The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Pasco schools to require masks

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The Pasco County School Board has made it official: Students, staff and visitors must wear face coverings on school campuses and in district buildings.

The board on July 28 unanimously adopted the emergency rule, proposed by Superintendent Kurt Browning.

The rule has been described as being “temporary” and is accompanied by guidelines for implementation.

School board member Megan Harding thanked Browning for proposing the rule.

“This is one more layer of safety for our students and staff, and visitors that come to our schools,” Harding said.

She asked district staff to provide additional guidance to teachers, to help them handle situations that arise, such as students needing mask breaks.

“I just hope we can give our teachers in school some scripted language that they can use from a social-emotional approach,” Harding said.

She also appealed to parents: “Parents, we’re going to need your help. Please start now, teaching your child how to properly and safely put a mask on.

“For the little ones, make it a game. Start by wearing the mask for 10 minutes and then gradually increase the time.

“For our older students, make it an appropriate fashion statement,” Harding said, noting she has seen many online stores selling masks in fun and fashionable designs.

School board member Alison Crumbley underscored the fact that the emergency rule is temporary, and is subject to change, as conditions change.

“We are carefully balancing the health and safety of our teachers and students, at this time, with student achievement,” Crumbley said, along with consideration for students’ social and emotional well-being.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin reiterated her support for requiring masks.

“I made a commitment to our students, teachers and staff that I would support a mandate to require face coverings, in an effort to protect all members of our Pasco Schools’ family.”

“I’m pleased there is the opportunity to give mask breaks, when social distancing can happen, and I hope we’ll be able to provide regular breaks to do just that.

“Please keep in mind that this is temporary. If we can start with this in place and the public follows CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines outside of school, then we can help drive down the COVID numbers and lift this emergency rule,” she said.

Published August 05, 2020

Health News 08/05/2020

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Non-urgent surgeries reduced
BayCare Health Systems has begun to reduce the number of non-urgent surgeries performed at its hospitals in Hillsborough and Polk counties, due to the rising number of severely ill COVID-19 patients, according to a BayCare news release.

The temporary change in policy went into effect on July 16 and impacts all six of BayCare’s Hillsborough locations: St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Women’s in Tampa; St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz; St. Joseph’s Hospitals-South in Riverview; and, South Florida Baptist in Plant City.

Under the plan, all surgeries for life-threatening situations will continue to be performed. And, unlike the state-mandated ban on elective surgeries earlier this year, BayCare’s effort will still allow many non-urgent surgeries and procedures to continue. Generally, surgeries that could be deferred are those that are not medically urgent and require overnight recovery in the hospital.
BayCare’s Ambulatory Surgery Centers, which specialize in outpatient surgery and were closed under the earlier government ban on electives, will continue to operate.
In the past month, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk and Pasco counties have seen available hospital bed capacity decline significantly due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Lighthouse is August charity
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices will be collecting donations in August for the Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired & Blind. The mission of the Lighthouse is to educate, empower and employ people who are visually impaired and blind.

The organization provides early intervention services for blind babies, programs for children, a teen school-to-work transition program, independent living skills training for adults and seniors, and other services to help people become as self-sufficient as possible.

Services are provided at no cost to program participants and all donations received will help provide more services to more people.

“The Lighthouse has a long history of serving visually impaired individuals in Pasco County,” said Fasano, in a news release.

“It is estimated that over a half million Floridians are sight impaired, with over 27,000 living within the Lighthouse’s service area….I encourage our community to support the Lighthouse either through making a cash donation or perhaps purchasing a specialty license tag, which will help the Lighthouse for years to come,” Fasano added.

Cash donations can be made at any of the five tax collector locations in Pasco County, and checks will be accepted by mail, too.

Individuals interested in switching their current tag for “A State of Vision” specialty tag may do so at any of the same locations.

For information about the tax collector’s charitable giving program, call Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

For more information about services provided at the Lighthouse, call Patricia Porter at (813) 713-2492.

Study volunteers needed
Researchers at the University of South Florida Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute are looking for participants age 50 and older with no memory loss to take part in an Alzheimer Prevention Trials (APT) Webstudy.

The Webstudy is a first-of-its-kind online study that detects if people experience memory loss over time and need early intervention, and matches them with the right Alzheimer’s study, as quickly as possible.

