Prevent. Test. Treat. – Clap Back at STI’s

As nurses at the Clinton County Health Department (CCHD), one of our roles is to work with local providers to identify, treat, and prevent diseases that are spread from person to person – aka communicable diseases. This includes certain STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, and Herpes (in certain populations). CCHD is sent positive test results for all Clinton County residents. We then work closely with the testing provider to ensure the following:

1.           The patient has received adequate treatment. 
2.       The patient has been offered expedited partner therapy (EPT). 
3.       The patient has received education and counseling to prevent spreading the infection.

Cases of Chlamydia in Clinton County have almost doubled in the first quarter of 2022 (when compared to the first quarter of 2021) and Gonorrhea cases more than tripled from 2020 to 2021. Many STI’s are curable, most are treatable, and all are preventable. Take control of your sexual health by preventing STI’s, getting tested regularly, and getting treated immediately if you develop an STI.

 Prevent

Knowing how to prevent the spread of STI’s will help you take control of your sexual health. Have open conversations with your sexual partner(s) to ensure you are on the same page.

STI prevention options include:

• Using condoms or other latex barriers
• Getting vaccinated (vaccines can prevent many diseases, including some that are sexually transmitted, like HPV and hepatitis)
• Not having sexual contact (aka abstinence)
• Reducing your number of sexual partners
• Mutual monogamy

Test

Knowing your STI status is an important step in stopping the spread. If you have ever been sexually active, getting tested is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health and the health of others. You should also get tested with every new partner and have an honest and open talk with them about their sexual history. Many STI’s often have no symptoms, or if symptoms occur they may not appear until several weeks, months, or years after sexual contact. Getting tested may be the only way to be sure you have one.

Where can I get tested locally?

• Planned Parenthood of the North Country
• WellNow Urgent Care and other walk-in clinics
• SUNY Plattsburgh Student Health & Counseling Center
• The Veterans Association (VA)
• CVPH Emergency Room
• Your Primary Care Provider

Treat

If you test positive for an STI, you and all of your partners need to start treatment immediately. During treatment you need to refrain from sex for 7 days. It is also important to get tested again in 3 months since unsuccessful treatment the first time is fairly common. Without treatment, these infections can lead to major health problems such as; being unable to get pregnant (infertility), unable to stay pregnant, permanent brain damage, heart disease, and many types of cancer.

A great way to get speedy treatment to your partner(s) is by using EPT (Expedited Partner Therapy). This treatment allows your healthcare provider to treat your partner without ever seeing them. You can deliver the medicine or hand-written prescription directly to your partner. This can be done for most cases of chlamydia, trichomoniasis (“trich”) and gonorrhea. Ask your provider if you can give a medication or prescription to your partner(s) through EPT.

However you choose to be sexually active, do so safely and responsibly.

Communicable Disease Nursing Staff
Division of Health Care Services

Myth Busters Flu Edition: Give Us Your Best Shot!

We have all heard the opinion of others when it comes to the flu, but how do we know what information is real and what isn’t? With flu season in full swing, and all of the misconceptions circulating this time of year, we have compiled a list of the top flu myths to help keep you and your family healthy this flu season.

Myth 1: The flu vaccine can give you the flu.

The truth is, it is scientifically impossible to get the flu from a vaccine. The flu shot is either made from an inactivated (dead) virus that cannot cause the flu, or with no flu vaccine viruses at all (which is the case for recombinant influenza vaccine). The nasal spray, which is available this flu season, does contain live viruses, but the viruses have been weakened, and cannot give you the flu. So the next time someone tells you this, tell them it can’t happen, because- science says so! Read more here on why this myth persists.

Myth 2:  You’re healthy, so you don’t need the flu vaccine.

We wish this one was true, but in reality anyone can get the flu. It is correct that certain people are at higher risk for developing serious complications from the flu, but everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated.   

Myth 3: It’s better to get the flu than the flu vaccine.

Tell this to someone who has had the flu before. The flu not only can cause body aches, fever, cough, and chills, but it can cause serious symptoms, hospitalization, or death, even among healthy children and adults.  So, don’t risk it; get the flu shot!

