(Santa Ana, CA) – As 100+ Orange County schools celebrate International Walk To School Day on October 5, 2022, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) encourages all drivers to be alert and vigilant about driving safely in school zones and asks residents to take the Go Human Safety Pledge to help keep our students safe.
Walk To School Day events raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, and concern for the environment. The events build connections between families, schools, and the community.
Many of our local schools will be organizing Walk to School festivities which include carrying safety signs and encouraging messages, local law enforcement and firefighters walking alongside kids, and guest speakers attending special school safety rallies. It is an energizing event, reminding everyone of the simple joy of walking to school, the health benefits of regular daily activity, and the need for safe places to walk and bike.
“The HCA has taken the Safety Pledge as a public agency and is proud to support this initiative,” said Dr. Clayton Chau, Agency Director. “With so many schools back to in-person learning, it’s more important than ever to be vigilant about driving cautiously. Our hope is to have our cars and children safely co-exist on the streets in our communities.”
The HCA’s Public Health Services Injury Prevention team has supported the Walk To School program with education toolkits and materials, growing participation to more than 100 schools over the past 20 years. With the addition of this year’s Go Human Safety Pledge, local drivers are encouraged to contribute to the success of the annual Walk To School by taking the pledge to support local schools and our community.
(Santa Ana, CA) – A bat found at a parking lot located at Pickleball Court #1 at the Fountain Valley Tennis Center, 16400 Brookhurst Street in the City of Fountain Valley, on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at around 10:30 a.m., has tested positive for rabies. Given the location and circumstance, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is urging residents to be on the alert and avoid contact with any bats. Rabid bats are identified routinely each year in Orange County and around the country. Contact with bats should be avoided and any potential bat bite should be discussed with a medical provider.
Anyone who may have had physical contact with this bat or saw someone else having contact with the bat is asked to call the HCA Health Care Agency (HCA) Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180 to determine the risk for rabies. Owners of pets who may have had contact with this bat should contact their veterinarian.
The rabies virus is found in an animal’s saliva and is transmitted to people by a bite from a rabid animal. Although very rare, contamination of the eyes, mouth or an open wound by the saliva of a rabid animal can also transmit rabies. Most cases of human rabies in the United States in recent years have resulted from bat strains of rabies; bats have very small teeth, and their bites may go unnoticed.
Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal. For that reason, preventive treatment to stop the rabies virus from causing illness is given to anyone who may have been exposed to rabies. Medical assistance should be obtained promptly after an exposure so any wound can be cleaned and preventive treatment can be started. This treatment is safe and effective.
The HCA and OC Animal Care recommend the following actions to minimize the risk of rabies:
Avoid all contact with wild animals.
Vaccinate all cats and dogs against rabies.
Do not sleep with open unscreened windows or doors.
If bats are seen inside the house or other structure, close off the area and contact animal control. Once the bat(s) have been removed, close off any areas allowing entrance into the house.
Do not leave pet food outside where it will attract wild animals.
Immediately wash all animal bites with soap and water, being sure to flush the wound well, then contact your doctor.
Report all animal bites to OC Animal Care.
Report stray animals to OC Animal Care.
Potential exposure to a bat or other wild animal should be reported to the HCA Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180. To report a bat in your home, an animal bite, or a stray animal, contact OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848.
More information about rabies is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/rabies.
(Santa Ana, CA) – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced in a 9/13/22 update to several State Public Health Officer Orders, that mandated testing of the small number of unvaccinated workers will no longer be required.
The rescinded Health Officer Orders remove the weekly screening testing requirements for employees in certain high-risk settings (dental offices, schools, certain congregate settings and health care and adult care facilities) that previously applied to unvaccinated or un-boosted workers. Additionally, Acute Care Hospitals, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Intermediate Care Facilities and Adult and Senior Care Residential Facilities licensed by the California Department of Social Services will no longer require visitors to show proof of vaccination or a negative test for indoor visitation.
Vaccination and booster requirements for workers in these settings will not change and these changes do not affect the masking requirements for individuals in high-risk settings.
The updated State Health Officer Orders will go into effect on September 17, 2022. The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) will publish amended Health Officer Orders to reflect these changes September 16, 2022.