Twenty percent of Floridians, more than 4.3 million people, are 65 and older, making Florida one of the ‘grayest states’ in the nation. Consequently, it has one of the largest populations of people with Alzheimer’s disease — a projected 580,000. This number is expected to skyrocket by 24% to 720,000 people in the next five years, according to a Message Partners PR news release.

Volunteers take no-cost memory tests online every three months to monitor memory changes over time. If changes are observed, volunteers may be invited to an in-person evaluation to determine eligibility for additional Alzheimer’s studies.

To learn more and enroll, visit APTWebstudy.org.

New health degrees offered
Saint Leo University has announced the start of a new four-year degree — a bachelor’s in health education and health promotion — that will prepare graduates for a growing number of health education positions at community organizations, health care agencies, and workplaces.

Health education specialists play an important role in organizations by developing new education programs for various groups and improving programs that may already exist.

The instruction of Saint Leo graduates will be to promote a “culture of health” wherever they work, through effective teaching, through the examples they set as individuals who prioritize their own well-being, and through the cooperative working relationships they maintain with clinicians and other health professionals.

Saint Leo will launch the Bachelor of Science program in the fall semester at its residential campus. Faculty anticipate that students most attracted to the program will be those with a desire to learn about health and to engage with others, and those who enjoy working with groups of people.

The program will prepare students with a contemporary curriculum that draws from courses in anatomy, professional speaking, statistics, psychology, ethics, and nutrition, and layers in courses in education and health promotion.

Education courses, such as teaching diverse populations, brain-based learning and assessing health learning, will ensure that students not only understand health material, but are able to make it understandable to future clients.

At the end of this program of study, students can choose to take a national competency exam for the Certified Health Education Specialist credential. Some employers require the credential. In general, it is considered an asset for those in the field.

Visit SaintLeo.edu for information.

 

Health News 07/29/2020

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Tom Garthwaite (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

New hospital president
Tom Garthwaite (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)Tom Garthwaite has been named the president of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz.

Garthwaite succeeds Paula McGuiness who retired after more than 35 years of service to St. Joseph’s Hospitals.

Prior to his new position, Garthwaite served St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa as operations director, since December 2014. And, before his service to St. Joseph’s Hospitals, Garthwaite was at Halifax Health System in Daytona, as administrator for oncology, pharmacy, research and transplant/dialysis.

A native of Florida, Garthwaite earned a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Science in Health Service Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. He began his medical career in diagnostic radiology.

Garthwaite became the new president of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North during the nation’s greatest health crisis in more than 100 years. He started the position at the Lutz hospital during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He cited the St. Joseph Hospital-North staff and medical team for its work in combating the coronavirus, as he transitioned into his position as president.

Despite becoming a hospital president in a tumultuous time for health care, Garthwaite is optimistic about the future.

St. Joseph’s among the best
The group of five St. Joseph’s Hospitals, including St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, was named among the nation’s Top 100 hospitals by IBM Watson Health, according to a news release.

IBM Watson Health annually identifies the top hospitals from a rigorous evaluation of 3,134 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals in the U.S.

The list recognizes excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience and financial health. IBM Watson Health established the list to help identify best practices that may help other health care organizations achieve consistent, balanced and sustainable high performance.

This is the third consecutive year that St. Joseph’s Hospitals has earned the honor and the fourth time overall. The four other hospitals included in the recognition with St. Joseph’s Hospital-North are St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, all in Tampa; and, St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview.

According to IBM Watson Health, the hospitals included on the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list had better results on key clinical and operational performance indicators. These include survival rates, patient complications, health care associated infections, 30-day mortality and 30-day hospital-wide readmission rates, length of stay, throughput in emergency rooms, inpatient expenses, profitability, and ratings from patients.

“It is an honor to work in a hospital and health system that has been recognized in the IBM Watson Health Top 100,” said St. Joseph’s Hospital-North president Tom Garthwaite. “It demonstrates the commitment of our team and medical staff as they care for our patients every day.

“During this challenging time with the COVID pandemic, it is important for our community to know that they have safe, high-quality health close to home,” Garthwaite said.

