Everyone, from your neighbor to the minivan-driving parent beside you in the school pick-up line, has an opinion about the flu shot. And more importantly, they’re not afraid to share it with you. The best protection against the flu virus is to get vaccinated in the fall. There is still a lot of misinformation about the flu and the flu shot out there.
Author: Rebecca Carter
by Hannah Stutts, Grant Coordinator, Mecklenburg County Public Health
I don’t know about you, but when I’m driving around Charlotte (or stuck in traffic) I soak up everything about our beautiful city. New construction is everywhere, colorful lights paint the skies of uptown, trees and flowers decorate the sidewalks and buses with vibrant ads fill the streets – that’s right, I think the buses are beautiful, too. Especially the 30 buses that are rolling around with this PrEP ad on them.
Comments Off on Stay Sexy, Stay Healthy: What You Need to Know About HIV and PrEP
It’s FINALLY spring, we’re FINALLY getting some warmer temperatures, and the rain is FINALLY washing the pollen away so that when I come home from work I can enjoy the “sit on your back porch with your shoes off and a cold beverage in your hand while your dinner cooks on the grill and you watch your kids play on the swing set and your dog roll in the grass with the flowers blooming all around you” weather. FINALLY!
You know what can ruin those perfect, dreamy springtime evenings on the back porch faster than anything else, though? Mosquitoes. Yep, just like the showers bring the flowers, all that rain combined with the warmer weather also brings mosquitoes.
Comments Off on April Showers Bring May Flowers…and Mosquitoes!
You can’t turn on the news or look at social media lately without seeing something about the opioid epidemic – deaths are on the rise nationwide, and Mecklenburg County isn’t immune. Over the last ten years, opioid-related deaths in the County have increased by 134 percent – from 26 in 2005 to 61 in 2015.
Comments Off on 5 Ways You Can Join the Fight Against the Opioid Crisis
Most of Black History Month is devoted to recognizing historical figures, but you can’t forget about the historic sites in a County that is famous for remaking itself in the name of progress. This is particularly true now, when historically black neighborhoods are seeing aggressive gentrification and redevelopment.
Comments Off on Three Significant County Landmarks for Black History Month
When most people think of local government, Pawnee, Indiana is the first image that comes to mind (seriously, who doesn’t love a good episode of Parks and Recreation). You may be surprised to learn that local government work involves a lot less hijinks. During my four and a half years working for Mecklenburg County, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with scores of talented people on issues that really matter to me and my neighbors.
Sure, in college I thought my career would take me across the country for a glamorous public relations job. But, I’m proud of the work I’ve done in my role as a public information officer. Here are just a few reasons why I chose a career with Mecklenburg County.
Comments Off on Why I Work for the County (and Why You Might Want To, Too)
In case you haven’t heard, we’re in the middle of flu season (it runs October – May each year). According to the State Health Department, the flu is widespread in our state and probably hasn’t peaked yet for the season.
Continue Reading
Comments Off on Remember What Your Mother Taught You
by Kim Bayha, Health Policy Coordinator for Tobacco Control, Mecklenburg County Public Health
It’s no secret that tobacco dependence is a wicked addiction. When used as directed, tobacco kills half of its loyal users. Yet, 90 percent of those people start using before they’re 18. The human brain isn’t even fully-formed and able to give informed consent at that age!
There has been incredible progress in the fight against tobacco. Smoking rates have declined from nearly half the population in 1965 to about 17 percent today. But, tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable death and disease in our community. The Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society every November, provides an opportunity to talk about some of the strategies that are most successful for reducing tobacco use and developing a quit plan.
Comments Off on Gift Yourself a Tobacco-Free Life