now is the time to make sure your children’s vaccinations (shots) are up-to-date. Having all school-required vaccines protects your child from harmful infections while protecting your family, their classmates, and the community. It is important to contact your child’s health care provider to make sure your child has received all the needed immunizations for this school year.

Childhood vaccines protect against many serious and life-threatening diseases that once were commonplace. These diseases are now rare in the United States thanks to vaccines; however, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as whooping cough, measles, or mumps can still happen in communities with low vaccination rates. Please remember that New York State government passed a law to no longer allow non-medical exemptions (including religious exemptions) from vaccine requirements. Medical exemptions are still allowed.

Don’t wait—schedule an appointment today!
The Onondaga County Health Department encourages you to check with your health care provider to make sure your school-age children are up-to-date on all required vaccines for school attendance. Schedule your appointment TODAY for any needed immunizations.

No insurance?
The Onondaga County Health Department Immunization Clinic is open again each Wednesday from 9 am to 3 pm beginning June 16. The clinic is located in the Civic Center, 421 Montgomery Street, Syracuse in basement level room 30. Appointments are now required by calling (315) 435-2000 at least 24 hours in advance, and the number of appointments will be limited. All vaccines needed for school are offered, and a sliding fee scale is available.

In our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health and wellbeing of our clients and staff members, Onondaga County Immunization Clinic will implement the following requirements:

Everyone over age 2 must wear a face covering upon entering the Civic Center and will be required to keep it on until they leave the Civic Center.
Arrive at your scheduled appointment time.
Only children getting a vaccine are allowed in clinic, and only one adult may accompany them.
Individuals will have their temperature taken and be pre-screened for risk factors.
Chairs in the waiting room will be placed 6 feet apart.
To limit traffic in the waiting area, there will be a separate entrance and exit.
All staff will wear masks at all times while in the clinic setting.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please call (315) 435-2000 to cancel and reschedule your appointment for a later date: dry cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, congestion or runny nose, fever, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

For more information, visit our website or call us at (315) 435-2000.

Local Youth Joined Effort to Expose Big Tobacco’s Lies during Altria’s Shareholder Meeting

Mobilizing Against Tobacco Lies Virtual Event (#MATL2021) to Tell the Truth About Tobacco Use and the Industry’s Marketing Tactics

Syracuse, NY – June 1, 2021 – This past week, Reality Check youth leaders from Onondaga and Cayuga Counties joined more than 300 other youth from around New York State, as well as Nebraska, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Arkansas, Delaware, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Idaho to challenge Altria Group executives and shareholders for the sixth consecutive year on the tobacco lies they use to sell their products. Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of tobacco and electronic cigarette products.

Reality Check is a statewide youth program that is part of Tobacco-Free CNY and works to engage and educate local stakeholders, community leaders, and the public to strengthen tobacco and e-cigarette policies that prevent and reduce tobacco and vape use. This program, implemented by the Onondaga County Health Department in CNY, focuses on reducing youth exposure to harmful tobacco and e-cigarette marketing in retail settings, limiting exposure to secondhand smoke, and reducing smoking imagery in the media.

In prior years, the youth physically gathered outside the Altria Shareholder’s Meeting in Richmond, VA. This year, the youth took their action online, using social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to raise their voices. Their goal was to engage others by revealing the truth about the commercial tobacco industry including the way it produces, manufactures, markets, and promotes its deadly products. As youth, they have the power to change the social norms created by Big Tobacco and celebrate our collaborative achievements.

The Seven Truths the youth used to challenge the statements of the tobacco companies are:

Menthol is a flavor, and flavors in tobacco products appeal to youth
Minority populations have been targeted by the tobacco industry for decades
Tobacco products are harmful to the environment and are the number one littered item in the world
E-cigarettes and vaping are not healthy
The tobacco industry values profit over people
The tobacco industry often opposes tobacco regulation
Nicotine is addictive – no matter how it is ingested

Studies show that kids who shop in stores with tobacco marketing two or more times a week are 64% more likely to start smoking than their friends who don’t shop where tobacco is marketed.

In preparation for the virtual demonstration on Thursday, May 20, Reality Check youth spent the last month learning about tobacco control policies, how the tobacco industry contracts with retailers to get their products and messages in front of youth audiences, and how they can stand up, speak out and make a difference in the fight against Big Tobacco.