Award-winning hospitals and health systems serve as a model of excellence for the industry. Visit 100TopHospitals.com, for more information.

New health degrees offered
Saint Leo University has announced the start of a new four-year degree — a bachelor’s in health education and health promotion — that will prepare graduates for a growing number of health education positions at community organizations, health care agencies, and workplaces.

Health education specialists play an important role in organizations by developing new education programs for various groups and improving programs that may already exist.

The instruction of Saint Leo graduates will be to promote a “culture of health” wherever they work, through effective teaching, through the examples they set as individuals who prioritize their own well-being, and through the cooperative working relationships they maintain with clinicians and other health professionals.

Saint Leo will launch the Bachelor of Science program in the fall semester at its residential campus. Faculty anticipate that students most attracted to the program will be those with a desire to learn about health and to engage with others, and those who enjoy working with groups of people.

The program will prepare students with a contemporary curriculum that draws from courses in anatomy, professional speaking, statistics, psychology, ethics, and nutrition, and layers in courses in education and health promotion.

Education courses, such as teaching diverse populations, brain-based learning and assessing health learning, will ensure that students not only understand health material, but are able to make it understandable to future clients.

At the end of this program of study, students can choose to take a national competency exam for the Certified Health Education Specialist credential. Some employers require the credential. In general, it is considered an asset for those in the field.

Visit SaintLeo.edu for information.

Autism ID cards aim to help with policing

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The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has another tool, aimed at helping its deputies when responding to situations involving residents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The law enforcement agency has introduced an autism identification card program, otherwise being called Autism Assistance Cards.

The front of the cards has some general information to help deputies communicate with individuals with autism. For instance, deputies are advised to display calm body language and to allow for additional time for replies.

The back of the cards, meanwhile, offers space for an individual’s identifying information, such as name and address, and information on the person’s conditions, such as whether they are verbal vs. nonverbal.

The front of the Autism Assistance Cards has information to help deputies communicate with individuals on the autism spectrum. Suggestions include having officers display calm body language and provide additional time for replies. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

The roughly 4-inch x 6-inch cards were designed with the help of River Ridge High School’s graphic arts class.

The ID cards are being distributed to individuals with autism, so if there’s an encounter, the card can be handed to deputies to help them know how best to work with the individual.

Cards have been provided to caregivers to share them with a loved one who has autism. They’re also being sent to special education teachers in Pasco County Schools, who can pass them along to students’ families.

Pasco Sheriff’s officials suggest the autism ID cards may prove useful in incidents in which a person is lost or separated from their caregiver, and is unable to effectively communicate their disability, or when the individual is nonverbal or low functioning.

The cards would clearly and quickly identify the individual as being on the autism spectrum — eliminating potential miscommunication or misinterpretation regarding behaviors that are common among those on the autism spectrum.

“It’s all about improved communication and interaction,” said Pasco Sheriff’s Cpt. Toni Roach, who helped spearhead the program through the agency’s Behavioral Health Intervention Team.

In addition to standard personal information on the cards, Roach encourages caregivers to use the additional writing space to list as much information possible about the adult or child with autism.

That information could include listing various conversation starters, preferred nicknames, and various likes and dislikes. It also could identify what triggers the individual, what calms him or her, and other useful information.

As an example, Roach explained she knows of one particular child with autism who enjoys talking about the Nintendo Switch video game console, “so the deputies would be able to see that information and go, ‘Oh, OK, I can talk about a Nintendo Switch and I can redirect the child to calm down, and build that rapport and then be able to communicate and figure out how we can best resolve that situation, and why we got called out there to begin with.”

Roach offered another example of how it could be beneficial: “Like, if that person doesn’t like to be called by their first name but likes to be called, ‘Kiddo,’ then I can refer to them by that term and that will be less confrontational with them.”

Besides receiving the autism ID cards, caregivers also have the opportunity to register their loved one’s name into the agency’s computer database, which alerts deputies they’re dealing with someone with autism.

Program attracting attention
People outside Pasco County also have expressed interest in the cards.

Roach said the cards have been sent to residents in Pinellas and Hernando counties. An officer with the Philadelphia Police Department even requested a digital version of the ID cards so his agency could implement a similar program, Roach said.

