Tips for a Healthy Summer

Summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy all our community has to offer! Check out the tips below to help you and your loved ones stay healthy this summer.

Catch that bat!

Bat bites or other contact with infected bats account for the majority of human rabies deaths in the United States. Bat bites can be very small and sometimes hard to recognize. While bats are a vital part of the ecosystem and most bats DO NOT have rabies, it is very important to contact the local health department if you find a bat in your home or come in contact with a bat. Rabies is preventable with treatment.

Follow these steps if you find a bat in your home:

• Get ready: Get a small container (like a box or large can) and a piece of cardboard big enough to cover the container opening. Put on work gloves.
• Catch the bat: Close windows and doors then turn on the light. When it lands, approach it slowly and put the container over it. Slide the cardboard under the container to trap the bat.
• Call us: The bat may need to be sent out for testing.

Learn more about rabies prevention and watch a video on how to catch a bat at: www.schuylercountyny.gov/Rabies

Don't let food poisoning crash your cookout.

Foodborne illnesses can make you sick to your stomach, but sometimes they can also lead to hospitalization or worse.

You can follow four key steps to help prevent foodborne illnesses in your home, at a potluck, or at a BBQ:

• Clean: wash your hands and surfaces often before, during, and after cooking.
• Separate: don't cross-contaminate ready-to-eat foods with germs from raw meats, poultry, eggs, or seafood.
• Cook: heat foods to the right temperature to kill germs that can make you sick.
• Chill: refrigerate foods promptly. Perishable foods left at room temperature can quickly grow germs and make you sick.

Learn more about food safety and preventing other communicable diseases at: www.schuylercountyny.gov/Communicable

Beat the heat while having fun in the sun!

Enjoying the great outdoors is good for your health, but make sure to be prepared for extreme heat and other summer weather:

• Stay informed about the weather forecast. You can check the Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard to see the risk of getting sick from the heat for the week ahead. You can also check AirNow.gov to see air quality data for your area.
• Learn to recognize the signs of heat illness.
• If it is very hot, use air conditioning. If you don't have air conditioning, you can use the Cooling Center Finder Map or List to find a Cooling Center near you.
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• NEVER leave people or pets in a closed car on a warm day.
• Wear light-colored clothing that is loose and lightweight that can help protect your skin from the sun.
• Put on a hat to help protect your head, face, and neck.
• Protect your eyes with sunglasses.
• Wear sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher and reapply regularly.
• Stay in the shade as much as possible when it is very hot out.

Learn more about preparing for extreme heat and other weather-related risks at: www.schuylercountyny.gov/Ready

Stay safe and cool at the lake or pool.

• Make sure everyone knows how to swim and basic water safety skills.
• Be sure to have at least one adult focused on supervising any children in the water.
• If you own a pool, make sure to have fences that fully enclose it.

Be safe while boating.

• Wear life jackets while boating or spending time in lakes or other waters.
• Watch out for weather - like thunderstorms - that can make swimming or boating dangerous.
• Brianna's Law requires all motorboat operators to complete a boating safety course and obtain a certificate.

Learn more about preventing drownings and other injuries at: http://www.schuylercountyny.gov/Injury