Due to Orange County’s recent declines in COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has moved the county into the Low Community Level. See CDC Tracker. Downward trends and reduction in severe illnesses are particularly welcome news for local health care systems, which continue to be strained by the pandemic.
At this level, the CDC recommends residents continue to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination and updated bivalent booster recommendations when eligible and follow isolation recommendations if an individual becomes sick or is suspected to have COVID-19.
Although Orange County has low community levels, residents are advised to remain vigilant as many viruses – including influenza, rhinovirus, enterovirus and COVID-19 variant strains are circulating through the community and causing illness and with flu season fast approaching. All preventive measures learned during the COVID-19 pandemic such as receiving recommended vaccines (COVID-19, flu, and other childhood vaccinations), staying home when sick, practicing good hand hygiene, wearing a mask when indoors for high-risk individuals can all be utilized to keep residents safe in the upcoming months.
Testing for COVID-19 remains a key tool to detect and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Individuals experiencing symptoms are advised to test and isolate. Additionally, if outbreaks do occur, testing can still be utilized to detect and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
(Santa Ana, CA) – September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and to raise awareness of this important issue, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) will be lighting up the exterior of the County of Orange Administrative Offices as well as other iconic locations throughout Orange County in teal and purple during the week of September 19.
John Wayne Airport, the Mission in San Juan Capistrano, the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), Knott’s Berry Farm, Huntington Beach’s Pier and the Nixon Library are just a few of the locations that will be lit up in teal and purple to symbolize suicide prevention awareness. The campaign of colorful lights is to spark meaningful conversations and to save lives by raising awareness that suicide is preventable.
“Building resilience is important for all ages, but students in particular can be vulnerable,” said Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Supervisor. “Suicide is a leading cause of death among young adults, many of whom feel ill-equipped to navigate the mental health system. Simply dialing ‘9-8-8’ on your phone can immediately connect you with someone who can help. Through this campaign, we want to inspire hope in the community and this campaign serves as a reminder that we need to openly talk about suicide.”
“As we Light Up Hope throughout Orange County, we must not forget our veterans,” said Vice-Chairman Donald Wagner, Third District Supervisor. “Suicide rates among veterans is twice as high than non-veterans and veterans ages 18-34 continue to die by suicide at 1.65 times higher rate than other veteran age groups, overall. Help is out there for our frontline heroes. If you are a veteran or a concerned family member of a veteran, please dial 9-8-8 and press “1” to be immediately connected to a live person qualified to support veterans.”
“Every day, there are family and friends, co-workers and classmates, who suffer in silence,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, First District. “For many, it’s too difficult to talk about – let alone ask for help. Depression, feeling down, suicidal thoughts – they can affect everyone. It doesn’t matter what language you speak, how old you are, the job you have, or how much money you earn. It’s important to know that you’re not alone. There are people who can help and can be trusted to keep your conversations confidential. If you are someone who has experienced times of struggle or have recently had feelings of hopelessness, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or sending a text to 9-8-8 to connect with someone who can help. That number works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is available in multiple languages.”
“The tragic reality is that we must prioritize removing the barriers of stigma our LGBTQ+ youth and our veterans’ community in Orange County face when they seek support,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley, Second District. “When we see disproportionate rates of LGBTQ+ youth and veterans dying from suicide in proportion to the general population, it’s clear we must do more as a society to fix this. As Supervisor, I am spearheading efforts to ensure LGBTQ+ youth know they are accepted and supported and to identify socially isolated veterans within our community, so no one gets left behind. I am committed to encouraging, protecting and empowering our most vulnerable populations so they can access life-saving services our county has to offer in a timely manner.”
“Suicide impacts the senior community particularly hard,” said Supervisor Lisa A. Bartlett, Fifth District. “Older adults comprise just 12% of the population but make up 18% of all suicides. Loneliness is one of the top reasons why older adults attempt suicide which reinforces how critical social connections are to good mental health. Keep in touch with your older loved ones – even if it is via Zoom. Ask them how they are feeling and if you get signs that they are depressed or anxious, or notice they start to give away possessions and put their affairs in order, express your concern, reassure them and – most importantly – get help. Remember, suicide is preventable and by recognizing the signs and acting on them, you might be able to save someone’s life.”
