Get the school year off to a safe, healthy start

Remember that Pink Eye is usually mild and easy to treat.

Make sure your child is up-to-date on vaccinations, including pertussis.

Check out our fact sheet on head lice.

Keep school lunches safe.

Although the H1N1 flu pandemic is over, continue to remind children to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve and wash hands frequently.

Pertussis Advisory for Parents and Clinicians

Pertussis is still an important concern in Maine and throughout the U.S. To date in 2010, Maine has seen 32 confirmed cases of pertussis with 11 of those reported in the past month. The majority of people identified are younger than 13 years of age. Half are not up to date on their vaccines or their vaccine status is not known. This advisory provides information on pertussis for the public and clinicians as well as a reminder about required vaccines for school attendance.


Pertussis Info for the Public:

The cyclical nature of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, historically causes it to peak every few years, especially when there are high rates of non or under immunization. This year appears to be one of those peak years, given the increase in new cases in many parts of the U.S. As of two weeks ago, almost 10,000 new cases of pertussis were reported nationally. This figure is close to surpassing the total number of cases reported in all of 2009. One in eight of the reported cases this year are from California, which has seen the highest number of cases in 52 years. Tragically, 8 young infants have died in California from pertussis. All were too young to be vaccinated except for one who had just received one dose. The vaccine protects not only those who are receiving it but also young infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated and are more vulnerable to the devastating effects of the disease.

Children need 5 doses of DTaP by kindergarten (ages 4 -6) and a TDaP booster by age 11. All teens and adults are recommended to receive TDaP boosters.

FMI for Consumers:

* Video stories of those affected by pertussis and being undervaccinated against various diseases: http://shotbyshot.org/story-gallery#Pertussis
* U.S. CDC’s info page on pertussis: http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/index.html

Pertussis Info for Clinicians:

1. Consider pertussis when evaluating any patient with an acute illness characterized by cough >2 weeks in duration, or cough with paroxysms, whoop, or post-tussive vomiting. Infants may present with apnea and/or cyanosis.

2. Report known or suspected cases promptly to the Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821.

3. Persons who exhibit symptoms consistent with pertussis should be tested with a nasopharyngeal swab. The Maine CDC’s Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) tests specimens by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in addition to other reference labs in the state. Serologic testing through private laboratories has not been well standardized and should not be used.

4. Individuals with suspected pertussis should be treated after a nasopharyngeal specimen is collected for testing. Guidelines for antibiotic treatment for pertussis cases and contacts have been published by the federal CDC in the MMWR (December 9, 2005. RR-14) and are available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5414a1.htm.

5. Individuals with symptoms of pertussis should be considered to be infectious and should not attend school, work, or daycare until they have completed 5 days of an appropriate antibiotic. This is especially important for persons working in medical settings or with infants and young children.

Reminder about School Immunizations:

As the school year begins, it is important to remind patients and their families to check that they are up to date on their immunizations. This is also an excellent opportunity for patients to catch up on any immunizations they may have missed. Maine’s school immunization law requires the following vaccines for children entering school:

* Diphtheria/Pertussis/Tetanus (DTaP)
* Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR)
* Poliomyelitis
* Varicella

The Maine Immunization Program supplies these required vaccines free to healthcare providers:

* DTaP: for any child under 7
* MMR/Polio/Varicella: for any child under 18

Additionally, federal CDC maintains a recommended immunization schedule, which includes schedules for children and adolescents up to age 18 as well as a recommended catch up schedule. This is listed here: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm

Going back to school is a busy time of year for both families and health practitioners. By reminding and encouraging patients to stay up to date on their vaccines, we can create a healthy and safe learning environment for all Maine children.

For more information on pertussis control measures, please go to www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pertussis/guide.htm or call 1-800-821-5821.

What this warm, dry summer may mean for Maine's water supplies

We’ve been fortunate to enjoy sunny, warm, dry weather this summer, but the limited amount of rainfall we’ve received can have an impact on Maine’s water resources, especially on our water supplies.

The water for public drinking water systems and home wells comes from rainfall, so the less rainfall we get, the less water that is available from our wells. It's always a good practice to use water efficiently, but drier than average summers like this one should serve as a reminder to us all to be conscious of our water usage and encourage us to take steps to conserve water.

