Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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During the past two weeks, Jefferson County has experienced its greatest increase in COVID-19 cases since December of 2020. There has been widespread transmission throughout all areas of our county. Due to the high number of cases, Jefferson County Health Department may not be able to contact every confirmed case or close contact in a timely manner. Actions you can take to help: If you have a pending lab or have been notified of a positive test result, please isolate from others for at least 10...
Public health departments in Montana have been assessing how to balance CDC’s guidance related to vaccinated individuals with Montana’s recent legislation prohibiting discrimination based on vaccination status. This summer the CDC updated quarantine guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals stating those who are fully vaccinated need not quarantine if they remain symptom free. Instead, they should monitor symptoms and wear a mask when in public for 14 days or until receiving a negative tes...
During the early summer months, I was cautiously optimistic that our county was moving toward a healthy trend related to COVID-19 illness. Case counts and hospitalizations were down. Vaccination rates have consistently increased. Public health staff focused time and energy on other public health needs. Workloads stabilized. Recently, increasing case counts have sparked new concern for our department. During the past month, Jefferson County has experienced its greatest increase in cases since...
One of the things I love most about Montana is its big, blue skies and fresh air. I have been looking forward to being outside and enjoying some summertime activities. Unfortunately, Montana is experiencing a very hot, dry summer. With the heat and drought have come wildfires. As they increase here and in surrounding states, we are experiencing an increase in wildfire smoke. As our skies turn from blue to gray, it is important to understand the risks associated with wildfire season and plan for...
This year has been one like no other. It has been exhausting. There have been long work hours filled with stressful experiences. It has been difficult to maintain healthy habits. Getting enough rest has been especially challenging. Last week I took some much-needed time away from work. I had planned to stay home, go nowhere, see no one and knock out some long overdue projects. This is how the introverted side of me rejuvenates. Plans change and mine did. My mother wanted to visit her sister in...
This week we pay tribute to the fathers, grandfathers and men who step up and make a difference in our lives. June is also observed as Men’s Health Month. So how healthy is that important man in your life? When was the last time he had a physical or participated in preventive screenings? Statistics indicate men are 24% less likely than women to have an annual physical. I have heard it said that men are more likely to take their car in for a tune-up than themselves. There are many reasons men a...
The past few weeks have allowed me some time for reflection on the past year. Here is no doubt this has been a difficult year. Our lives and routines have been disrupted. We have been pushed outside our comfort zones and have faced the fragility of life. As a society I am hearing more and more that we want to “go back to normal.” I have been thinking about what that normal is going to look like. I often joke that at our house “normal” is a dryer cycle. Maya Angelou has said, “If you’re always tr...
Children have played an important role in my personal and professional life. Children bring joy and energy to life. As a child, I wanted to grow up to be a mother or a nurse. I have had the fortune of becoming both. As an adult, I recognize the best blessing was becoming a grandmother. Much of my adult life has been spent promoting children’s health. The basics for keeping children physically healthy include safety, nutritious food, exercise and immunizations. Caring for our children’s men...
Health is a lifelong journey. For each of us that journey is unique. Every one of us has our own approach to health and wellness. This week, National Women’s Health Week, serves as a reminder for women and girls to take steps toward caring for themselves and making health a priority. It is not easy to take steps toward better health. Women are often caring for people besides themselves. Life is busy. We are making history as we navigate a pandemic. What steps can we take toward better health? A...
Promoting health and wellness are the pieces of my job that are closest to my heart. Creating opportunities for people to have an awareness of and make choices that improves their overall quality of life brings great satisfaction. I view wellness as a spectrum. For each of us, throughout our lives, we can move on that spectrum. There are times when we are more, or less, physically, emotionally or mentally well. Well-being integrates both physical and mental health in preventing disease and promo...
Vaccination is very much on my mind. Jefferson County Health has been actively administering COVID-19 vaccinations for the past three and a half months. We have participated in training to store, handle and administer the vaccines. Scheduled appointments, provided education, set up clinics and administered doses. However, this is not the only vaccination effort I have been thinking about. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused barriers for some individuals in receiving preventative health care....
Without volunteers to rely on, it is hard for me to imagine how Jefferson County Health Department would have fulfilled its many responsibilities this year. We have been assisted by mask makers, contact tracers, telephone answers and paper filers. Volunteers have worked from home, come to our office and responded to our vaccination clinics. They have entered data, directed traffic and administered vaccinations. Their service to us and our residents has made a positive impact on our community....
In late 2020, the first COVID-19 vaccines were approved for use in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 23, 2020, Jefferson County Health Department received its first allotment on Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. We were overjoyed! There was cheering and singing and a few tears of relief. Those hundred doses of vaccine felt like hope. They felt like hope because up until then our only defense against a virus that had changed the course of our daily lives were non-pharmaceutical interventions...
During the past year, a virus that has changed all our daily lives, amplified the visibility of public health. In the public health field, individuals work to promote healthy living, prevent disease and injury, and determine ways to bring the greatest health benefits to the most people. Public health is the art and science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. The work of public health is important in all our lives however, often this work is done...
As you know, on February 12, 2021, the statewide mask mandate expired. Masks have been proven to reduce the incidence of disease, protect others and ourselves from COVID-19. "Correct and consistent mask use is a critical step everyone can take to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19. Masks work best when everyone wears them" CDC. Masking is an important non-pharmaceutical intervention we need to adhere to as we work to distribute vaccine. Jefferson County has just begun its vaccination...
• Jefferson County is now vaccinating in Phase 1B-Tier 2: Persons 70 years and older • Beginning this week, Jefferson County Health Department will administer COVID-19 vaccinations in Montana City at Montana City Fire Station 1 • Whitehall Medical Clinic is offering Covid-19 vaccinations for patients receiving primary care services at Whitehall Medical Clinic • On February 27, 2021, Jefferson County Public Health will hold a vaccine event at Jefferson County Fairgrounds Please note: • All vacci...
Jefferson County Health Department is grateful for the interest our residents have shown in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently vaccine supply is very limited. Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services receives a weekly allocation which is then distributed to the local jurisdictions. MT DPHHS developed a population-based formula for each county in order to distribute vaccine equitably. According to the state’s data, Jefferson County has 12,221 residents. Of those residents, 4...
