Results tagged “publichealth”

Why won't Dr. Jonathan Fielding answer basic questions about H1N1? Reporters at USC's journalism project, Neon Tommy, have done a fantastic job investigating the epidemic disease. Fielding apparently declined to go on KCRW's Which Way, L.A.? Tuesday night to engage in a conversation with Neon's Callie Schweitzer (however, he did speak with host Warren Olney), who in turn published an open letter to Fielding.

In their annual warning to the public, the California Department of Public Health wanted to remind Californians "that collecting and eating wild mushrooms can cause serious illness and even death." Oddly enough, the message was sent today, the day before Halloween, but officials over the phone say there was no rhyme or reason to the warning's timing.

The swine flu-releated death of a 4-year-old boy in Santa Barbara over the weekend has some worried as large shipments of vaccine has yet to arrive to the coastal county. This comes as the CDC today announced statistics about the age populations most affected by H1N1. 53 percent of the hospitalizations are people 25 years and younger while 39 percent are people aged 25 to 64 and 7 percent are 65 plus. Today's catch phrase is that this is a "young persons disease."

The first round of clinics for free H1N1 vaccinations will open their doors next week Friday, LA County Public Health officials announced today. "This is so residents all over the county that don't have access to health insurance or providers can get vaccinated," said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, LA County's Health Officer, this morning in a telephone press conference.

The first batches of H1N1 flu vaccine are expected to arrive next week to clinics and doctor's offices, the LA County Department of Public Health announced today. By the end of the month, most doctors and healthcare providers will have some doses available. Those who fall within defined "priority groups" should contact their doctor about receiving the FluMist nasal spray of the H1N1 vaccine, officials said. Priority is given to young people (in good health) aged two to 24 years of age, healthcare and emergency service workers and people who live with or care for infants less than six months of age.

Public Health officials are warning the public that a one-mile stretch of Will Rogers State Beach in the Pacific Palisades area might be tainted by sewage from a nearby storm drain. Late Tuesday night, a citizen alerted authorities of a "foul smell" emanating from the storm drain, prompting LA County Public Health officials to take samples of ocean water in order to determine if sewage has been discharged. The precautionary measure--swim at your own risk!--will remain in effect until noon, Friday, pending test results. The beach currently has an A+ on Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card.

A number of fires may be burning in Ventura County and in the Inland Empire, but the Station and Morris Fires are still causing concern for health officials. No, it's not the spread of fire or smoke this time; rather, it's ash blown by the arriving Santa Ana winds.

Are you following doctor's orders this year? “This year both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu virus will be circulating throughout the United States,” said Dr. Gil Chavez, acting chief deputy director of the California Department of Public Health, in a statement today. “I encourage Californians to get a seasonal flu shot now and an H1N1 flu shot when it becomes available later this fall. The seasonal flu shot will not protect you from the H1N1 flu virus, also known as swine flu. It will, however, protect you from the seasonal flu strains that we expect this year.”

Only one region of Los Angeles County--communities directly on the San Gabriel Mountains--is still adversely affected by smoke from the Station Fire, officials announced today. That means residents previously plagued with daily warnings about air quality can breath in with a sign of relief. Yesterday, air quality in the San Gabriel Valley was so bad, that the LA County Department of Public Health the air was bad for everyone, not just sensitive individual (i.e., the elderly, children and those with certain health conditions). As usual, Los Angeles County Health Officer, Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, urges all individuals in those areas, or areas where there is visible smoke or the odor of smoke, to avoid unnecessary outdoor and indoor physical exertion, such as exercise. Smoking is a bad idea, too.

UPDATE: Chris Bowers at Open Left has a much more detailed breakdown of the Baucus plan. It's far, far worse than implied yesterday. And if you care about this sort of thing, it also looks like Max let an insurance industry shill write the whole thing, and made sure that those overtly part of the insurance sector read the bill before the White House.

The Station Fire may be 56 percent contained, but its smoke is still affecting air in the San Gabriel Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains. "Air quality may reach Unhealthy levels, or higher, due to high concentrations of fine particulates in smoke-impacted areas," the South Coast Air Quality Management District announced this afternoon. "All individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke. This includes areas where residents can see or smell smoke."

Whether you're planning a quick getaway or staying close to home this long weekend, you may be wondering, as you gaze out into the gray, hazy abyss from the wildfires, "just how safe is it to breathe?"

conditions improve." Although the above geographical locations are specific, Fielding says wind can shift the level of dust particles in the air, so everyone should always be aware of their environment.

With wildfires raging across the Southland right now, the Los Angeles County Health Officer is hoping to take a moment to remind people that it's important to have an emergency kit packed and ready to go. They've sent out a press release today detailing the suggested essentials you'll want to include so that if you are called up on to evacuate, like many residents in parts of northern Glendale and the Crescenta-Cañada Valley into Altadena are having to do due to the Station Fire.

As four major fires burn in the greater Los Angeles region, officials from the LA County Health Department, who raised this week's heat advisory to a heat alert, want to make sure people stay safe. "We have two problems in Los Angeles County; each makes the other worse," Dr. Jonathan Fielding, county health officer, said in opening statements at a press conference this morning. "Summer has finally come." He said the heat exacerbates the fires which in turn worsens air quality.