Some things you can do to save water:

• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes or lower the water settings for smaller loads.
• Limit the use of lawn and garden spinklers and only water your lawn or garden during the cool morning hours, as opposed to midday, to reduce evaporation.
• Check your home for leaks and repair any that you find. Leaking faucets and pipes can amount to hundreds of gallons of wasted water every day.
• Even out your use of water at your home over the course of the day. This can help sustain your water supply, prevent a temporary shortage, and damage to your well pump.

For more information on how you can conserve water, visit EPA’s Water Sense page at http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/pubs/simple_steps.html

Watch out for diseases related to ticks and mosquitoes

Summer is the prime time for mosquitoes and ticks – as well as the diseases they carry. Ticks can cause Anaplasma, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Powassan. Mosquitoes can carry Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV).

Tickborne diseases have already been reported in Maine this summer – and all Mainers should follow these recommendations to prevent illness:
Wear protective clothing
Use insect repellent
Use caution in tick infested areas
Perform daily tick checks

Although EEE and WNV have not been found in Maine yet this summer, there was unprecedented EEE activity in Maine in 2009. Several surrounding states have already seen EEE and WNV activity, including increased risk of EEE in southeastern Massachusetts (more information can be found at http://westnile.ashtonweb.com/).

Information this year suggests that even though there may be fewer mosquitoes, a higher percentage of those mosquitoes may be carrying disease. Some ways to minimize the risk of EEE and WNV include:
Wear long sleeves and long pants
Use insect repellent on skin and clothes
Take extra precautions at dusk and dawn
Drain sources of artificial standing water where you live, work and play
Install or repair screens on windows and doors

Physicians should keep these diseases in mind, particularly during the summer months. Early recognition and treatment may help prevent complications. All cases of tickborne (including erythema migrans) and mosquito-borne diseases should be reported to Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821.

For more information: http://www.maine.gov/DHHS/boh/ddc/epi/vector-borne/

Summer Seasonal Influenza Outbreaks Across Country

Across the country there have been some recent outbreaks of influenza, not the H1N1 pandemic type but a seasonal (H3N2) variety. We've not seen outbreaks in Maine, but the link to this morning's health alert describes what people in Maine should be on the lookout for.

http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/attach.php?id=119976&an=1

Health Reform Update

How to Find a Health Reform (PPACA) Related Grant in www.grants.gov
1. Go to www.grants.gov. Click on "Find Grant Opportunities" and then "Advanced Search."
2. For the key word search, type in "Affordable Care Act."
3. Or, in the "Search by Funding Activity Category" field, choose "Health" (unless another subject is more appropriate). 4. Or, in the "Search by Agency" field, choose the appropriate agency (U.S. DHHS) or leave the field blank to select all.

Sign up for the RSS feed or daily emails with grant notices from U.S. DHHS or that are related to the Affordable Care Act.

New rules have been issued to make it easier to appeal decisions made by a person’s health plan, including claims denials and rescissions, directly to insurers and then, if necessary, to external review boards. For more information, see this press release from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and this Kaiser Health News article.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has funded several brief reports that explore the effects health reform will have on consumers, state government, the economy, and health care costs.

Two recently issued reports examine how physicians and hospitals will be affected.

HHS and the US Departments of Labor and Treasury have issued new regulations requiring new private health plans to cover evidence-based preventive services and eliminate cost-sharing requirements for those services. These rules are designed to enable easier access to blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests; many cancer screenings; routine vaccinations; pre-natal care; and regular wellness visits for infants and children. For more information:

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/07/20100714a.html

Maine gets official chapter of Hands & Voices

Hands & Voices, a national parent-driven, parent-professional collaborative nonprofit organization has recently accepted Maine’s start-up chapter as an official state chapter of the organization. Hands & Voices is dedicated to supporting families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing without bias surrounding communication choices.

The newly-established Maine chapter will focus in part on the follow-up of children after newborn hearing screenings and/or audiologic evaluations. Hands & Voices Maine will establish a Guide by Your Side Program to provide direct mentoring and support to families, which will complement the follow-up work of the Maine Newborn Hearing Program (MNHP) within Maine CDC/DHHS. MNHP was established by law in 2000 to provide information to families about hearing screening, evaluation, and services.

Vivian Mikhail, MNHP’s Parent Consultant and the start-up leader of Hands & Voices Maine, wrote a featured article for the Summer 2010 issue of the Hands & Voices national quarterly newsletter, The Communicator, titled "One Family's Journey: Reaching a New Normal."

