Regional Shelter System

If you can’t leave the area and staying at home is not an option, then you can turn to the regional shelter system. Visit this map for an overview of the shelter system and the location of a shelter near you.

Important things to know about regional shelters

1. You should look at going to a shelter the same way you would look at going on a trip. If you were planning to go away for a few days you would pack for the trip. The same goes for the shelter. You should arrive with at least three days worth of essentials. You wouldn’t leave your medications at home if you went on a trip, nor should you leave them behind when you go to a shelter.
2. The stay at a shelter is not a vacation, and a shelter is not a hotel or a pharmacy. It is not a cruise ship but rather a lifeboat. The shelter provides a secure facility, a cot to sleep on, food and water, basic first aid, and functional assistance. Beyond that, it is up to you to pack and bring the essentials of your life including extra clothing, medications, and any medical equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, and oxygen concentrators.
3. If you live at home with the assistance of a caretaker, the caretaker must come to the shelter with you. If you have a visiting nurse, make sure you bring your medical supplies and let your nurse know which shelter you will be staying at.
4. If you are bringing infants, babies, or toddlers to a shelter make sure you bring formula, food, diapers, wipes, changes of clothing, toys, and a “pack ‘n play” or portable crib and bedding.
5. If you have a pet—a dog or cat, a bird perhaps—the Cape Cod Disaster Animal Response Team (CCDART) component of the shelter system supports the care of your pet(s) while you are in the shelter. Remember, you must check your pet(s) in first with CCDART before checking yourself into the human shelter. Please bring all your pet supplies to the shelter except for crates, which are provided by CCDART. You cannot sleep with your pet(s). Once your pet(s) are in the CCDART shelter, you will be able to see them during visiting hours, typically between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
6. The reason every town on the Cape doesn’t have its own shelter is because of the expense and lack of volunteer resources to staff 15 separate shelters across the Cape. Volunteers deliver the vast majority of services provided at the six regional shelters. These volunteers work with groups including the American Red Cross (ARC), the Cape Cod Medical Reserve Corps (CCMRC), the Cape Cod Disaster Animal Response Team (CCDART), Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), and AmeriCorps.

My Choice Matters:  Parenting to Prevent Substance Use will be held at the Cape Codder on Sunday, November 20, 2016 from 12 PM – 3:30PM.  Admission is free!

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ed76h0wl86c2f2e6&llr=myornedab

Zika virus continues to be a concern.  There is now a strong suspicion that Zika can be spread through semen.  CDC has received reports of sexual transmission of Zika virus among women whose only risk factor was sexual contact with a male partner with recent travel to Zika areas.  The CDC recommends that pregnant women refrain from traveling to Zika areas and couples planning on becoming pregnant should speak with their health care providers before traveling to countries where Zika virus has been identified.  If travel to these countries is necessary, then precautions to prevent mosquito bites should be implemented.

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/pdfs/zika-pregnancytravel.pdf                                     http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/pdfs/fs_mosquito_bite_prevention_travelers.pdf 

What are the implications for public health practice?  (CDC recommendations)

Men who reside in or have traveled to an area of ongoing Zika virus transmission who have a pregnant partner should abstain from sexual activity or consistently and correctly use condoms during sex (i.e., vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, or fellatio) with their pregnant partner for the duration of the pregnancy.

Zika is a virus transmitted by the Aedes mosquito which also spreads dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.  Only 25% of people with Zika virus develop symptoms.  Within 2-7 days after an infected mosquito bites, the following symptoms may develop:  rash, slight fever, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue.  These symptoms can last a week.  While in the past couple of years this virus was thought to be benign, some severe, rare complications have been documented.  In Brazil there have been 4000 cases of babies born with microcephaly, a condition where the baby has a small head and incomplete brain development.  It is thought that the mothers had the virus while pregnant.  Another condition, noted in 2014, is Guillian-Barre syndrome where the immune system attacks nerve cells leading to muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.  There is presently no vaccine or cure for the virus and over the counter pain relievers ( no aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications) and fluids are the recommended treatment.  The N.I.H is working on a vaccine.                                                                                    CDC added the following destinations to the Zika virus travel alerts: United States Virgin Islands and Dominican Republic. Previously, CDC issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory; Barbados; Bolivia; Brazil; Cape Verde; Colombia; Ecuador; El Salvador; French Guiana; Guadeloupe; Guatemala; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Martinique; Mexico; Panama; Paraguay; Saint Martin; Samoa; Suriname; and Venezuela.