Virtual speakers and trainers included youth leaders from Dover Youth 2 Youth of Dover, NH and Counter Tools of Chapel Hill, NC, Nicole Sutton, tobacco control expert from the University of Southern Florida, and Michael Scott from The Center of Black Health & Equity.

The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control funds Tobacco-Free CNY to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement. Efforts are evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches that decrease youth tobacco use, motivate adult smokers to quit, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. For more information about Reality Check, visit realitycheckofny.org.

1. Henriksen, Schleicher, Feiughery and Fortmann. Pediatrics: The Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. July 19, 2010, DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009 3021

Taking Down Tobacco: “It’s Not Just” about Menthol Flavored Tobacco Products

In Onondaga County, African Americans are at a higher risk for poor health outcomes related to many chronic diseases, including those caused by tobacco use! Sadly, the tobacco industry has spent decades marketing menthol-flavored tobacco products in Black or African American communities^1,2. As a result, 85% of Black smokers use menthol cigarettes, compared to 29% of white smokers^3,4. To bring awareness to this issue, Tobacco Free NYS and Tobacco-Free CNY have kicked off their new “It’s Not Just” campaign. This campaign will educate people across New York State that menthol tobacco products are not just flavored, are not just in communities, are not just addicting, and are not just an injustice – they’re killing Black Americans.

While menthol can be used safely in many everyday products, when added to cigarettes and other types of tobacco, the menthol flavor creates a cooling sensation in the throat and airways^,5,6, masking the harshness and allowing the user to inhale more of the toxic and addictive ingredients. Due to the tobacco industry’s intentional marketing in Black or African American communities, menthol tobacco products are addicting and killing Black Americans at higher rates. Ninety-three percent of Black smokers started by using menthol cigarettes^5,7. Black smokers die of heart attacks, strokes, and other causes linked to tobacco use at higher rates than white smokers, even though they smoke less than whites^1,8-12.

To market these products in Black and other minority communities, menthol tobacco products are given more shelf space and are often marketed as “smooth” to make the product seem more appealing and disguise the dangers^1,13. In addition to being heavily advertised and widely available, certain tobacco products have been found to be priced lower in Black communities, making them more appealing, particularly to youth^14,15,16. Over 7 out of 10 Black youth ages 12-17 years who smoke use menthol cigarettes^1,17.

This is a very timely campaign! In April of this year, the FDA announced that it would support a ban on menthol-flavored cigarettes. This decision was based on some of the facts below:

A report by a committee of the FDA found that if menthol cigarettes had been banned in 2010, roughly 17,000 premature deaths would have been avoided and 2.3 million people would not have started smoking in the past 10 years.
Research shows that quitting menthol-flavored tobacco is more difficult than quitting non-menthol tobacco. Black Americans consistently report more, but less successful attempts at quitting menthol tobacco products.
The FDA ban on mentholated tobacco regulates manufacturers and retailers of the product—not an individual’s use or possession of them. A ban on menthol tobacco products will not increase the potential for unjustly criminalizing Black Americans.
Data from other countries with previous bans show no likelihood of international, illicit trade of menthol cigarettes after they are prohibited. Surveys show, in fact, that a ban would encourage Black Americans to quit menthols rather than seek them from a black market.
Smoking-related illnesses are the No. 1 cause of death in the Black community, more than murders, suicides, HIV, and car accidents combined. To remain silent on this issue would be an injustice.