For more information about Hands & Voices Maine, please contact Vivian at handsandvoicesmaine@earthlink.net. For more information about the Maine Newborn Hearing Program, please contact Betsy Glencross at Betsy.Glencross@maine.gov.

National Take Back Initiative

On September 25, 2010, DEA will coordinate a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies focused on removing potentially dangerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. A national take-back day will provide a unified opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction. This one-day effort will bring national focus to the issue of pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse. The program provides an opportunity for law enforcement, prevention, treatment, and the business community to collaborate and establish a safe collection site for all Americans, regardless of where they reside.

Click here to register.

Health Reform Update

This Kaiser Health News article describes seven health care changes that will take effect in the coming months: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2010/July/09/health-overhaul-changes.aspx


This article explains Comparative Clinical Effectiveness Research and its roles in health reform: http://www.healthreformgps.org/resources/comparative-clinical-effectiveness-research/


Healthcare.gov is a new web site with various information, including your new consumer rights and benefits under the Affordable Care Act, a timeline of when new programs under the new law will come online between now and 2014 and a new insurance finder that will make it easy to find both private and public health insurance option that works for you. The site also features important new information about the quality of care available in outpatient and emergency departments, including how well hospitals care for patients with heart attacks and protect outpatients from surgical infections: http://www.healthcare.gov/compare/index.html.

Tips for enjoying this weekend and the rest of the summer

Watch out for heat-related illness


Over the past 30 years more people have died in this country from heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. This Maine CDC web site has a variety of resources describing the signs of heat-related illness, what you can do if you suspect someone has a heat-related illness, and ways to prevent these illnesses.


Water Safety

· This web site has some basic tips for keeping children safe around open waters.

· This Maine CDC web site has tips for avoiding recreational water illnesses.


Food Safety

· This USDA fact sheet gives information on how to safely defrost frozen foods before cooking them.

· This food safety blog discusses food safety at farmer’s markets.

· US CDC describes food safety at fairs and festivals.


Other Precautions

· Playing outdoors this summer can mean getting cuts that may become infected with bacteria commonly found in soil, including the ones that cause tetanus. Tetanus vaccine can help prevent tetanus disease.

· A single mosquito bite can give you West Nile Virus. Why take a chance? Use repellant.

Health Updates

State Health Plan

The new state health plan has been released, outlining strategies for making Maine the healthiest state with the most efficient and effective health care delivery system by 2012. Currently, Maine is ranked the ninth healthiest state, up from sixteenth in 2003.

Other Health-related Reports

A new government report reveals that 90% of Americans are eating more salt than they should. Most salt comes from processed foods that don’t taste salty. For more information: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_100363.html


This new report shows Maine as the 29th most obese state in the nation: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/release.php?stateid=ME


Health Reform Update

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has established a new website - http://www.healthcare.gov/ This web site features consumer information and implementation updates where people will be able to research plans available in their area. Pricing information will be available starting in October, and the site will also provide additional resources on quality.

The National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council, which was created by the health reform law, has submitted its first report to Congress. For more information: http://www.healthreform.gov/forums/blog/preventioncouncil.html

Secretary Sebelius has announced an Affordable Care Act program to provide temporary coverage for Americans without insurance due to preexisting conditions. The program will cover people from now through 2014, when the new insurance exchanges are established. For more details, see this press release.


Questions and Answers related to Health Reform

· This blog post from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discusses protections that apply to people with private health insurance starting on or after September 23.

· Q&A for families and small business.

· Fact Sheet: The Affordable Care Act’s New Patient’s Bill of Rights


Updates related to Medicare and Medicaid

· This link describes strategies for reaching out to low-income individuals eligible for coverage through Medicaid and CHIP and enrolling them in the appropriate programs

· CMS has issued a proposed rule on preventive and primary care


Funding opportunity

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced a funding opportunity that will support school-based health center efforts to expand capacity to provide primary healthcare services to school-aged children. There will be awards of $50,000 to 1,000 school-based health centers nationwide for the purchase of moveable equipment to address significant and pressing needs and to support the expansion of services at SBHCs. Applications are due to HRSA July 30.