Myth 4: You don’t need a flu vaccine every year.

The flu virus typically changes each year, and even when it hasn’t, our immunity decreases as time goes on. Getting vaccinated every year is our best shot (pun intended) at getting the protection we need against the flu.

Myth 5: Pregnant women shouldn't get the flu vaccine.

Actually, flu vaccines given during pregnancy help protect both the mom and her baby from flu. A recent 2018 study showed that getting a flu shot reduced a pregnant woman’s risk of being hospitalized with flu by an average of 40 percent.

Myth 6: It’s too late in the season to get vaccinated.

Although the CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, getting vaccinated later is still beneficial. Flu is unpredictable and seasons can vary. Seasonal flu usually peaks between December and February, but it can occur as late as May. So if you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, don’t worry, it’s not too late!

Myth 7: Getting the flu vaccination is all you need to do to protect yourself from the flu.

Don’t be silly. We can all help stop the spread of germs. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water; try to avoid close contact with sick people (people with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away); and try not to touch your eyes, mouth, and nose.

Myth 8: You can't spread the flu if you're feeling well.

Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop. That means you can pass the flu onto someone else before you even know you are sick. Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms, during this time, they can still pass the virus on to others.  

Myth 9: If you have a high fever with the flu that lasts more than a day or two, antibiotics may be necessary.

Antibiotics only work against bacteria; they are not effective against a viral infection like the flu. Click here to learn about what to do if you get sick with the flu.

Myth 10: The flu is just a bad cold.

The flu may cause bad cold symptoms, like sore throat, runny, nose and cough, but the CDC estimates show that more than 900,000 people were hospitalized and more than 79,000 people died from flu in the 2017-2018 flu season. These are record-breaking numbers, and stress the seriousness of the flu.

You are now a flu whiz. Spread your knowledge, not your germs😀

Lindsay Dareff
Registered Professional Nurse

Health Planning and Promotion Division

National Infant Immunization Week

During National Infant Immunization Week the United States can be proud of a very successful infant vaccination protection rate.  “The National Immunization Survey has consistently shown that childhood immunization rates for vaccines routinely recommended for children remain at or near record levels.” Unfortunately, this vaccination victory weakens with age. As adults, we have the lowest vaccination rates. So how can we protect our children and ourselves? 

 Talk with your healthcare provider. After receiving a vaccination, many factors can change the actual protection a person ends up with. This is why we need to vaccinate more people to reduce the rate of illness.  Vaccination at every age is a simple and smart way to reduce contact with vaccine preventable illnesses.

 

 Follow the recommended vaccine schedule. An infant who receives the recommended vaccines will be protected from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases by age two!  

 
Travel with peace of mind. Did you know that not every country vaccinates for every illness that they could? Click here to see if your family needs extra protection for your next vacation.

 

Be a role model. As adults, it is just as important to make sure our vaccines are up-to-date as it is for our children. The health and well being of future generations depends on us staying healthy and not passing illnesses to children.

 
Protect! Give your infant the highest level of protection by continuing to follow the recommended vaccination schedule.  Encourage family and friends to get their vaccinations too.  Hopefully, we can all appreciate and expand our vaccine protection throughout our lifetime with these proactive steps.  

Good Health! Vaccinate!

Karen Plotas-McGrath, RN, BSN

Public Health Nurse

Immunizations – How to Keep it Together

 

The end of summer is here and many parents are shuffling around in a panic trying to figure out if their children are up to date with required school vaccines. But don’t worry, there’s a great tool in New York State which stores your family vaccinations in one place, it’s called the New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS).

Ask your health care providers if they are part of NYSIIS.  If they are not, and you want all of your family’s immunization records loaded into one electronic registry with NYS, contact the Clinton County Health Department at 518 565-4848. We’d be happy to help you!

NYSIIS makes it easy for you and your doctor to:

ü  Make sure you and your family are up to date with the recommended vaccines,

ü  Review at each medical appointment, no matter the location – primary care provider, emergency room, specialist, or vaccine clinic, and

ü  Replace lost vaccine records.

To learn more about the vaccines you might be missing and for more tips on how to keep it together, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/vaccines-age.html    

Good Health to you!