Weekly Update - March 19, 2021 - Nashua, NH
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Weekly Update - March 19, 2021
Dear Community Partners,
As the chief public health strategist for the Greater Nashua Public Health Region (GNPHR), the Nashua Division
of Public Health and Community Services (DPHCS) will continue to send weekly updates to inform our
community on the current status of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, the response efforts by the City of
Nashua and Greater Nashua Public Health Network (GNPHN), and any additional updates related to the health
and safety of our community.
COVID-19 Data Update
We continue to experience substantial community level transmission of COVID-19 in the City of Nashua.
Substantial community level transmission is determined by three metrics established in conjunction
with the State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When any one of the metrics exceeds the set threshold, a
community is designated as "RED" or substantial. Currently we are exceeding the thresholds set on one
metric: new infections per 100k.
Total Cases: All confirmed or probable
COVID-19 cases, either active or recovered.
Active Case: A case that is currently sick or
in isolation due to COVID-19.
New Infections per 100k: Number of new
cases within 14 days standardized by
population size to compare across groups.
This shows how quickly disease is occurring
in the community or the incidence of
disease.
7-Day Total Test Positivity Rate: Number
of PCR and Antigen tests that are positive
compared to the number of PCR and
Antigen tests that are negative over the
past 7 days. A rising positivity rate
indicates a rising number of infections in
the community.
Public health officials are strongly urging
everyone to stay home if you are sick
(except to get medical care), avoid social
gatherings, maintain physical distancing of
six feet or more, wear face coverings, and
wash your hands frequently.
COVID-19 Vaccination in Older Adults: What You Need to Know
Written by: Naomi Flaherty, RN, BSN, Nurse Practitioner (APRN) Student at Rivier University in Nashua
The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age. This is
why the CDC recommends that adults 65 years and older are one of
the first groups to receive COVID-19 vaccines (CDC, 2021).
Q: Why should I consider getting vaccinated against COVID-19?
A: Vaccination against the virus helps to protect you and your loved
ones from getting sick from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Wide-
spread immunity helps efforts to ‘flatten the curve’, making efforts towards ending the pandemic.
Q: Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
A: No, the COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.
Myth: The vaccine can get those who receive it sick.
FALSE. The vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes
COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as fever, body aches, or arm
injection site soreness. These symptoms are normal, and are a sign that the body is building
protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. This process is also referred to as an immune
response (CDC, 2021).
Q: If I had COVID-19, can I still get vaccinated?
A: Yes, you should be vaccinated even if you already had COVID-19 because scientists do not yet know
how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering. Even if you have already recovered
from COVID-19, it is possible - although rare - that you could be infected with the virus that causes
COVID-19 again, so vaccination is encouraged.
Q: Will I test positive for COVID-19 if I receive the vaccine?
A: No. Viral tests are used to determine if you have a current infection. If your body develops an
immune response after receiving the vaccine, one might test positive for antibody tests for COVID-19,
and/or if you were previously exposed to the virus. Researchers are continuously studying how vaccines
affect antibody testing.
Q: Will the COVID-19 vaccine alter my DNA?
A: No. COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your
DNA in any way. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are
messenger RNA vaccines, which teach our cells how to create a
protein that triggers an immune response. The mRNA from a
COVID-19 vaccine never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is
where all of our DNA is kept. This means the mRNA cannot
affect or interact with our DNA in any way (CDC, 2021).
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a viral vector vaccine. Viral
vector vaccines use a modified version of a different, harmless virus (the vector) to deliver important
instructions to our cells to start building protection. These instructions tell the cell to produce a
harmless piece of virus that causes COVID-19. This material does not integrate into a person’s DNA.
Q: How many doses do I need?
A: The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two vaccinations, approxmiately one month apart. The
Johnson & Johnson requires one vaccination.
Q: Is the vaccine safe?
A: Yes. All three of the vaccines approved by the FDA for emergency use in the United States have
undergone large clinical trials. The vaccines were carefully tested and continue to be monitored. Data
shows that the risk of known and potential harms of being diagnosed with COVID-19 outweigh the
potential safety risks of the vaccines (John Hopkins, 2021).
Q: How do I know when I qualify for the shot?
A: Visit www.vaccines.nh.gov, where you can take a ‘Do I Qualify?’ quiz that will guide you through
through registration if you qualify.
The Bottom Line
Experts agree that you should get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it's available to you. Receiving the
COVID-19 vaccine can prevent infection, severe illness, and death and prevent you from spreading the
virus to others (CDC, 2021). Preventing the spread keeps the virus from replicating and mutating,
making overcoming this virus more likely. The vaccines that are being administered have been
approved for safe use. After vaccination, continue practicing all safety recommendations until the
spread has stopped.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2021). Myths and Facts about COVID-19
Vaccines.