Maine CDC Advises Caution in Heat

Keep Cool, Drink Adequate Fluids, and Rest Frequently

With Maine heading into summer and a possible hot spell forecast for this upcoming weekend into next week, this is a reminder that it is important for all of us to prevent heat-related problems and to recognize the signs of heat illness early. Heat-related illnesses and deaths are preventable, yet over the past 30 years more people have died in this country from heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined.

All Mainers should take some simple measures to prevent heat-related illness. However, those who are most susceptible include infants and young children, people 65 years old and older, people with a mental illness, and those who are ill with chronic illnesses such as heart and lung diseases. High temperatures often contribute to poor air quality, which disproportionately also affects people with lung or heart conditions. Check for any air quality advisories on http://www.maine.gov/dep/air/.

It is also important for us to check on our neighbors, family and friends, especially those who are at high risk for heat-related illness.

Heat index is a measurement that combines air temperature and humidity in order to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature. The three-day forecast for heat index can be found at: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heat_index_MAX/hiprob95_day3.html.

Some measures communities and officials may consider if the heat index is 95 or above:
• Extend the hours of swimming areas such as pools and beaches.
• Make sure public events have as much shade, beverages, and other cooling measures available as possible.
• Work with organizations such as emergency management agencies, other government officials, Area Agencies on Aging, Healthy Maine Partnerships, health organizations, and others to identify and promote cooling centers. In other states cooling centers are often located in local senior centers, adult day service sites, health centers, libraries, churches, or businesses with air conditioning that do not mind providing chairs for others to come and sit to cool down.
• Check on people living alone and/or who are more vulnerable to heat’s effects.
• Use communication channels to provide advice to individuals on addressing the heat.

Some measures all should consider:

Keep Cool
• Use air conditioning to cool down or go to an air-conditioned building such as a store, a library, or a cooling center.
• If you don't have air conditioning in your home, open windows and shades on the shady side and close them on the sunny side to try to cool it down.
• Take a cool shower or bath.
• Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing to help keep cool.
• Stay out of the sun as much as possible.
• Wear sunscreen and a ventilated hat (e.g., straw or mesh) when in the sun, even if it is cloudy.
• Never leave children, pets or those with special needs in a parked car, even briefly. Temperatures in the car can become dangerous within a few minutes. Even with the windows rolled down two inches, it only takes 10 minutes for the inside of a vehicle to reach deadly temperatures on a hot summer day.

Drink Fluids
• Drink more fluids regardless of your activity level.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks, since these actually cause you to lose more body fluid.
• If you are on fluid restrictions or on diuretics, ask your doctor how much fluids you should drink.

Rest Frequently
• Take regular breaks from physical activity – at least every hour.
• Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day (between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.).

If you must be out in the heat
• Try to limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
• Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage.
• Rest often in shady areas – at least every hour.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

With many summer camps in session, it is important for coaches and teachers to make sure children and youth are given frequent rest breaks and are drinking plenty of fluids, including stopping play or other activity at any time they desire for rest and fluids. Children are more sensitive to heat and dehydration than adults, and dehydration can occur quickly in them.

It is also important for us to recognize the early signs of heat-related illnesses and what to do about them. During normal weather, the body's internal thermostat produces perspiration that evaporates and cools the body. However, during periods of extreme heat and high humidity, evaporation is slowed and the body must work extra hard to maintain a normal temperature. If the body cannot cool itself, serious illness can result. Those who are susceptible, such as infants, children, older adults, those with mental illness or other chronic illnesses, are less able to sweat or regulate their internal temperatures than others, and are much more likely to become overheated. They need more frequent rest and cool down breaks than others do.

Serious heat-related illnesses include:

Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. Body temperatures can reach dangerous levels. Warning signs include hot, dry, red skin (no sweating), rapid pulse, high body temperature (≥ 105 F), headache, loss of alertness, confusion, rapid and shallow breathing, and unconsciousness or coma. Emergency 911 should be called immediately. While waiting for assistance, cool the person rapidly with such methods as moving them to a shady or cooler area, using cool water, ice, fans, and loosening their clothing.

Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people over-exert themselves in high heat and humidity. Symptoms include heavy sweating, fainting, vomiting, cold, pale, and clammy skin, dizziness, headache, nausea and weakness. Move the person to a cool place, have them drink fluids and rest, loosen their clothes, and cool them off with water or wet cloths. Heat exhaustion can quickly lead to heat stroke. So, if symptoms worsen or do not improve, get medical help.