Tobacco-Free CNY is a program administered by the Onondaga County Health Department that works in Onondaga, Cayuga, and Oswego Counties to reduce illness, disability, and death related to tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure through multiple community and youth-oriented goals. Tobacco-Free CNY plans to disseminate the campaign messaging within the three counties through various media channels and community engagement activities. To learn more about the “It’s Not Just” campaign and help to fight the injustice, visit www.notjustmenthol.org.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “African Americans and Tobacco Use,” https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/disparities/african-americans/index.htm, updated November 16, 2020.
Food and Drug Administration. Preliminary Scientific Evaluation of the Possible Public Health Effects of Menthol Versus Nonmenthol Cigarettes, 2013.
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “Tobacco Use Among African Americans,” https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0006.pdf, 2021.
Delnevo, CD, et al., “Banning Menthol Cigarettes: A Social Justice Issue Long Overdue,” Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 22(10): 1673-1675, 2020.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Menthol and Cigarettes,” https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/tobacco_industry/menthol-cigarettes/index.html, updated May 18, 2020.
Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, Menthol Cigarettes and Public Health: Review of the Scientific Evidence and Recommendations, Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, 2011.
D’Silva J, Cohn AM, Johnson AL, Villanti AC, Differences in Subjective Experiences to First Use of Menthol and Monmenthol Cigarettes in a National Sample of Young Adult Cigarette Smokers, Nicotine Tob Res. 20(9): 1062-1068, 2018.
S. Department of Health and Human Services, Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups—African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General, Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health, 1998 [accessed 2018 Jun 12].
Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Tejada-Vera B, Deaths: Final Data for 2014, National Vital Statistics Reports, 2016;vol 65: no 4, Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics [accessed 2018 Jun 12].
Heron, M, Deaths: Leading Causes for 2010, National Vital Statistics Reports, 2013;62(6) [accessed 2018 Jun 12].
Schoenborn CA, Adams PF, Peregoy JA, Health Behaviors of Adults: United States, 2008–2010, National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(257) [accessed 2018 Jun 12].
S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Health Consequences of Smoking, Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004 [accessed 2018 Jun 12].
Center for Public Health Systems Science, Point-of-Sale Strategies: A Tobacco Control Guide, St. Louis: Center for Public Health Systems Science, George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, 2014 [accessed 2018 Jun 12].
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, “Tobacco Company Marketing To African Americans,” https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0208.pdf, 2018.
Resnick, EA, et al., Cigarette Pricing Differs by U.S. Neighborhoods—A BTG Research Brief. Chicago, IL: Bridging the Gap Program, Health Policy Center, Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, http://www.bridgingthegapresearch.org/_asset/d49910/btg_tobacco_brief_FINAL_011113.pdf, 2012.
Cantrell, J, et al., “Marketing Little Cigars and Cigarillos: Advertising, Price, and Associations with Neighborhood Demographics,” American Journal of Public Health, published online ahead of print August 15, 2013.
Gardiner PS, “The African Americanization of Menthol Cigarette Use in the United States,” Nicotine and Tobacco Research 2004; 6:Suppl 1:S55-65 [cited 2018 Jun 12].
American Heart Association, “African Americans and Cardiovascular Diseases: Statistical Fact Sheet, 2013 Update,” http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_319568.pdf, 2013.

Fight the Bite: Protect Yourself from Diseases Caused by Ticks and Mosquitoes

As the Onondaga County Health Department continues its efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic in our community, it is important to remember other issues that are also affecting our health. We continue to stress the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and now with the arrival of spring, the need to protect ourselves from mosquito- and tick-borne diseases.

Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta reminds residents, “As we are enjoying the arrival of some warmer days in Central New York, it is important to remember to protect yourself to reduce the risk of mosquito and tick bites that may transmit West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV), or Lyme disease from now all the way through the fall season.”

The Health Department will soon begin the annual mosquito surveillance and control program for 2021. This program collects and tests mosquitoes for viruses including WNV and EEEV. The program also uses larvicides (an insecticide) to control mosquito breeding in standing bodies of water.

Personal Protection Measures
The Health Department reminds residents that there are steps everyone should take to protect themselves from mosquito and tick bites during outdoor activities:

Wear shoes, light-colored socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck in your shirt and tuck pant legs into boots or socks. Check your body for ticks after being outdoors.
Consider using insect repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and other products that have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Use this EPA search tool to help you choose the repellent product that is right for you, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on proper use for safety and effectiveness. Insect repellents should be applied only to intact skin or over clothing. Do NOT apply DEET or Picaridin directly onto children’s skin (apply to your own hands and then put it on the child). Repellent should not be used on babies younger than 2 months old.
Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home
It is also important to mosquito-proof your home by replacing or repairing broken screens and getting rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed. Keep your property free of standing water by cleaning clogged rain gutters; turning over wheelbarrows and wading pools when not in use; changing water in birdbaths every four days; properly maintaining swimming pools, outdoor saunas, and hot tubs; draining water from pool covers; and, using landscaping to eliminate low spots where standing water accumulates.