With parts of the Valley at 83 degrees at noon, it was a welcome surprise after yesterday's blistering temps and with LA County public health officials extending a week long heat alert through today. Of course, the Antelope Valley has already hit triple digits with the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys to follow, but the National Weather Service is no longer predicting that nor are they reporting high temperatures at the height of the day. Temperatures for both valleys are in the 80s. However, an air quality adivosry has been sent out for the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys stating the air is unhealthy for sensitive--old, young, sick prone--individuals.

Seeing a rise in influenza cases and outbreaks in Los Angeles County, the Department of Public Health is asking residents to heed caution. “During this summer, the recommendations for avoiding illness are the same as during the fall or winter months: wash your hands, cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, and stay home if you are sick,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, Director of Public Health and Health Officer, in a statement.

The Valleys will once again get the short end of the stick. The agency responsible for monitoring air quality in the Los Angeles region announced that tomorrow’s air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive individuals such as those who have heart disease, asthma or other respiratory disease. People with such conditions living or working in the Santa Clarita Valley, Pomona Valley, East San Gabriel Valley and West San Fernando Valley should minimize outdoor activities, says the South Coast Air Quality Management District and echoed by the LA County Department of Public Health, which also warned of today's and tomorrow's high heat.

Sex in jail is illegal, but if it's going to happen, it had better be safe. At least that's the wisdom behind the eight-year-old program that "makes condoms available once a week to 300 inmates within the segregated unit" at the Men's Central Jail in Downtown Los Angeles, explains the Daily News.

An asymptomatic blood donor in the Antelope Valley has tested positive for the West Nile Virus, marking the first case for the year, according to LA County health officials. As of June 19th in Los Angeles County, Public Health and the mosquito abatement districts have detected WNV in five dead birds, two mosquito pools, and three sentinel chickens. In past seasons, most of the infected birds and positive mosquitoes have been found in the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, and East Los Angeles County areas.

A middle-aged woman with health problems died late May after contracting swine flu, otherwise known as Influenza A (H1N1), the LA County Department of Health is reporting this morning. “Every death is regrettable, but given the number of H1N1 cases in Los Angeles, identifying the new H1N1 strain in someone who passed away with severe respiratory disease is not unexpected. This flu strain continues to follow a pattern similar to regular seasonal flu,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer in an e-mail.

The California Department of Public Health announced today that thirteen hospitals have been fined $25,000 per violation "after a determination that the facilities’ noncompliance with licensing requirements has caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients." Of the thirteen statewide, nine of those are within the Los Angeles region, ten if you count San Diego in the mix. Is one of them yours? Check below for the list of SoCal hospitals and what they did. These fines stem from incidents in 2007 and 2008:

LA has a diverse cast of characters. Whether it's the characters with stirring stories or interesting occupations or the people who are just simply characters, this town has them all. In an effort to get to know some of those characters a little better, we've created "Seven Questions with..." If you have a suggestion for a future Seven Questions subject send us an email.

The state reports 69 cases of swine flu, including six from LA County, but it appears they are not importing data from Long Beach, which runs its own citywide health department. The oceanside city reports five cases, totaling 74 cases for California by LAist's count.

As predicted by health officials last week, Swine Flu would undoubtedly hit Los Angeles County. That news came Saturday night shortly before the 11 p.m. news hour--it was a total of three then--and today the number was upped to 11 across the county. Five of those cases are in Long Beach.

The salmonella peanut butter recall is still in effect and one of Los Angeles' favorite grocery stores had to pull back a few products, too. Trader Joe's late last week announced that they were taking caution and de-shelving their Peanut Butter Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars, Nutty Chocolate Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars and Sutter’s Formula Cookies "because the products contain peanut butter that was manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which is the focus of an ongoing Salmonella investigation," they said in a press release.

When it rains in the Los Angeles area, the yucky stuff (you know, bacteria, debris, trash, and other public health hazards) from city streets and mountain areas enter the ocean via storm drains, creeks and rivers. That means, swimming near them for the next few days can be hazardous for your health.

       

More than 30,000 walkers and volunteers hit the streets yesterday morning to raise more than $3.1 million for AIDS Project Los Angeles, who said the numbers "set attendance records and defied fundraising expectations in the midst of a troubled economy." Since 1985, the organization has raised more than $63 million for HIV programs and services throughout the county. Here's a little of what was seen yesterday, including some odd GOP protesting by Melrose Larry Green:

And this is why smoke related air quality and public health advisories are being issued everyday as the fires continue.

Smoke from the Sesnon and Marek fires continue to affect the San Fernando, Simi and Santa Clarita Valleys, including the immediate areas around fire scorched San Gabriel Mountains. However, the South Coast Air Quality Management District adds a new warning today with the changing winds: "As the winds diminish and shift, additional areas may experience smoke and ash, causing air quality to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or higher." Basically, continue to keep those windows shut and avoid vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion, they say. LA County's Dept. of Public Health recommends that "all individuals wanting to pursue any outdoor activities in areas where smoke, soot, or ash can be seen or there is an odor of smoke" should be avoided.