Celebrate men’s Health Week With A Free Colorectal Cancer Screening

The week of June 9th – 15th is National Men’s Health Week. National Men’s Health Week is a weeklong health observance to empower men to make their health a top priority. Making your health a top priority includes following through with regular colorectal cancer screenings.

Free colorectal cancer screenings are available for uninsured men ages 50 to 64 through the Onondaga County Cancer Services Program (CSP). Uninsured men are encouraged to register by phone at 435-3653 or online by visiting the CSP website at /health/cancerscreening.html. Routine screenings are an important step in the early detection of colorectal cancer. Early detection saves lives!

Of cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. A person’s chances of developing colorectal cancer can be increased by factors such as age; having inflammatory bowel disease; or having a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or polyps. Routine screenings decrease a person’s risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Men’s Health Week is an optimal time to remember that the best way to detect colorectal cancer early is through routine screening. The CSP encourages uninsured men to take charge of their health by registering for a free colorectal cancer screening. Call 435-3653 today or visit us online to see if you qualify. Your health is too important to wait!

Take Steps to Prevent Drowning

With the unofficial start of summer, the Onondaga County Health Department is reminding everyone to take steps to stay safe while near any body of water, including pools.  Drowning deaths are almost always preventable when measures are taken to ensure safe water recreation.   Parents, adults, and children must be vigilant about ALWAYS using safe water recreational practices.

Drowning can occur in a variety of situations such as: swimming, boating, and while children are left unsupervised in a bathtub.  According to SAFE KIDS Worldwide, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old and it is the third leading cause of death among children.  Follow these safe water recreation tips every time you are near a body of water:

Child Safe Swimming and Safety Practices:

  • Never leave a child unsupervised in or around water, even for a moment
  • Never drink alcohol while supervising children who are swimming
  • Stay within an arm’s reach of a child  who cannot swim when they are near water
  • Always have at least one adult who is the designated “water watcher” (a person whose ONLY job is to watch the people in the water)
  • Stay focused and do not engage in other activities while supervising children swimming (e.g. reading, talking on a cell phone)
  • Remove pool toys immediately after use  because they could entice young children to enter the pool on their own at a later time

 Adult Safe Swimming and Safety Practices:

  • Swim only in designated and supervised swimming areas
  • Never drink alcohol while swimming
  • Always swim with a buddy
  • Enroll yourself and your children in swimming lessons
  • Install fencing at least five feet high with locks if you are a pool-owner
  • Keep rescue equipment, a telephone, and emergency phone numbers near the poolside
  • Use approved life-jackets

 For more information about water safety contact the Onondaga County Health Department at 435-3280 or go online to www.safekids.org.

Bat Positive for Rabies

Onondaga County Interim Commissioner of Health, Michelle Mignano, announced today that the New York State Health Department laboratory has reported that a bat found in the City of Syracuse has tested positive for rabies.  This is the first positive rabies findings of the season.

Ms. Mignano stresses, “It is important to bat-proof your home now to keep bats out of your house and away from you and your family.”  Bats are generally most active between the months of May and August but are already out and more active.
• To bat proof your home, plug up any holes discovered with steel wool.  Also, repair window screen holes with wire mesh and caulk any other openings or cracks.
• If your family (or your pet) has been exposed to a bat, capture the bat and have it tested for rabies.  If someone is bitten by a bat, be certain to wash the area where the bite occurred with soap and water and see your health care provider immediately.
• If you awaken to find a bat in your room, or a bat is present in the room of an unattended or sleeping child, or in a room with someone with a mental impairment, seek medical advice and have the bat tested.
• Trap all bats found in your house and make sure that all bats that come into direct contact with people get tested.  Before trapping the bat, protect yourself with gloves and a hat.