John Hopkins Medicine, (2021). Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe?
Mayo Clinic (2021). COVID-19 vaccines: Get the facts.
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease (2021). Ask the Experts.
Vaccine Registration Tips
If your organization interested in hosting a closed vaccination clinic for staff and clients
OR your organization anticipates having extra vaccine:
email Patty Crooker at crookerp@nashuanh.gov for further discussion.
Finding a Future in Public Health
Public Health is in the spotlight and if you are
student in Public Health there are many career
options that await you.
This webinar sponsored by the New Hampshire
Public Health Association by the is geared toward
students, recent graduates, and early career
professionals looking to learn more about public
health careers.
It will explain the public health infrastructure in
New Hampshire and feature a variety of public
health professionals to describe the diverse public
health careers that exist within the week.
Register Here!
Video Series: "I Got Vaccinated
Against COVID-19 Because..."
Learn why leaders in our community are getting
vaccinated to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
This week, we spotlight Susan Flynn, Manager of
Nursing and Wellness at Greater Nashua Mental
Health, to talk about why she made the decision
to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and her
vaccination experience.
Check it out by clicking the video to the right!
Join Us in Celebrating National Public Health Week!
Does your organization want to get involved?
During this week, we invite our partnering organizations to engage with our community by hosting or
participating in activities that promote public health. As we continue to practice healthy behaviors to
prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, we encourage the use of virtual
platforms that have made it easier for us to continue to connect, create, and take action together.
If your organization is interested, here are some examples of how you can get involved:
Host an educational webinar or virtual presentation
Engage community members in a virtual focus group or discussion
Schedule a virtual movie screening followed by a panel
Promote public health information at your organization (you provide a table, we set up!)
Organize a socially-distant outdoor event
If your organization would like to get involved, email Nicole Chute with further information or any
questions. We will promote and support your event on our website!
Download & Share our Public Health Week Flyer
English / Spanish / Portuguese / French / Swahili
Lead Poisoning could be an Unexpected Pandemic Side-Effect
Home improvement work during the pandemic,
combined with stay-at-home orders, has shown a
plummet in lead testing in the pediatric population,
which may lead to an increase in undetected lead
poisoning in NH children. MMWR, February 2021
All children are at risk for lead poisoning. Children in
the our region are at particular risk, since the most
common source of childhood lead poisoning is lead
paint in older homes, and over 50% of the homes in
Greater Nashua were built before lead paint was
banned in 1978.
As these houses age, lead paint cracks and chips,
resulting in dangerous lead chips and dust, which can
be poisonous to anybody, especially children.
Although lead paint and dust are the most hazardous
sources of lead for children, lead can be found in
work clothes, tap water, toys, and spices.
LEAD AND CHILDREN FACT SHEET (SPANISH)
55% of New Hampshire homes were built before lead-based paint was banned in 1978. Children are
especially vulnerable to the negative effects of lead paint because their brains and nervous systems are
still developing.
New Hampshire is a universal testing state requiring all health care providers to conduct blood lead
level tests for children ages one and two (NH SB247). This law requires property investigation and case
management by the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for blood lead level (BLL)
test results that are over the actionable BLL. If a child has an elevated BLL, the State of NH Department
of Health and Human Services will perform a home inspection to identify lead hazards, and the child
will enter lead case management, including a home visit by a public health nurse.
Learn More about Lead in Greater Nashua
Empower Hour with Greater Nashua Mental Health
In these challenging times, taking care of
our mental health is more important than
ever. Everyone, young to old can use a
"check-in" on how we are coping and
feeling during these long pandemic days.
The Empower Hour with Greater Nashua
Mental Health, is a new show produced
with Access TV by Greater Nashua Mental
Health (GNMH) to assist the Greater
Nashua Community in being mindful
about their mental health.
"This is a show about coming together as a community to support one another,
especially regarding mental health and substance misuse challenges. GNMH hopes to
educate residents to recognize the signs of behavioral health disorders, talk about
some treatment options for different challenges and to share some real-life stories
about how appropriate care and support can truly change lives."
Raise Awareness about Poisoning Prevention
National Poison Prevention Week raises awareness of poison prevention nationwide during the third
full week of March every year. The week is an opportunity to highlight the dangers of poisonings for
people of all ages and promote community involvement in poisoning prevention.
Check out the following tips!
Be prepared for an emergency. Keep the
national, free Poison Helpline number at your
fingertips: 1-800-222-1222. Text POISON to
797979 to save the number in your phone.
