Georgia Coastal Health District

Now that the storm has passed and cleanup has begun, there are a lot of important things to remember for the health and safety of you and your family. Here is some information that can help:

If I’m on a private well and it flooded, what should I do?
Disinfecting Private Wells [DOC, 214.00 KB]

Mold
Mold is caused by moisture and after the flooding brought about by Hurricane Matthew, mold is likely to be an ongoing issue. The Federal Emergency Management Agency along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Institutes of Health have developed guidance and information regarding mold management and cleanup after disasters. We encourage residents to refer to this guidance while cleaning up personal property in the wake of the recent flooding.

Information and guidance for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold:
Homeowners and Renters Guide to Mold Clean-up After Disasters [PDF, 2.99 MB]

Additional Resource:
EPA Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home [PDF, 1.39 MB]

https://dph.georgia.gov/indoor-air-quality

Information on Debris Removal

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What does is mean if my area has been placed  under a “Boil Water Advisory?”
It means that residents are advised to either use bottled water or “boil” all tap water prior to use for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or preparing baby food.
To boil water:

• Fill a pot with water
• Heat the water until bubbles come from the bottom of the pot to the top.
• Once the water reaches a rolling boil, let it boil for at least 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat source and let the water cool.
• Pour the water into a clean container with a cover for storage.

For information on the boil water advisory for Water Utility Management customers please click here: http://www.waterga.com/

Residents with private wells that have flooded are also advised to boil water for consumption. Your well should be considered “flooded” if your well casing has been submerged in water anytime throughout the past week.
Residents should continue to boil their water until they are notified by public health or their drinking water utility that the water system has been restored to full operation and the water is safe to drink.

General Information on food safety:
If you are wondering whether high water or power outages have ruined their food can follow a simple rule: When in doubt, throw it out. Once power is off, the refrigerator keeps food at safely cold temperatures for 4 hours, while food in a freezer remains safe for approximately 8 hours. If your power is off longer, your food is not safe to eat and should be discarded.
Do not consume anything that flood water may have touched. Flood water carries disease-causing organisms.

• Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water. If in doubt, throw it out.
• Do not eat food packed in plastic, paper, cardboard, cloth, and similar containers that have been water damaged.
• Discard food and beverage containers with screw-caps, snap lids, crimped caps (soda bottles), twist caps, flip tops, and home canned foods, if they have come in contact with flood water. These containers cannot be disinfected.
• Undamaged, commercially-prepared foods in all-metal cans or retort pouches can be saved if you remove the labels, thoroughly wash the cans, rinse them, and then disinfect them with a sanitizing solution consisting of 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of potable water. Finally, re-label containers that had the labels removed, including the expiration date, with a marker. Discard any canned foods that are dented as this can increase the risk of contracting botulism, a rare but very serious illness.

For more information, please go to www.fda.gov.

Smoke from Burning Debris Can Trigger Respiratory Issues

Smoke created from residents burning debris generally does not pose a health hazard but it may worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions such as respiratory allergies, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The best protection for these individuals is to avoid areas where burning is taking place or stay indoors. If that is not possible, parents or caregivers of persons with respiratory conditions should monitor the individual carefully; ensure all medication is taken as directed; and, seek medical attention immediately if the individual shows any signs of distress.

In addition:

• Make sure to keep windows and doors shut.
• Use the recycle or re-circulate mode on the air conditioner in your home or car.
• Asthmatics should follow their asthma management plan.
• Contact your doctor if you have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or severe fatigue. This is important not only for people with chronic lung or heart disease, but also for individuals who have not been previously diagnosed with such illnesses. Smoke can “unmask” or produce symptoms of such diseases.

I own a restaurant. What do I need to do to get ready to reopen?

Restaurants and Grocers Reopening After Hurricanes and Flooding

Food Service Establishment Checklist [DOCX, 73.16 KB]

For more information, contact your county’s Environmental Health Office.

With flu activity increasing and family and friends planning gatherings for the holidays, now is a great time to get a flu vaccine if you have not gotten vaccinated [PNG, 264.65 KB]yet. A flu vaccine can protect you and your loved ones. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season. This season, CDC recommends only flu shots (not the nasal spray vaccine).

While seasonal flu activity varies, flu activity usually peaks between December and February, though activity can last as late as May. As long as flu activity is ongoing, it’s not too late to get vaccinated, even in January or later. An annual flu vaccine is the best way to protect against this potentially serious disease. Even if you have already gotten sick with flu this season, it is still a good idea to get a flu vaccine. Flu vaccines protects against three or four different flu viruses (depending on which flu vaccine you get).

December 4-10, 2016 is this year’s National Influenza Vaccination Week (or NIVW). CDC Established NIVW in 2005 to highlight the importance of continuing flu vaccination through the holiday season and beyond. A goal of NIVW is to remind people that even though the holiday season has arrived, it’s not too late to get their flu vaccine.

As long as flu viruses are spreading and causing illness, vaccination should continue throughout the flu season in order to protect as many people as possible against the flu. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season. CDC recommends only flu shots this season. If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to get a flu shot!

Health departments in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties offer the regular flu shot for $29 and a high dose flu shot – made especially for those 65 and older – for $50. No appointment is needed for flu shots at health departments. 

Save time when going to get your flu shot by filling out the consent form ahead of time and bringing it with you to the health department:
General Vaccine Consent Form [PDF, 100.96 KB]
General Flu Vaccine Consent Form (Spanish) [PDF, 49.56 KB]

Read the Vaccine Information Statement here:
Flu Vaccine Information Statement (English)
Flu Vaccine Information Statement (Spanish) [PDF, 343.81 KB]

Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community from the flu. Every flu season is different and we never know how bad a flu season is going to be or how long it’s going to last which is why it is so important to get the flu vaccine every year. Some things to know about this year’s flu season:

• The vaccine has been updated for the 2016-2017 flu season so it should be a better match for flu viruses. [JPG, 159.27 KB]
• Only the flu shot is recommended this year because there are questions about the effectiveness of the nasal spray form of the vaccine.
• Getting vaccinated not only protects you, it also protects people around you – like babies, older people, and people with chronic health conditions – who may be at risk from getting seriously ill from the flu.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months of age and older receive a yearly flu vaccine.
• People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease and people 65 years of age and older.

It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the immune system to fully respond to the vaccine and provide the body protection. While getting the flu vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu, there are other things we can all do every day to prevent getting or spreading the flu viruses and other viruses:

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
• Try to cough or sneeze into the corner of your elbow and not your hand or cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

Don’t let the flu get the best of you. Protect yourself and your loved ones from flu by getting vaccinated early.