Signs and Symptoms of WNV and EEE
Most people who are infected with WNV or EEE do not develop any signs or symptoms. However, both WNV and EEE are potentially serious illnesses. Signs and symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, confusion, tremors (shaking), convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, irritability, drowsiness, numbness, paralysis, vomiting, diarrhea, and coma. Consult your healthcare provider if you have been bitten by a mosquito and develop any of these signs and symptoms.

Check for and Remove Ticks
After outdoor activities, it is critical to check your body for an attached tick. Early removal is important—the longer an infected tick is attached to the skin, the higher the chances are for transmitting disease. According to the CDC, an infected tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. Keep ticks away by mowing your lawn often and removing brush. Playground toys, decks, and patios should be kept away from wooded areas. In addition, do not feed deer on your property. If you see a tick embedded in your skin, follow the steps below (or watch this video) to learn how to remove it:

Take tweezers to the tick’s head or mouth, where it enters the skin.
Pull the tick firmly up, in a steady motion, away from the skin.
Clean the bite with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide.
Keep a record of the date, time, and where you were bitten.

Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Call your health care provider if a tick has been attached to your skin for more than 36 hours, or if you had a recent tick bite and develop any symptoms (“bull’s-eye” rash, fever, fatigue, chills, headache, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes). Lyme disease can be prevented and effectively treated with appropriate and timely medical treatment.

More Information and Resources
For more information about mosquito-borne illnesses or Lyme disease, contact the Onondaga County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health at 315.435.1649 or visit:

Onondaga County Health Department
ongov.net/health/env/mosquitoes.html
ongov.net/health/env/lyme.html

New York State Department of Health
www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/
www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.cdc.gov/westnile/
www.cdc.gov/EasternEquineEncephalitis/
www.cdc.gov/lyme/

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Reluctance: A Fact-Based Conversation!

As of May 11, 248,962 people in Onondaga County have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 216,069 have completed the vaccine series. Among people eligible to be vaccinated, vaccination rates by zip code range from 41.6% in Syracuse 13204 to 84.7% in Fayetteville 13066. When looking at the entire county population, we see that 54.7% of all county residents have had at least one dose, and 39.3% are fully vaccinated. We are continuing our work to have as many people as possible get vaccinated. We have reached a plateau in people’s interest in getting the COVID-19 vaccine. There is plenty of supply of vaccine in our community at present. In addition to the Onondaga County Health Department and the NYS Fairground sites, other medical providers such as many pharmacies and private medical doctors are willing to give vaccines throughout the county. Vaccine availability can be easily located by using the Vaccine Finder tool.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation survey, a little over 60 percent of people were interested in getting the vaccine with some variation in age, race, ethnicity, rural, urban, and political affiliation in the US. This is what we are seeing in our community as well. Adding to this conversation, a focus group done by the de Beaumont foundation showed that people want information from the medical experts, not from the politicians.

We know that COVID-19 is a serious disease, which can affect our entire body and result in serious health consequences, including death. The pandemic is still here and continues to change its course with new virus strains resulting in more devastation in the world – as we can see in Brazil and India.

We have made tremendous progress in the treatment of the disease; still, thousands of people are impacted by it. We continue to see the untimely loss of life. One of the most significant breakthroughs in this entire COVID -19 pandemic is to have the ability to prevent infection by SARS CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease, through robust vaccination efforts. As of May 12, CDC now recommends Pfizer vaccine for adolescents 12 years and older based on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Another milestone in the fight against COVID-19!

Getting a vaccine is a very important and personal decision for everyone. Many people throughout the US have been vaccinated. For those individuals who are reluctant, I would like to learn of their concerns.

I often hear from people that they do not have enough information regarding vaccines…I get it! I understand their concerns as a few people close to me also express the same concerns, and I would encourage you to have a conversation with your doctor. I am sure he/she will be able to provide you with the facts you need. In the meantime, I am providing you with some facts as a medical doctor. Hope they will be helpful to you.