Heat cramps are muscle cramps in the abdominal area or extremities (e.g. arms and legs) that often occur in people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity and as a result their muscles lose salt and moisture. The cramps are often accompanied by heavy sweating and mild nausea. Move the person to a cool place to rest, and apply firm pressure to the cramping muscle. The person can also gently stretch the cramped muscle and hold it for 20 seconds, and then gently massage it. Have the person drink some cool beverages such as water or a sports drink. The person should seek medical attention if there is no improvement or if the person has underlying medical problems.

Sunburn damages the skin and causes the skin to become red, painful, and warm after sun exposure. Medical attention should be sought if the sunburn affects an infant or if there is fever, fluid-filled blisters, or severe pain. Otherwise, the person should avoid sun exposure, apply cold compresses or immerse the burned skin in cool water, apply moisturizing lotion to the burn.

Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during hot humid weather and is most common in young children. The rash looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters and is most common in the neck and upper chest and in creases such as in the elbow and groin. Move the person to a cooler place and keep the affected area dry. The person can also use talcum powder to increase comfort.

FMI:

• Maine DEP Air Quality
  http://www.maine.gov/dep/air/
• Heat Index Forecast
  http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heat_index_MAX/hiprob95_day3.html
• Heat Index Calculator
  http://www.crh.noaa.gov/jkl/?n=heat_index_calculator
• US CDC Extreme Heat Prevention Guide
  http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp
• US CDC Heat in the Elderly
  http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/elderlyheat.asp
• National Weather Service Heat Wave Guide
  http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/heat_wave.shtml
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Heat Effects Communication
  http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=20065&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=35581

Making mammograms and related services accessible

This MedlinePlus article describes some of the barriers to getting mammograms that low-income women face.

The Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program (MBCHP) is a comprehensive breast and cervical cancer early detection program housed within Maine CDC’s Division of Chronic Disease. Early detection continues to be the best way to combat breast and cervical cancer. The program’s mission is to help low-income, uninsured and underinsured women gain access to breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to support and enhance breast and cervical cancer control activities statewide.

The MBCHP is responsible for coordinating the delivery of the respective screening and diagnostic services to underserved women through a statewide network of primary care and diagnostic health care providers. The MBCHP collaborates with a variety of community-based organizations to promote the availability of the program’s covered services.

The MBCHP contracts with more than 125 primary care provider sites throughout the state to provide enrolled women with a clinical breast exam, pelvic exam and Pap test, and referral for a mammogram. The PCP sites collaborate with the MBCHP to coordinate needed diagnostic testing if screenings identify an abnormality that is suspicious for cancer. The MBCHP provider network also includes mammography facilities throughout the state that provide screening and diagnostic mammograms and ultrasounds and laboratories that provide cytology and pathology services.

Successful management of the MBCHP relies heavily on ongoing collaboration and cooperation with staff at the DHHS Office of Integrated Access and Support (OIAS) and Office of Medical Services (OMS).

Currently, the MBCHP has more than 6,200 women actively enrolled in the early detection program, who are eligible for an annual mammogram and Pap testing per recommended screening schedules. To date, more than 318 breast cancers and 86 cervical cancer/pre-cancerous conditions have been detected because of the quality and timely services delivered by MBCHP providers statewide.

For more information, visit http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/bohdcfh/bcp/index.htm or call the Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program at 1-800-350-5180, TYY: 207-287-8015.

National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day is June 27.

An estimated one out of five Americans who are living with HIV does not know his or her status, and this new study shows that most Americans and Canadians with HIV begin care too late.

A list of test sites is available here.

New tobacco controls have public health impact

New tobacco regulations regarding health warning labels, use of misleading descriptors (like “light,” “low,” and “mild”), and sales restrictions will help make tobacco products less accessible to youth and will help encourage smokers to quit.

Read more about Tobacco Controls.

Happy Summer!

It's officially summer. Here are some tips to help keep you healthy as you celebrate the warmer weather:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has posted this advice on how to enjoy the summer and avoid health problems due to heat and skin cancer.

This food safety blog describes safe grilling and food handling when eating outdoors.

Children’s eyes are more at risk for long-term damage from UV rays. This website describes how to pick safe sunglasses for kids.

Plan to go swimming or visit a water park? Find out how to protect yourself and others from recreational water illnesses first.