Practice safe storage habits. Always store
medicines and hazardous substances up, away,
and out of sight of children.
Read and follow all labels and directions.
Review medicine and product labels before you
use them, especially before giving to children.
Detect invisible threats. Install a carbon
monoxide detector in your home.
For additional safety and prevention tips,
check out the American Association of Poison
Control Center.
Want to do your part? Turn in your unused prescriptions for Drug
Take Back Day. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held
on Saturday, April 27, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Drug Take
Back Day is a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of
unused or expired prescription drugs.
For more information visit the DEA Take Back Day Website.
EQUITY CORNER: Disproportionate Vaccine Rollout
The pandemic has shone a light on the ways in which
disease and viruses affect populations differently. In
the United States, Black, Latino, and Native American
people have been sick, hospitalized, and dying at a
disproportionate rate from COVID-19. The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the
social determinant causes, “Race and ethnicity are
risk markers for other underlying conditions that
affect health including socioeconomic status, access
to health care, and exposure to the virus related to
occupation (front line, essential, and critical
infrastructure workers)” (CDC).
The snapshot in New Hampshire aligns with
national trends. Despite the transparency of
these data, the vaccine rollout for Black and
Latino residents in New Hampshire has been
lagging. As of March 8th, Black and Latino
residents have received the vaccine at nearly
half the rate of white residents. Nearly 16% of
New Hampshire’s white population has
received their first dose, compared with about
7% of the Black and Latino populations.
Moreover, about 6.5% of white residents are
fully vaccinated, about two times that of Black
and Latino residents.
According to Census Bureau data by state health officials, Latino residents make up about 4% of the
state's overall population but less than 2% of those vaccinated and Black residents make up about 1.4%
of the population but account for less than 1% of those vaccinated so far.
The Nashua DPHCS is on the frontlines of addressing this discrepancy via the New Hampshire DHHS’s
vaccine equity strategy that sets aside 10% of its weekly vaccine supply for communities that have been
disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. DPHCS is using the COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index
(CCVI) to help identify those eligible and providing Greater Nashua Region residents with the vaccine.
To date, DPHCS has distributed almost 1,000 vaccines to this population through the equity allocation.
We continue to work to reach the disproportionately impacted and vulnerable populations in the
Greater Nashua Region.
Download & Share our STD Testing Clinic Flyer
English / Spanish / Portuguese / Kinyarwanda
Free Virtual Movie Screening and Panel Discussion
Join our community for a free virtual movie
screening and panel discussion on Tuesday,
March 30th from 4 to 6 p.m.
Tre Maison Dasan is an intimate portrait of
three boys growing up, each with a parent in
prison. Directly told through the child’s
perspective, the film is an exploration of
relationships and separation, masculinity, and
coming of age in America when a parent is
behind bars.
Tre, Maison, and Dasan are three very different
boys. Their parents are not incarcerated for the
low-level offenses that have become infamous
in conversations around mass-incarceration, but
their histories and relationships beg many
questions about Justice and the lasting and
rippling effects of a system at large.
REGISTER HERE
Additional Resources
Nashua COVID-19 Hotline: 603-589-3456
Upcoming Events
New Hampshire COVID-19 Website
Harbor Care COVID-19 Testing Clinic
March 22, 3 - 6 p.m.
(45 High St., Nashua)
By Appointment: 603-821-7788
Nashua COVID-19 Website DPHCS COVID-19 Testing Clinic
March 23, 3 - 4:30 p.m.
National Guard Armory
(154 Daniel Webster HWY, Nashua)
By Appointment: Register Here
Greater Nashua Data
Dashboard SSANA
March 22, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Between Temple St. & Cottage St., Nashua
Immunizations & Child Lead Testing
CDC COVID-19 Website March 23, 3 - 5 p.m.
(English) Elm Street Middle School Front Parking Lot
(117 Elm St., Nashua)
Immunizations & STD/HIV/HCV Testing
March 24, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
CDC COVID-19 Website (Spanish)
Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua)
SSANA
March 24, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Vaccination Information 29 Temple St., Nashua
STD/HIV/HCV Testing
March 25, 5 - 7 p.m.
Lamprey Health Care (22 Prospect St., Nashua)
Food Resources By Appointment: Register Here
(English)
PLEASE NOTE: COVID-19 vaccines are NOT offered at
our mobile immunization clinics listed in this section.
For information about getting vaccinated against
COVID-19, please visit vaccines.nh.gov or call 2-1-1.
Food Resources (Spanish)
Full DPHCS Mobile Outreach Schedule
Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services
Greater Nashua Public Health Network
www.NashuaNH.gov/DPHCS
You can also read