To trap a bat:
• Keep the bat inside of your home (do not let it escape outdoors)
• Shut the door of the room to keep the bat isolated
• Turn the lights on to slow the bat down
• Collect the bat in a container with a secure lid
• Call the Onondaga County Health Department’s Animal Disease Control at 435-3165 for further instruction
• To view a video on how to capture a bat, visit www.ongov.net/health

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It is important to keep your pet’s vaccinations current. This is especially important for dogs, cats, and ferrets. Getting your pet vaccinated can help stop the spread of rabies from wild animals to humans.

The Onondaga County Health Department offers a number of clinics throughout the year to protect your pet from rabies. New York State Public Health Law requires that all puppies and kittens get an initial shot at three months of age, with a booster shot every three years. Ferrets must get a shot every year. For a full schedule of upcoming rabies vaccination clinics visit www.ongov.net/health, or call 435-3165.

Rabies Shot Clinics in May

The Onondaga County Health Department, in cooperation with local community partners, will be offering rabies shot clinics at the following locations in May:

• Thursday, May 1st from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Clay Highway Garage located at 483 Route 31, Clay

• Monday, May 12th from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Village of Manlius Recreation Center located at 6 Stickley Drive, Manlius

• Tuesday, May 20th from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
S.P.C.A. located at 5878 East Molloy Road, Mattydale

Please remember to keep your pets on a leash (or in a carrier) at the rabies clinic and keep them close to you.  Also please bring your pet’s past shot records.

New York State Public Health law requires that all puppies and kittens get their first rabies shot at three months of age.  They also need to get a booster shot at one year old and then again every three years.  Ferrets must get a shot every year.

All shots are free for Onondaga County residents.  A voluntary donation per family is appreciated.  For more information, call the Onondaga County Health Department’s Animal Disease Control at 435-3165.

Free Radon Test Kits Available

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is found in rock and soil.  It enters a home through cracks and openings in the foundation.  Radon is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.  It is also the second leading cause of lung cancer.  There are no immediate symptoms that will alert you in the presence of radon.  It typically takes years of exposure before any noticeable problems surface.

Onondaga County has been designated by the New York State Department of Health as a “high risk radon county” based on average basement readings.  Testing for radon is the only way to know if you have radon in your home. The Onondaga County Health Department is offering a limited number of free radon test kits. If you are interested in a radon kit, call the Onondaga County Health Department Bureau of Environmental Health at 435-1649.

Free Colorectal Cancer Screenings for the Uninsured

Have you been screened for colorectal cancer?  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 3 adults aged 50-75 years is not getting tested as recommended.  Celebrate Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month this March by scheduling your colorectal cancer screening test today.  The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends colorectal cancer screening for average risk men and women aged 50-75 using high-sensitivity fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy.

Individuals at increased risk should talk to their doctor about when and how often they should be screened.  A person’s chance of developing colorectal cancer is increased by certain factors such as having a family history of colorectal cancer, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, or having had polyps or colorectal cancer in the past.

If you are waiting to be screened because you are currently without health insurance, the Onondaga County Cancer Services Program (CSP) can help.  Men and women aged 50 to 64 who do not have health insurance may qualify for free colorectal cancer screening!  Call 435-3653 today to see if you qualify or visit the CSP website at /health/cancerscreening.html to register online.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer of men and women in the United States.  Colorectal cancer is one of the only cancers that can be prevented through the removal of pre-cancerous polyps in the colon and/or rectum. There are often no symptoms during the early stages of colorectal cancer, making routine colorectal screening extremely important. If symptoms do appear, they may include rectal bleeding, black tarry stools, a change in bowel habits, persistent abdominal pain or cramping, and unexplained weight loss.

Testing and early detection saves lives.  Call the Cancer Services Program today at 435-3653 to see if you qualify for your free colorectal screening!

“Love Yourself” With A Valentine’s Day Screening

The very successful “Love Yourself” campaign is back for February 2014!  Will you be waiting for hearts and roses on Valentine’s Day? This February love yourself by getting your mammogram! If you do not have health insurance, free breast exams and mammograms are available for eligible women between the ages of 40 and 64 through the Onondaga County Cancer Services Program (CSP). Call 435-3653 today to begin registration or register online by visiting the CSP website at /health/cancerscreening.html!