There are two types of COVID-19 vaccines released under emergency use authorization (EUA) in the US:
1. Two mRNA vaccines: Pfizer and Moderna
2. One adenovirus vector vaccine: Johnson and Johnson
Knowledge of mRNA and adenovirus vector is more than 2 decades old. Available genomic sequence of the SARS CoV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19) in January 2020 gave innovative ideas to scientists to use mRNA and adenovirus vector during vaccine development. New technologies were applied in vaccine development to assist the entry of synthetically-produced genomic sequence of SARS CoV-2 virus into the human cell. This genomic sequence then gives our cells instructions on how to make a harmless spike protein that is unique to this virus. After our cells make copies of the protein, the material from the vaccine disintegrates. Our bodies recognize this spike protein as a foreign body and initiate an immune response from white blood cells by producing antibodies and have a memory of such an event. This helps our immune system to fight the virus that causes COVID-19 if exposed in the future. This is how many vaccines work.
None of the vaccines can cause COVID-19 disease. Once they prime our cells to produce antibodies, the components of these vaccines naturally disintegrate.
COVID19 vaccines cannot change the DNA of our body. There is no known mechanism that can convert mRNA to DNA. Furthermore, DNA is located in the nucleus of a cell and RNA resides in the cytoplasm.
Process of Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US is very rigorous. After the FDA’s extensive review of each vaccine’s record on safety and efficiency in several phases of large human subject trials, it will issue EUA for the vaccine(s) that meet safety and efficiency standards. The review and authorization processes are only based on scientific analyses of data obtained in large-scale clinical trials of vaccines by medical experts.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides a final recommendation to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after reviewing the data. If the CDC director adopts the recommendations, the public health and medical community can start offering vaccination to a particular age group. It is important to remember that medical experts, doctors, and scientists govern the entire process.
There are no tracking devices or microchips injected through the vaccine.
The majority of doctors who recommend these vaccines have been vaccinated themselves, including me.
The vaccine is highly effective. Two-dose Pfizer and Moderna are 95% effective; single-dose J&J is 85 % effective. This is more than the yearly flu vaccine’s effectiveness.
All three COVID-19 vaccines are successful in preventing the development of serious COVID-19 disease if there is a rare breakthrough infection despite vaccination and 100% successful in preventing hospitalization and death in clinical trials.
None of these vaccines cause human infertility.

If you get these facts but still want to know why you should get vaccinated, the reasons are very important and very simple:

If the majority of people get vaccinated, we can have normalcy in our lives. We can enjoy family and friend get-togethers, celebrate birthdays, attend large events, and travel. We may not need face masks after all. However, to have this universal in any community, we will need herd immunity.
The economy will improve. The stay-at-home order resulted in the loss of livelihood and loss of homes for many Americans in every community. With many people vaccinated, the health risk will be significantly reduced and businesses gradually will return back to pre-pandemic level.
It will protect your health and the health of your family and friends.

Please continue to stay informed and talk to your doctor, and when you are ready, make an appointment at one of the many locations in the community. I hope your doctor can give you the vaccine in the office, if not you can find a location using the Vaccine Finder tool.

References:

Kaiser Family Foundation: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/dashboard/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-dashboard/
Beaumont Foundation: https://debeaumont.org/changing-the-covid-conversation/
What is EUA: https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization
NIH: COVID-19 vaccines: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/covid-19-vaccine-faq
How vaccines are developed: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/distributing/steps-ensure-safety.html
This has three phases of clinical trials: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/basics/test-approve.html
CDC director’s statement on vaccination for adolescents 12 years and older: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0512-advisory-committee-signing.html

Indu Gupta
May 12, 2021

Kinney Drugs to Partner with Onondaga County Health Department to Host COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic to Serve Those Age 12 and Older

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced today a partnership between Kinney Drugs and Onondaga County Health Department to host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic this weekend to serve residents age 12 and older. The clinic will be held this Saturday, May 15 from 2 to 5 pm at the Oncenter Convention Center. Individuals may register for an appointment at https://kinneydrugs.as.me/Oncenter12plus.

County Executive McMahon stated, “It is great when our community partners come together to accomplish the incredibly huge goal of vaccinating every resident in our community who is eligible for a vaccine. The vaccine is our answer to fight this virus and continue down the path to economic recovery.”

Commissioner of Health Dr. Indu Gupta explained, “We know that COVID-19 is a serious disease, which can affect our entire body and result in serious health consequences, including death. The vaccine is safe, effective, free, and the best way to prevent these outcomes and regain a level of normalcy in our lives. Rates of vaccination in our towns and villages range from the lowest, 28% in city of Syracuse zip code 13204, to the highest, 62% in Fayetteville 13066. Still, we are far from reaching our goal to have as many people as possible get vaccinated.”