Currently, cases of Zika in the United States are from travelers returning from countries where Zika virus has been identified.  The CDC recommends that pregnant women refrain from traveling to countries with Zika virus and that all residents take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.  http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/pdfs/fs_mosquito_bite_prevention_us.pdf   http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/pdfs/fs_mosquito_bite_prevention_travelers.pdf

Here is the 1/28/2016 CDC telebriefing:  http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/t0128-zika-virus-101.html

Most people on the Cape are familiar with Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis/Erlichiosis, and Babesiosis, but have you heard of Borrelia miyamotoi or Powassan virus?  The now well known black legged deer ticks can also carry these diseases.

Powassan virus has been identified in patients in Massachusetts.  While it is generally accepted that a tick must be attached to a person for at least 24 hours to spread  infection, this virus seems to infect people in a shorter period of time.  Symptoms can occur from 1 week to 1 month after a tick bite.  As with other tick borne diseases, some people never become ill while others can have illness such as inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, difficulty speaking and seizures.  Treatment is supportive.  http://www.cdc.gov/powassan/

How can you protect yourself?  Ticks live in wooded, brush filled, and grassy areas, so if you are in these areas here are some things you can do:

1.  Put deet on skin exposed areas (not on face or palms of hands).  The University of Rhode Island’s Tick Encounter website warns:

4.  Do a body check when you go indoors

5.  Treat pets with tick repellants

6.  Have a 3 foot tick free perimeter around your yard   http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/id/epidemiology/ticks/, http://www.tickencounter.org/prevention/protect_your_yard

If you do find a tick on yourself, use tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin as possible and pull straight up.  After removal clean the skin with alcohol and put an antibiotic cream on the area.

As little as 1 oz of salt free nuts a day can reduce your risk of heart disease.  Multiple large studies have consistently shown a 30% to 50% reduction in heart attacks or sudden death when  a handful of nuts was eaten several times a week.  Walnuts have omega 3 fatty acids which seem to prevent arrythmias from developing.  Almonds increase Vitamin E levels and lower cholesterol.  Vitamin E is an antioxidant which protects cells against damage.  There is some research out of U.C. Davis that almonds may reduce colon cancer as well as heart disease.  Cashews are also high in omega 3 fatty acids.

Instead of a sweet treat, grab a handful of nuts for a nutritious snack!

The Ebola Virus continues to ravage the 3 Western African countries of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone even as Americans seem to be losing interest.  The World Health Organization has published the following statistics:

Guinea            2793 cases                        1797 deaths

Liberia             8263 cases                         3515 deaths

Sierra Leone   10030 cases                        2977 deaths

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21,086  cases                       8,289 deaths

The Tdap shot (tetanus, diptheria, pertussis) is now recommended for pregnant women during the third trimester of every pregnancy (27th-36th week). The mother will produce antibodies within 2 weeks of receiving the vaccine which will offer her baby short term protection after birth. The infant can then be immunized starting at 2 months of age. An infant without protection can develop whooping cough and suffer severe complications such as respiratory distress, brain damage, and death.http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/signs-symptoms.html

In 80% of cases, infants catch whooping cough from someone in the home (30%-40% of the time from their mothers), so it’s a good idea to have all family members and caretakers vaccinated before the birth.

We offer the Tdap vaccine. Please call (508) 833-8020 for information or to schedule an appointment. Most insurances, including Mass.Health will pay.

Yes, I am continuing to give flu shots. The normal flu season on the Cape does not usually get into full swing until Jan./Feb. so it is not too late to come in for your shot. Although it has been widely publicized that one of the A strains (H3N2) is only 50% protective the other 3 strains in the shot are still effective.

Update!  The first Prevnar 13 clinic was a success and I now have a new supply of vaccine available.  If you would like more information or would like to make an appointment for the newly recommended “pneumonia  shot” for folks 65 years and older, please call (508) 833-8020.