“Love Yourself” is in its 5th year of educating women about the importance of regular screenings and early detection for breast cancer.  The “Love Yourself” campaign is a partnership between the Onondaga County Health Department, local physicians, Komen for the Cure, and the American Cancer Society to encourage routine screening for breast cancer.  According to the American Cancer Society, the chance of a woman developing invasive breast cancer sometime during her life is about 1 in 8. However, when breast cancer is detected early and confined to the breast, the 5-year survival rate is 93%. Through “Love Yourself”, the CSP is reminding you that having a routine mammogram is the best way to find breast cancer early.

Free breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings are available year round for people who are uninsured. Free Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer are available to women ages 40 to 64 who do not have health insurance and free colorectal cancer screening is available to men and women ages 50 to 64 who do not have health insurance. Your health is important to us and to the many community agencies and partners who collaborate with the CSP. Don’t wait, begin your registration for free cancer screenings today!

Immunization Clinic Closed 10-31-13

On Thursday, October 31st, the Onondaga County Immunization Clinic, located at 301 Slocum Avenue in Syracuse will be closed due to construction that affects the parking lot and entrance to the building. The Health Department is avoiding creating an unsafe situation for both clinic clients and staff.   Please note, this weekly clinic will only be closed on October 31st and normal operations will resume on Thursday, November 7th.  For more information on the immunization clinic, please call the Onondaga County Health Department at  435-2000.

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Octboer 20 – October 26, 2013

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly half a million children living in the United States have elevated blood lead levels that may cause significant health problems. This estimate uses the new lower blood lead level standard set by the CDC in 2012. In Onondaga County, more than 9% of children tested in 2012 had high blood lead levels.  Major sources of lead exposure in children residing in Onondaga County include lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in deteriorating buildings.  The good news is that childhood lead poisoning is entirely preventable.

To raise awareness of childhood lead poisoning prevention, the Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD) is joining our state and federal partners to promote National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) October 20-26th, 2013.  This year’s theme, “Lead Free Kids for a Healthy Future” reinforces the importance of testing your home for lead, testing your child for lead, and learning how to prevent lead poisoning.

Onondaga County Health Commissioner, Dr. Cynthia Morrow explained, “The most important thing we can do to prevent childhood lead exposure is to treat the source of the problem, which is often in the home.”  Morrow emphasized that there are many ways families can reduce a child’s exposure to lead and encourages following these simple steps to protect your family:

  • Get your home tested for lead.   If you rent your home, call the Onondaga County Health Department to learn about getting a free lead home inspection.
  • Get a lead home inspection before buying an older home (pre-1978).  Home repair grants are available to remove lead from homes for residents of both the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County.
  • Get your child tested.  Have your child tested at age 1 and again at 2.  Even if your children seem healthy, ask your doctor to test them for lead.
  • Get the facts!  The OCHD Lead Program can provide you with helpful information about preventing childhood lead poisoning by calling 435-3271, visiting www.ongov.net/health, or finding us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ongovhealth.

WIC Clinic Access: West Onondaga Street Construction

A portion of West Onondaga Street is currently closed to traffic due to road construction. Road construction is expected to be completed by Saturday, October 26th.

Cynthia B. Morrow, Commissioner of Health, is urging WIC participants at the Onondaga County Health Department WIC Clinic located at 375 West Onondaga Street to please keep their WIC appointments. Despite the road closure, this WIC Clinic is fully operational. WIC participants may gain access to this WIC clinic site by speaking with the construction staff stationed at the intersection of West Onondaga and East Adams Streets. This is the only point of access to 375 West Onondaga Street while the road is closed.

For more information please call the Onondaga County Health Department WIC clinic at 435-3304.