Kinney Drugs is an active partner in vaccinating our community, both at their pharmacies and at clinics like the one this Saturday. John M. Marraffa Jr., RPh, VP of Healthcare Services Integration said, “Vaccinating our children ages 12 and older is a critical step in achieving herd immunity and we are thrilled to be called on to participate. Through our commitment to provide the highest quality of care, we will work hard to vaccinate as many people as possible.”

All residents ages 12 and up who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine are urged to make an appointment for the clinic by visiting https://kinneydrugs.as.me/Oncenter12plus, or finding an appointment using the convenient online Vaccine Finder tool at https://www.vaccines.gov/search/.

COVID-19 Vaccination Saves Lives! Are you ready?

A few years ago, I had written a health blog regarding the importance of vaccination titled “My Salute to the Power of Vaccination”. It seems like déjàvu as I am writing the same topic, this time focusing on the importance of vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though three different COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in the United States, after initial high interest, the rates of vaccinations have flattened or declined throughout the United States including in Onondaga County.

OCHD’s first COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on December 28, 2020, at the War Memorial.

The Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD) started an intense mass vaccination campaign on December 28, 2020. Since then we have given approximately 53,000 first doses of COVID -19 vaccines in the clinics operated by our County Health Department. We have provided vaccine at Oncenter Complex in downtown Syracuse and various community clinics including many in the schools. Additionally, vaccines are available at the NY State Fair location, many pharmacies and doctor’s offices. Because of such a widespread effort, 210,352 residents have received their first doses of COVID -19 vaccines and 150,064 second doses have been given. As of now, 56.0% of Onondaga County residents age 16+ have received at least one dose.

Three vaccines are available in the US at present. Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines and need 2 doses, while Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is a viral vector vaccine and requires only one dose. All three of them are effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID -19 disease. The good news is that all three of them are available in our community.

The recent pause by CDC and FDA of the J &J single-dose vaccine has created discomfort among some people. I would like to assure everyone that thorough investigation and swift action should give more confidence regarding the safety of the vaccine because CDC and FDA closely monitor the safety of all three vaccines. What was behind the pause? CDC and FDA put a pause on J&J vaccine on April 13 after learning of very serious but extremely rare side effect of blood clots with low platelet (type of blood cell) in 6 women. For those who experience this side effect, symptoms begin between 6-15 days after getting shot. During the pause, the FDA and CDC did further investigation. Out of more than 8 million doses of J&J vaccine (known as Janssen COVID-19 vaccine), experts found 15 reports of this side effect among women. One of the very important reasons to pause was to make sure the right treatment can be provided to those who have this rare but serious adverse effect. On April 23, the pause was lifted.

As of April 25, 2021, CDC and FDA reported that these adverse events occurred primarily among women between 18-59 years of age. To date, most of these reports have been in adult women younger than 50 years of age; however, there have been reports in men and older women. Based on the data, 7 women were impacted per 1 million people 18-49 years of age. The rate for both women more than 50 years and men is less than 1 per 1 million. In summary, this is a rare event for all women; and for women 50 years and older and men of all ages, this event is even more rare. Based on the available data, it was concluded that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks.

According to the CDC, anyone who is 18 years of age or older can receive the J&J vaccine, stating “Women aged <50 years can receive any FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine. However, they should be aware of the rare risk of TTS (blood clot with low platelets) after receipt of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, and the availability of other FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines (CDC). The highest rates of TTS per vaccine doses administered were identified in women <50 years of age.”

We know that scientists and doctors at CDC and FDA continue to monitor side effects and any adverse effects for all three vaccines currently available in the United States through VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System).

An OCHD pop-up clinic at Tucker Missionary Baptist Church in Syracuse.

Taking a vaccine is a very personal decision. I would like everyone to learn about the facts of COVID -19 vaccines before getting a vaccine. All three COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in preventing hospitalization and death by 100 %. One of the most important benefits of getting the vaccine is that you can start participating in many activities and see your close family and friends.

As I am seeing the devastating situations due to COVID-19 in Brazil and India where a lack of resources including oxygen, treatment, and vaccine, and a lack of public health measures like mask-wearing and physical distancing, I would like to remind every resident of our community that the pandemic is still here and we should do everything to control the transmission of infection by creating all the barriers between the virus and us—by mask-wearing, physical distancing, and very important now, VACCINATION!