“To spread the message of hope, the Office of Suicide Prevention of the HCA’s Mental Health and Recovery Services Division (MHRS), is coordinating many partner and provider events including a social media campaign with the Los Angeles Angels to raise local and global awareness of suicide prevention and stigma reduction,” said Dr. Veronica Kelley, Chief of MHRS. “A calendar of the suicide prevention events, and workshops has been posted on our website at www.LightUpHopeOC.com. I want to emphasize that suicide is preventable and there is hope for those who are struggling. Please reach out and use the tools to help a loved one you may be concerned about.”
Some of the signs that a loved one is considering suicide might be:
Talking about wanting to die or being a burden to others
Find the words:
Listen, express concern, reassure
If it is safe, remove weapons from the home
Reach Out:
In addition to calling the 9-8-8 lifeline, additional resources are available by visiting www.OCNavigator.org or by calling (855) OC-LINKS.
Visit LightUpHOpeOC.com for a list of lighted landmarks and locations and to learn how you can support the message. To learn more about helping someone who is struggling, visit www.suicideispreventable.org.
If you or someone you know is in need of support with an emotional crisis or thinking about suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 at 9-8-8.
(Santa Ana, CA) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Advisory to local health departments on September 9 regarding reports of increases in pediatric hospitalizations of patients with severe respiratory illness who also tested positive for rhinovirus (RV) and/or enterovirus (EV). RVs and EVs are typically associated with acute respiratory illness (ARI), including asthma, but can also cause a rare but serious neurologic complication involving limb weakness.
The CDC Health Alert notifies health providers to consider RV and/or EV as a possible cause of acute, severe respiratory illness (with or without) fever and recommends laboratory testing of respiratory specimens for patients who present with ARI.
“Orange County is seeing a lot of respiratory illnesses affecting our community right now, both in children and adults across the county resulting in hospitalizations,” said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, County Health Officer. “In addition to these respiratory viruses we are also seeing patients sick with Influenza and COVID-19. Please keep yourself, your family and our community safe by following recommended preventive measures.”
What people should do:
Get your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccines to prevent complications from these viral illnesses.
Mask around others and large groups.
Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after eating and using the bathroom.
Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick, and when you are sick.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands.
Do not go to school or work when you are symptomatic.
Residents are encouraged to contact a healthcare provider immediately if you or your child has trouble breathing or has a sudden onset of limb weakness. Additionally, ensure you or your child are following an up-to-date asthma action plan if you or your child have asthma.
As of Friday, September 9, 191 confirmed or probable MPX cases have been identified among Orange County residents. Over the last several weeks there has been a leveling off in the number of cases reported per week. The epidemiology and demographics of cases have not changed substantially. Weekly data updates on MPX in the County is available on the OCHCA Monkeypox Homepage. More info...
(Santa Ana, CA) – The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has begun offering bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccines this week. This follows Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for these vaccines’ use and updated booster recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice as well as the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup.
According to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, “The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant. They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants.”
The bivalent vaccines are recommended for age-appropriate individuals as a single booster dose administered at least 2 months after either completion of a primary vaccination series or receipt of the most recent booster dose.
The Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent vaccine is authorized for use in people 12 years and older, while the Moderna Bivalent vaccine is authorized for use in people 18 years and older. A bivalent COVID-19 booster dose can be co-administered with other vaccines, including influenza vaccines.
“Studies continue to show that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine prevents infection, hospitalization and death,” says Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, County Health Officer. “As we approach the winter season, getting a booster dose will protect against serious illness caused by COVID-19. I strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to receive it.”
Eligible residents and visitors are advised to visit www.myturn.ca.gov or www.vaccines.gov to find a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine near you. HCA clinics also continue to provide COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk communities; appointments are available at www.othena.com.
To read more about bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, visit the FDA’s webpage FDA Bivalent or the California Department of Public Health COVID statement.
For more information, contact your primary care provider, visit the HCA’s COVID-19 website at www.ochealthinfo.com/covid19 or call OC Health Referral Line 1-800-564-8448.