Severe weather this summer could cause power outages. This US CDC site lists steps you can take to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning if your power goes out, and this food safety blog has has helpful information about keeping food safe in the event of power failures.

And, finally, follow the advice you'll find in this American Public Health Association blog about summer safety.

Have a great, safe summer!

Influenza Update

This MMWR discusses the preliminary results of surveillance for Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) related to H1N1 flu vaccination. Initial findings show a rate of GBS among people receiving H1N1 vaccine similar to that found in seasonal influenza vaccines. No system has detected a statistically significant association between GBS and H1N1 vaccination; surveillance and further analyses are ongoing. The H1N1 vaccine safety profile is similar to that for seasonal influenza vaccines, which have an excellent safety record.

Planning efforts for the fall flu vaccine campaign are currently underway. Consent forms and other tools for schools conducting vaccine clinics are being developed and will be posted on the Maine CDC web site as soon as they are finalized, around the time that Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) are released.

A number of updates have been made to the www.maineflu.gov web site. Streamlined information for schools has also been posted.

Update on Health Reform

The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury have issued regulations on grandfathered health plans under the Affordable Care Act.

This webchat describes how the Affordable Care Act will give individuals and families more choices and provide stronger consumer protections.

This Kaiser Health News article describes additional benefits for new moms and pregnant women as a result of health reform.

Seniors across the country recently joined President Obama’s discussion on health reform and Medicare. This blog post also describes ways that the new legislation will strengthen Medicare.

The IRS has issued regulations on the 10 percent tax on indoor tanning services included in the health reform law.

National Men's Health Week

National Men’s Health Week is celebrated each year the week leading up to and including Father’s Day.

During the week, individuals, families, communities, and others work to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. This US CDC website describes what you can do to promote awareness during Men’s Health Week.

This US CDC website has daily steps to help men be safer, stronger, and healthier.

Every year, nearly 300,000 American men die of cancer. This US CDC website discusses ways men can lower their risk.

Safe water bond is a good deal

In my job as director of Maine’s public health agency, we work to protect public health for all Maine people. An important part of our core mission for the last 100 years is to ensure that Maine’s drinking water is safe and reliable. However, Maine’s drinking water infrastructure, like that found in most other states, is old and in need of repair and replacement.

In the beginning of May, I watched in awe as Boston’s drinking water operators spent days and nights working to repair a pipe break on a large water transmission line that serves 30 communities surrounding Boston. Because of the potential for contamination, more than 2 million people, including 700,000 households, had to boil their water or use bottled water for three days while the pipe was being repaired. This interruption in service caused great disruption and costs to families, businesses and workers and illustrates the need to maintain our water infrastructure.

On June 8, Question 5 asks whether you favor a $10.25 million state bond that will match $33.25 million in federal funds designated for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects, and agriculture irrigation projects.

If the question passes, $3.4 million of the $10.25 million will be used for drinking water infrastructure projects that will receive a match of $17 million in federal funds. For the 2010 construction season, we have received more than $42 million in drinking water funding requests. Public water systems that have requested funding to improve water treatment or upgrade existing facilities include Bangor, Eastport, Vinalhaven, Mechanic Falls, Bath, Hampden, Gardiner, Old Town, Caribou, Portland and Auburn-Lewiston. Without the state match, these projects will not be funded this year.

For every $1 the state invests, the federal government provides $5. The state must provide the state match in order to receive the federal funds. If the state cannot provide matching funds within two years, Maine’s federal funds are forfeited to other states.

Since 1997, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Drinking Water Program has administered the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund that provides low-interest loans and grants to public water systems. The fund serves systems statewide and operates in conjunction with the Maine Municipal Bond Bank. Re-payment of principal and interest on the loans, combined with the state matching funds and federal funds, is put back into the fund so that new loans can be made.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that Maine’s drinking water infrastructure need over the next 20 years is $900 million, or an average of $45 million per year.

The fund is a notably successful program. Since 1997, we have lent or granted more than $150 million to our public water systems so that they can continue to provide safe and reliable drinking water to people in Maine. These investments also provide well-paying jobs for Maine workers and businesses through the construction, maintenance and operation of these facilities.

Maintenance of our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure does have a cost; however, this is a good deal for Maine people even in these tough economic times. We must continue to make the investment necessary to maintain reliable and safe water for the state of Maine.

Dora Anne Mills is director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the state’s chief health officer.

Originally printed in the Bangor Daily News.