Page 8 The INDEPENDENT, August 6, 2009 Columbia County Public Health offers health tips for hot weather Columbia Health District Public Health Authority offers these 10 tips to prevent heat- related illness: • Never leave infants, chil- dren or pets unattended in a parked car. It can take as little as 10 minutes for temperatures inside a car to rise to deadly levels; • Regardless of your level of activity, drink plenty of fluids even if you are not thirsty and especially when working out- side; • Limit exposure to the sun from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. when UV rays are strongest. Try to schedule activities in the morn- ing and evening; • Drink fruit juice or sports drinks to replace salts and min- erals; • Wear loose-fitting clothing to keep cool and to protect your skin from the sun; • Use sunscreen at least SPF 15, apply it at least 10 min- utes before going outside and re-apply every two hours; Run with Extra Confidence with Chevron DELO 400 ™ PLUS MOTOR OIL The name you trust for: • Gasoline • Diesel Fuel • Oils • Solvents • Additives • Greases • Use fans as needed; • Open windows to allow fresh air to circulate, especially during morning and evening hours, and close shades on west-facing windows during the afternoon hours; • Use cool compresses, To Your Health! By Judy Hargis, P.A., and Audeen Wagner BACK TO SCHOOL While there is still a whole month of days to enjoy summer, it’s not too early to be thinking about back to school stuff. Along with the school clothes and supplies, families are also checking shot records and taking inventory of health issues for their children starting or returning to school. Immunizations: Heidi Brown, R. N., Vernonia School Nurse, provides the following information: SCHOOL YEAR 2009-2010 Oregon law requires the following shots for school and child care attendance*. *Doses required varies by a child’s age and how long ago they were vaccinated. Please check with your child’s school or healthcare provider for details. A child entering Preschool, Child Care, or A child entering Kindergarten or lst Grade Head Start needs: needs: 4 3 1 1 3 2 3 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) Polio Varicella (chickenpox) Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) Hepatitis B Hepatitis A or 4 Hib A student entering Grade 2-6 or Grade 9-12 needs: 5 4 1 2 1 1 3 See us for… D ECK O IL S HINGLE O IL CALL (503) 429-6606 WILCOX & FLEGEL 720 Rose Avenue • Vernonia misting, showers and baths; • Avoid hot foods and heavy meals, which add heat to the body. Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussin (DTaP) Polio Varicella (chickenpox) Measles Mumps Rubella Hepatitis B 5 4 1 2 1 1 3 2 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) Polio Varicella Measles Mumps Rubella Hepatitis B Hepatitis A A student entering 7th or 8th Grades needs: 5 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) 1 Tdap 4 Polio 1 Varicella (chickenpox) 2 Measles 1 Mumps 1 Rubella 3 Hepatitis B Columbia County Public Health Department will be in Vernonia on Friday, August 14 at the Head Start Building, between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon, and will offer any immunizations needed. Mary Altenhein, R.N., Immunization Coordinator, says to please call her for an appointment (503-397-4651, ext. 216) – she will need to know the child’s shot record before scheduling an appointment. Anyone under the age of 18 without insurance coverage, or those whose insurance does not cover immunizations, will be given the shots at no charge. Im- munizations need to be up-to-date by the beginning of school. The above information should be helpful in sorting out by age group what is needed for each child. If there are questions, feel free to contact Mary Altenhein at the Public Health number above, or Heidi Brown at 503-429-2787. Sports Physicals: If you have questions about sports physi- cals, please check out “Chalk Talk” in the last issue of The Inde- pendent (July 16). Mr. Jarman, VHS Athletic Director, discusses come important changes in OSAA requirements and the proce- dures for getting those physicals. If you missed that issue, you can contact the school district office for information. Stay cool, and enjoy that last month of summer vacation! We welcome your comments and questions. Please contact us at: To Your Health! The Independent, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia OR 97064, or email health@the-independent.net.