“We don’t care what county you live in, as far as I’m concerned, if we can help law enforcement interaction, we’re going to send out the card,” she said.

The autism ID cards seemingly have been embraced by members of the autism community.

Port Richey resident Candace Smith recently obtained a card for her 15-year-old son who’s on the autism spectrum. She’s also passing out some to her network of friends and neighbors who have family members with autism.

“I’m in support of anything that’s going to keep an autistic person safe, and allow them to have the same rights as everyone else,” Smith said. “I do like the cards, because it’s just an automatic way to communicate quickly to let somebody know, ‘This person has autism,’ and it explains their behavior, so to me, it’s a step in the right direction.”

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has introduced Autism Assistance Cards to better guide its deputies whenever they encounter an individual with autism spectrum disorder. The cards are being given to community members with autism. (File)

The parent said she often worries what an encounter with law enforcement would entail with her son, who may not immediately be able to respond to orders from police. Rather, she explained her son’s first instinct or “self-soothing” calming behavior is usually to walk away from a stressful or nerve-inducing situation.

Those fears are further exacerbated because her son is a black teenager, Smith said. “I just worry a little bit more, because of how things are; just being realistic,” she said.

The challenging part going forward, Smith said, is finding a way to have her son understand how to correctly show the autism ID card to a law enforcement officer in a particular situation.

She acknowledged it will likely take “a series of conversations” and maybe even an in-person meeting with a deputy to get her son comfortable with the scenario.

For the time being, the parent is considering laminating the card and putting it on a lanyard for her son if he’s on his own. She plans to keep another card on her person with her son’s information, too.

University of South Florida’s (USF) Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD) is likewise in support of the law enforcement agency’s autism ID card program.

The center’s assistant program director, Christine Rover, said the initiative is “a really important element” to cultivate more positive interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism, in addition to ongoing training, outreach and collaboration with various public safety agencies.

She commended the sheriff’s office for implementing the tool and taking progressive steps with the autism community.

“Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has really been a leader in their efforts to include residents with ASD for a long time, so it’s kind of no surprise that they’re adding to sort of the elements here, and we really appreciate that,” Rover said.

Rover explained the next step is the need to develop supporting education materials and a video tutorial for caregivers to show to their loved ones with autism on how to properly and effectively present the card to law enforcement. It’s something the state-funded resource center is actively brainstorming, she said.

Meanwhile, Rover stressed autism-related training for law enforcement officers beforehand is also critical, whether it’s a case of wandering, a traffic incident or even a criminal situation.

“The training component for the deputies is really important, because where this card might be helpful on a scene, if it’s a really crisis scene, then the deputies aren’t going to have the time to really read a card and say, ‘Oh, here’s some tips for interacting,’ Rover said.

“Autism is an invisible disability, so they’re not coming onto a scene or arriving at a home and saying, ‘Oh, I can see that individual has autism,’ so they have to be able to recognize that perhaps some of those behaviors could be interpreted as part of the autism spectrum disorder.”

For information on the program and to obtain autism ID cards, email .

Published July 22, 2020

CLARIFICATION 07/23/2020
A Port St. Lucie-based company, Debbaudt Legacy Productions LLC, has licensed autism on-scene response cards since 2005, and has produced and circulated over 250,000 of these cards in the past 15 years.

The Laker/Lutz News ran this story about an autism assistance card program that was recently introduced at the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, through its Behavioral Health Intervention Team. The text on these autism response cards uses language very similar to the text published on the autism on-scene response cards produced by Debbaudt Legacy Productions.

For more information about autism resources available through Debbaudt Legacy Productions, go to debbaudtlegacy.com and autismriskmanagement.com.

Pasco School Board to vote on masks

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Pasco County Schools plans to require all students, staff and visitors to wear face masks or face coverings while on school campuses or at other district properties beginning this fall, according to a district news release.

Superintendent Kurt Browning placed the topic on the school board’s agenda for discussion at its July 21 virtual telephonic meeting, after The Laker/Lutz News went to press.

Browning intends to bring an emergency rule to the board on July 28 to formalize the mandate, the release says.

“Every decision is being made with input from parents, teachers, staff, the school board and health professionals,” Browning said, in the release. “This is an essential component in our strategy to create a safe and healthy environment for our students and staff.”

