Hurricane Michael

DOH-BAY OFFERING FREE FLU VACCINES FOLLOWING HURRICANE MICHAEL 

Panama City, Fla.—The Florida Department of Health in Bay is offering free flu vaccines following Hurricane Michael. Appointments are not required. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), last year’s record-breaking flu season resulted in 80,000 deaths in the United States, which is the highest number of deaths from the flu in over three decades. If you have not already done so, protect yourself and those you love this season by getting by getting your flu shot soon.

Shots will be administered at the following locations and times:

DOH-Bay
597 W 11^th ST, Panama City, FL 32401
Mon – Fri 7:30 am – 4:30 pm (please check-in by 3:30 pm)

Mexico Beach Mobile Medical Unit
First Baptist Church
823 15^th ST, Mexico Beach, FL
Daily 10 am – 3 pm

The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older, including pregnant women. It can take up to two weeks after vaccination for your body to develop protection against the flu. The CDC recommend getting your flu vaccine every year as the first and most important step in protecting against influenza and its potentially serious complications. There are many different flu vaccine options this season, which include high dose and adjuvanted vaccine for adults aged 65 years and older.

CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine every year because flu viruses evolve quickly, and last year’s vaccine may not protect against the current year’s flu strain. Even if the flu vaccine does not fully protect against the flu, it may reduce the severity of symptoms and the risk of complications.

Getting vaccinated if you are healthy helps to protect our most vulnerable populations. People at higher risk for flu-related complications include children less than 5, adults over the age of 65, people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and people who have existing medical conditions, such as asthma and obesity.

Visit FluFreeFlorida.com for more information on how to be a part of #FluFreeFL. For more information on influenza and influenza-like illness in Florida, please visit www.floridahealth.gov/floridaflu.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

FREE WELL WATER TESTING ENDS NEXT WEEK 

Panama City, Fla.– The free well testing for private well owners is ending next week. Thursday, November 8, Environmental Health will be moving back to their location, 225 McKenzie Avenue, Panama City. They will reopen there on Friday, November 9. Free testing kits can be picked up from Environmental Health Friday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 13 through Thursday, November 15 from 9 am – 4 pm. DOH-Bay is closed on Monday, November 12 in observance of Veterans Day.

Water samples must be returned to DOH-Bay within 24 hours after sampling. Samples taken on Wednesday or Thursday must be brought to the DOH-Bay office by noon Thursday. The normal fee for testing is $35. This fee will apply for all samples dropped off after Thursday, November 15.  

The following precautions should be followed by residents with private drinking wells that were affected by flooding and/or damage to the well or distribution system in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. If your well was covered by storm water, you will need to follow these tips and get a testing kit. If you are unaware of the status of your well, you will want to take these precautions as well. This will help prevent disease-causing organisms that may make their water unsafe to drink.

One of the following methods is recommended as a precaution:

• Use bottled water, especially for mixing baby formula; or
• Boil water before use, holding it at rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for drinking, washing, cooking, etc.; or
• Disinfect water by adding 8 drops (about 1/8 tsp – this would form a puddle about the size of a dime) of plain unscented household bleach (4 to 6%) per gallon of water, and then let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure. Use a container that has a cap or cover for disinfecting and storing water to be used for drinking. This will prevent contamination.

After the flooding subsides and any necessary repairs are made to the well or distribution system:

• Disinfect your well using the procedures available from the Florida Department of Health in Bay County or provided by the Florida Department of Health at

https://www.floridahealth.gov/healthy-environments/private-well-testing/index.html; and

• Contact the Florida Department of Health in Bay County for private well sampling instructions or have your drinking well water sampled for coliform bacteria by a laboratory certified by the State of Florida to perform drinking water analysis.
• Continue to use bottled/boiled/disinfected water until lab tests confirm that it is safe.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

Safety

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County urges residents to take safety precautions after the storm.

Click this link to open a PDF Infographic and Health and Safety After the Storm. This will open in a new window. _files/_documents/News Releases/after_the_storm_8.5x11_office.pdf

Generators

Generators should be used outside only, not in a garage. Appliances should be plugged directly into the generator. You should not plug your generator into the house directly. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning can be deadly.

Water

The boil water notice has also been rescinded for customers of the City of Lynn Haven, Bay County Utilities in the unincorporated areas and customers of Panama City Beach. All other areas of Bay County remain under a mandatory boil water notice. For drinking, cooking, washing wounds, and brushing teeth, use bottled water or boiled water. Water should be held to a rolling boil for 1 minute.

Click the link to open the news release for information on water safety. This PDF will open in a new window. _files/_documents/News Releases/contaminated_water_michael.pdf

Flood Waters

No one should play in flood waters. The water can contain bacteria. If you have come in contact with flood waters, you should receive a Hep A vaccination. Again, these are available at DOH-Bay.

Food

Food is safe in a full freezer for about 48 hours or 24 hours if it is half full. Refrigerated food is safe about 4 hours if it is unopened. After that time, perishable items such as meat, chicken, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, and leftovers should be thrown away. Take a picture for your insurance company before you dispose of items.

Heat Exhaustion

Without power in many places in Bay County and with persons working to clear debris, heat exhaustion is a concern. Make sure you drink plenty of water to protect yourself.

Mosquitoes

After a storm, standing water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Remember to dump out any standing water that you can. Make sure you use an EPA approved bug repellent and follow the directions on the label.

Click the link to open the news release for information on mosquito protection.This PDF will open in a new window. _files/_documents/News Releases/drain_and_cover_after_the_storm_michael.pdf

Clean-up

Wear rubber boots and waterproof gloves during clean-up to avoid injury and contamination. Items that have come in contact with sewage or floodwaters may be unhealthy. Chainsaws should be operated only by person who experienced in using them. If you get a wound or cut from debris, seek medical attention and ask for a Tetanus shot. These are available at DOH-Bay. When cleaning up mold, don’t mix cleaning products.

Click the link to open the news release for information on safe clean-up.This PDF will open in a new window.  _files/_documents/News Releases/safely_clean_up_storm_debris_michael_reminder.pdf

Click the link to open the news release on mold clean-up. This PDF will open in a new window. _files/_documents/News Releases/post_storm_mold_cleanup_michael_102118.pdf

Pools

Due to the loss of electricity from Hurricane Michael, stagnant swimming pools can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. To kill mosquitoes and bacteria, please do the following;

• Put two gallons of bleach in the pool or use shock (these items are available at opened hardware and/or big box stores)
• Maintain 1 parts per million of free chlorine
• Add chlorine as necessary to maintain 1 parts per million