CDC

What Vaccines Do You Need? Check Out CDC’s New Assessment Tool

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young adults showing off their vaccines

Vaccination isn’t just for kids — adults need to stay protected too. Understanding which vaccines you need as an adult can be challenging, especially with varying recommendations based on factors like age, lifestyle, and medical history. To make this process easier, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has introduced a new online resource: the Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool.

What is the Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool?

The Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool is a user-friendly online tool designed to help individuals 19 years and older determine which vaccines they may need. With just a few clicks, you can receive personalized vaccine recommendations based on your age, lifestyle, health conditions, and other risk factors. This tool is particularly useful for those who may be unsure about their vaccination status or who want to ensure they’re up-to-date with the latest vaccine guidelines.

How Does the Vaccine Assessment Tool Work?

The tool works by guiding you through a series of questions about your health, lifestyle, and any potential risk factors. These questions cover areas such as:

  • Age: Certain vaccines are recommended at different stages of life, such as the shingles vaccine for those 50 and older.
  • Lifestyle: Factors like your occupation, travel plans, or living situation can influence vaccine recommendations. For instance, healthcare workers may need additional vaccines due to increased exposure to certain diseases.
  • Medical History: Your past medical conditions or current health status, such as pregnancy or chronic illnesses, can affect which vaccines are recommended for you.

Once you complete the questionnaire, the tool provides a list of vaccines that are recommended for you, along with links to more information about each one. This can include vaccines for influenza, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis B, and more. The tool also helps you understand the timing of each vaccine and whether any are due soon.

Why Use the Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool?

Staying up-to-date with vaccinations is essential for maintaining good health and preventing the spread of preventable diseases. The CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool simplifies the process of determining which vaccines you need, making it easier than ever to stay informed and protected. Whether you’re catching up on missed vaccines or ensuring you’re prepared for the next flu season, this tool is a valuable resource for managing your health.

Taking Control of Your Health

Don’t leave your health to chance. The CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool empowers you to take control of your health by providing personalized vaccine recommendations tailored to your unique circumstances. By using this tool, you can ensure you’re doing everything possible to protect yourself and those around you from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Visit the CDC’s website today to try out the Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool and stay on top of your health.

Tick Bite Bot: Interactive Tool Kit for Tick Bites Now on Uncas HD Website

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woman with tick bite

We are excited to announce a new feature on the Uncas Health District website — a cutting-edge interactive tick bite management tool provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This tool is designed to help you assess tick bites and provide clear, step-by-step instructions for safely removing ticks and taking appropriate actions afterward.

Ticks can be a serious health concern, potentially transmitting diseases such as Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. With the CDC’s interactive tool, you can quickly evaluate any tick bite you or a loved one may experience. The tool will guide you through the process of identifying the type of tick, understanding the potential risks, and following the recommended procedures for removal.

Once the tick is removed, the tool will also offer crucial information on what to do next, including monitoring for symptoms of tick-borne illnesses and seeking medical attention if necessary. This ensures that you are well-informed and prepared to take the appropriate steps to protect your health.

Take Me to the Tick Bite Bot

DPH: CDC Issues Updated COVID-19 Isolation Guidance

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The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has adopted and recommends the COVID-19 isolation guidance that was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday.

This updated guidance recommends that those who have COVID-19 should stay home until they’ve been fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours or their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours.

Since the start of the 2023—2024 respiratory virus season, DPH has taken a pan-respiratory virus approach to managing COVID-19, the flu, and RSV. This strategy has been consistent with the CDC guidance for managing viral respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, and RSV.

Additionally, prior to the start of the current school year, DPH partnered with the Connecticut State Department of Education to distribute operationalized CDC respiratory virus guidance to school nurses and superintendents.

When to Take an At-Home COVID-19 Test

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man taking COVID-19 Home Test

At-home COVID-19 testing is one of our best tools to prevent the spread of the virus-alongside getting vaccinated and boosted. COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection, hospitalization, and serious illness, but no vaccine prevents 100% of infections. As the virus continues to evolve and cases are projected to spike seasonally, at-home testing helps you to determine if you have COVID-19 so you can prevent spreading it to others. Here are key scenarios and considerations to help you determine when you should take an at-home COVID-19 test and what to do when you get your results.

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When to Take an At-Home Covid-19 Test

  • You have symptoms of COVID-19.
    Refer to the CDC site for more information on COVID-19 symptoms.
  • You had close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
    Wear a high-quality mask after you find out you’ve been exposed, and get tested 5 days after exposure.
  • You will be with someone who is immunocompromised or at high risk for severe COVID-19.
    Wear a high-quality mask as an additional precaution.
  • You plan to attend an event or gathering.
    Consider testing right before you go to an indoor gathering as a precautionary measure.

If Your At-Home Covid-19 Test is POSITIVE

You should stay home and isolate away from others for at least 5 days after testing positive.

When to end isolation:

  • After 5 days if you have been fever-free for 24 hours and you had mild or asymptomatic COVID-19.
  • After 10 days if you had moderate or severe illness and/or you are immunocompromised. Consult your healthcare provider for further guidance.
  • If you ended isolation but your COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, you should restart your isolation from day 0 and consider re-testing.
  • Consider taking an at-home COVID-19 test to ensure you’re no longer infected.

Continued precautions:

  • After you have ended isolation and no longer experience symptoms, wear a high-quality mask through day 10 when around others.

Treatment and care:

  • If you experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or chest pain, seek medical care immediately.
  • If you are at high risk for severe COVID-19, consult your health care provider right away to discuss whether you need antiviral medication.

If Your At-Home Covid-19 Test is NEGATIVE

Re-test 24-48 hours after your first test, especially if you are continuing to experience symptoms. A negative test doesn’t rule out infection.

Continued precautions:

  • If you were exposed to COVID-19, take precautions to protect yourself and others (i.e. retesting, wearing a high­-quality mask) for 10 days after exposure, even if you test negative. Follow the CDC guidelines on COVID-19 exposure.
  • Knowing your COVID-19 Community Level can help you decide if you should take additional precautions, especially if you tested as a precaution before attending a gathering or spending time with someone at high risk.

Treatment and care:

  • If you continue to receive negative test results but symptoms persist, contact your healthcare provider.

Recommendations are from the CDC and current as of February 2023. For the latest COVID-19 information and testing guidelines, visit CDC.gov/coronavirus

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