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TextHealth Department Proclamations for 2010
AIDS Awareness Day
December 1, 2010
Proclamation
At the November 16, 2010 meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors proclaimed December 1, 2010 as AIDS Awareness Day to coincide with World AIDS Day.
Fairfax County Health Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu accepted the proclamation on behalf of the community saying, "HIV remains a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world and right here in Fairfax…. the health department has engaged critical community partners who are working with us to break the silence, the stigma and the denial that is fueling the epidemic in our communities with the goal of creating a supportive community environment that encourages personal responsibility, testing and treatment. The first ever domestic HIV/AIDS strategy released by the White House this past July affirms our community-based approach and we encourage members of our community to join forces with us in educating their friends and family members about the threat of HIV and how to prevent it."
Learn more about HIV prevention and testing and World AIDS Day 2010.
Premature Birth Awareness Month
November 2010
Proclamation
During its October 19 meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors declared the month of November 2010 as Premature Birth Awareness Month. The Board urges all residents to take steps to educate themselves, their families, and the community about premature birth.
The number of premature births can be reduced when expectant mothers choose a healthy lifestyle that includes a prenatal diet rich in folic acid, medical care before and during pregnancy, and knowing how to recognize and respond to the signs and symptoms of pre-term labor. More…
Food Safety Education Month
September 1, 2010
Proclamation
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors declared the month of September
Food Safety Education Month. The Board encourages the food service
industry, as well as residents, to participate in activities that promote
safe food handling and preparation.
National Food Safety Education Month was created in 1994 to heighten the
awareness about the importance of food safety education. This year's
theme is High-Risk Customers: Serve Your Fare with Extra Care. Throughout
the month, the health department and the food service industry will work
to reinforce proper food safety practices and procedures. More...
Direct Support
Professionals Appreciation Month
July 13, 2010
Proclamation
At the July 13 meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved a proclamation
declaring September 2010 as Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)
Appreciation Month. Members of the Fairfax Long Term Care Coordinating
Council, DSPs, and citizens of Fairfax County assembled in the Board
Auditorium for the special recognition. A reception at the Government
Center was held ahead of the proclamation ceremony to thank DSPs for
their daily, conscientious, hands-on care.
Bryn Pavek, owner of a home care agency called Home Instead, and a
member of the Workforce Committee of the Long Term Care Coordinating
Council, accepted the proclamation on behalf of those involved. When
addressing the Board, Bryn said, "Your action today celebrates Direct
Support Professionals and acknowledges their role in providing access and
independence to all people… Direct Support Professionals are truly the
gifted and talented among citizen employee groups. They are bringing
compassion, fostering inclusiveness, providing respite, radiating
empathy, and preserving dignity for care recipients."
To learn more please visit the Long Term Care
Coordinating Council's web page.
Mosquito Control Awareness
Week
June 6, 2010
Proclamation
During the June 8 Board of Supervisors Meeting, the Board proclaimed June 20-26 as Mosquito Control Awareness Week in Fairfax County. Dr. Jorge Arias, DCIP Supervisor, accepted the proclamation on behalf of the Health Department and thanked the Board for its support. During Mosquito Control Awareness Week, the DCIP emphasizes the importance of personal protection and prevention. Residents are encouraged to wear insect repellent containing DEET when spending time outdoors and to eliminate mosquito breeding sites from around their home. The Health Department Disease Carrying Insects Program (DCIP) also promotes environmentally sound mosquito control practices throughout the county and offers educational materials in many languages. In addition, DCIP recently produced a 30-second “Fight the Bite” video that is currently playing in area movie theatres. To learn more about how to protect yourself and your family visit the Health Department's website.
Nurses Week
May 6-12, 2010
Proclamation
At the April 27 meeting, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed May 6-12 as Nurses Week in Fairfax County. Accepting the proclamation on behalf of the more than 6,000 nurses working in Fairfax County was Jessica Rivas, Associate Chief Nursing Officer with the Hospital Corporation of America. The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks nursing among the top 10 occupations for projected job growth through 2012, as demand for registered nurses increases because of the aging work force and population. This year’s National Nurses Week theme, “Nurses: Caring Today for a Healthy Tomorrow,” highlights the diverse ways in which registered nurses, the largest health care profession, work to improve health care. Learn more about Nurses Week from the American Nurses Association Web site .
Lyme Disease Awareness
Month
April 27, 2010
Proclamation
The Board of Supervisors proclaimed May 2010 as Lyme Disease
Awareness Month in Fairfax County at the April 27 meeting. Lyme disease
is transmitted by the bite of an infected dear tick. Last year, more than
250 Fairfax residents were diagnosed with the disease. The best way to
protect yourself from Lyme Disease is to prevent tick bites. Avoid
tick-infested areas, such as overgrown grass and brush, apply insect
repellent containing DEET, and wear light-colored, long sleeved shirts
and pants. Always check yourself and loved ones for ticks after spending
time outdoors. Symptoms of Lyme
disease include a bull-eye’s rash within 30 days of a tick bite,
chills, fever, fatigue, and muscle/joint pain.
Donate Life Month
April 5,2010
At the April 5 meeting, The Board of Supervisors designated April as
Donate Life Month in Fairfax County. To date, there are more than 500
Fairfax residents currently on a waiting list to receive an organ
transplant. Nationally, 18 people die every day waiting for donated
tissue and organs. To fill this need, residents are encouraged to give
the gift of life, including Virginia’s online organ donor registry;
participating in a living donor program; or signing up at the Department
of Motor Vehicles.
Public Health Week April 5 - 11,
2010
March 23, 2010
Proclamation
The Board of Supervisors proclaimed April 5-11, 2010 Public Health Week
in Fairfax County. The Board recognized the contributions of public
health to the community, which includes routine responses to public
health emergencies, communicable disease outbreaks and environmental
hazards, while providing health services and maintaining a commitment to
educating the public. The theme of Public Health Week is "a healthier
community begins with you!" Health Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu
accepted the proclamation on behalf of the agency at the March 23
meeting, saying "strong, healthy communities are dependent on strong
local public health systems. And everyone in our community is a part of
that system and has a vital role to play." Learn more about the steps
everyone can take to make themselves and our community healthier on the
Health Department's website.
April 2010 - Immunizations
Month
March 23, 2010
Proclamation
At the March 23 meeting, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed the month
of April Childhood Immunization Month in Fairfax County. This is a time
to remind all parents that the childhood immunization series is essential
to protect youngsters against preventable diseases. Marlene Blum,
Chairman of the Healthcare Advisory Board, accepted the proclamation on
behalf of the Health Department and our community partners. The Board
issued a Certificates of Recognition to Kindercare at Sully Station for
the staff's dedication to promoting timely immunizations, and to
Children's Medical Associates of Northern Virginia, P.C. for its
commitment to immunizing children in the community with school required
vaccines and other vaccines recommended by the American Academy of
Pediatrics. Learn more about childhood immunizations on the Health Department's Web site.
March 24, 2010 -
Tuberculosis Awareness Day
March 23, 2010
Proclamation
The Board of Supervisors proclaimed March 24 Tuberculosis Awareness Day in Fairfax County, marking the 128th anniversary of the discovery of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and encouraging everyone to learn more about how to stop TB. The Virginia Department of Health reported 274 Virginia residents-86 of them in Fairfax County-developed TB disease in 2009. TB continues to impact millions of people around the world annually. TB is spread through the air from one person to another when someone who is sick with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, laughs, sings, or sneezes. The theme for World TB Day 2010 is "TB elimination: Together We Can!" Learn more about TB and what you can do by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.
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