An OCHD pop-up clinic for seniors at Brighton Towers.

If the majority of our community can get vaccinated, the virus will not be able to find human bodies to spread and thrive. That is how we will end the pandemic, starting with one person and then one community at a time…! We can only defeat the virus if we band together and use all our tools together.

Please make an appointment today to get your vaccination. Registration information for vaccination in Onondaga County can be found here. The CDC also launched a helpful vaccine finder app to search for vaccine availability by zip code. We are also accepting walk-ins during our clinics after scheduled appointments.

As the FDA is looking at data to approve the Pfizer vaccine for children 12-15 years of age, we will discuss it next week along with myths about vaccination.

Thank you!
Indu Gupta
May 3, 2021

COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Our Lives: A Year in Review!

Indu Gupta, MD, MPH, MA, FACP, Onondaga County Health Commissioner

When I woke up on January 1, 2020, I never thought that we will be facing the global pandemic of our lifetime and I will be leading the public health response in Onondaga County as the Health Commissioner of the Onondaga County Health Department. Though our lives feel so far apart from those who live across the globe and even our next-door neighbors, this pandemic will teach us how intertwined our destinies are. It will take everyone working together in harmony if we want to stop the infection by the new strain of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

The year 2020 was full of contradictions: from misery and isolation, fears of the unknown and impending doom, death and despair, and the loss of jobs and homes, to triumphs of science and research and hope. It has been truly a whirlwind.

We in the Health Department have prepared ourselves by doing public health preparedness drills for several years; however, no one imagined the enormity and wrath of this pandemic.

Throughout the pandemic, our public health response has been swift, data-driven, transparent, and measurable. Our multi-pronged approach of case investigation and contact tracing combined with testing was able to flatten the curve throughout the summer. With the opening of the community, we saw a second wave of infections, however, we did not see our hospital system getting overwhelmed due to thoughtful strategic planning of cancellation of elective surgeries and partnership in aggressive testing protocols so we can identify and isolate cases and quarantine their contacts. The goal was, and remains today, to take pre-emptive actions. The County Executive’s leadership in providing all the resources to control transmission of the virus by following science, data, and public health recommendations in Onondaga County is commendable. We discuss data and new evidence and make decisions to serve our community every day. From our report of the first case of COVID 19 infection on March 16, 2020, we have continued to do thorough case investigations and contact tracing with the recent count of more than 35,000 cases and more than 34,000 recovered. To date, we have lost 698 members of our community to the disease. Testing continues to be an important tool, from PCR testing available by lab to County-sponsored widely available antigen testing. We hope for home testing in the near future.

With the approval of the first vaccine, Pfizer, on December 11, 2020, followed by Moderna on December 18, 2020, and recently Janssen/Johnson & Johnson on February 27, 2021, we are at the final leg of our journey. We continue to see many hiccups in the form of misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, in addition to the recent pause of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of a rare but serious side effect of blood clot and low platelet count known as thrombosis- thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). With the close monitoring of incoming data from the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VARES), everyone should be reassured regarding decisions made by the FDA and CDC during the approval process of the vaccines. It should boost confidence in all the vaccines available in the United States. As of now, a little over 141 million Americans have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 93 million have been fully vaccinated. These numbers will continue to increase. As of April 22, I am very pleased to report that 200,506 Onondaga County residents have received at least one dose of vaccine. In our Health Department clinics alone, we have vaccinated 52,027 individuals (first doses) and 43,367 individuals (second doses). I got my COVID 19 vaccine, did you get yours?

Interest in getting the COVID-19 vaccine has somewhat declined throughout the U.S., including in our community. New cases continue to emerge. With the 7-day average of 90-100 cases per day, we continue to have high community transmission. Despite these numbers, we continue to see no evidence of viral transmission in our schools. At this time, when we can see the finish line, we should put our full efforts to reach there by following all the public health principles of wearing a mask, keeping a physical distance of 6 feet, staying home when sick, getting tested, and importantly, getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Stay informed and engage others and help us improve the rates of vaccination in our community as all of us did during case investigation and testing efforts. Together we can put this pandemic behind us.

I will discuss COVID 19 vaccines next week. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I would ask you to tell us your thoughts about vaccines by taking this 5-minute survey.

Indu Gupta
April 27, 2021