The proposed rule describes what qualifies as a mask or face covering and under what circumstances the mask can be removed. It also describes how the school district will make accommodations for students or staff members who have a medical condition that would prevent them from wearing a mask or face covering.

The district also noted that “the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that everyone wear a face covering to help prevent community spread of COVID-19.

“Face coverings have also been mandated by Pasco County. Current medical research shows that COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets created when a person talks, sings, raises their voice, shouts, sneezes or coughs, even when a person is asymptomatic. The face covering reduces and/or prevents the number of these droplets from making it into the environment and being inhaled by another person.

“When you wear a face covering, you help protect others around you from COVID-19, and when those around you wear face coverings, they are protecting you and others around them. While social distancing and regular hand-washing are also essential, social distancing is not always possible. In those situations, face covering provides additional protection.”

If the emergency rule is adopted, the district will join a growing list of government jurisdictions and  private businesses now requiring masks.

The mask issue, however, continues to be a flashpoint of controversy during this global pandemic.

Proponents of masks point to medical experts and scientists, and say wearing masks can save lives. Opponents are skeptical about the effectiveness of masks and say such mandates are an infringement on personal freedoms.

Published July 22, 2020

Hillsborough launches COVID-19 dashboard

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Hillsborough County has launched a COVID-19 dashboard to help residents keep themselves better informed, to enable them make the best decisions to keep them and their families safe, according to a county news release.

The dashboard is accessible at HCFLgov.net/COVID19Dashboard.

The dashboard provides data on testing numbers, positive cases, and the number of COVID-19 patients being treated in local hospital systems.

Users can scroll through visual data charts and click on icons to review the information.

Most of the numbers are updated twice daily. The data related to coronavirus testing is updated once each week.

Sources for the data include the Florida Department of Health, Tampa General Hospital Data Exchange, the United States Census Bureau, and the Florida Office of Economic Development.

Published July 22, 2020

Reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19

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The Florida Department of Health has issued some reminders, to help you reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19.

These are some things you can do:

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren’t available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, containing at least 60% alcohol.
  • Wear a face mask. Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others, or out in public, such as at a grocery store and other places.
  • Practice social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

Although people of any age can be infected by the virus, the health department reports that those who are most susceptible to serious health risks are those over age 65, and those with underlying health conditions, such as heart conditions, high blood pressure, lung conditions, diabetes and obesity.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include the following: Cough, fever, chills, muscle pain, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.

Symptom can range from mild to severe and appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.

If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, contact your health care provide. If you have trouble breathing, get emergency medical care immediately.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the Florida Department of Health’s website, at FloridaHealthCovid19.gov or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at CDC.gov.

Published July 22, 2020

Health News 07/22/2020

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Offering comfort, and a hand to hold
Dr. Brett Armstrong is a BayCare Medical Group general surgeon affiliated with St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz.

During a 43-day period from March to May, Dr. Armstrong had little reason to be in the hospital, as he had no surgeries to perform, as elective surgeries were suspended because of COVID-19. Only those patients deemed immediately medically necessary or emergency patients were coming into the hospital.
In addition, from March 21 to the present, as a precaution and safeguard against COVID-19, few visitors are allowed at the hospital.

Dr. Brett Armstrong visited and sat with patients who had no visitors at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, during the pandemic shutdown. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Dr. Armstrong took it upon himself to come to St. Joseph’s Hospital-North to visit and sit with patients at various times during those 43 days, a hospital news release said.

Although the hospital uses technology like Skype and Facetime to help patients connect with families, Dr. Armstrong saw patients in the hospital who were without family to visit or hold hands.

He visited with COVID-19 patients, non-COVID patients, seriously ill patients near the end of life, and other hospitalized patients.

“We saw across the country that….people were dying alone,” Dr. Armstrong said, in the release. “As doctors, that is probably the most heartbreaking thing to see. That people would die for this (COVID) or various other reasons with no one with them.”

He thought of the families unable to visit and commended other team members at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North who also did bedside visits.

Tom Garthwaite, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North president, said, “During the initial outbreak, Dr. Armstrong went the extra mile to volunteer to spend time with our COVID-positive patients who had a challenging diagnosis or were faced with an end-of-life situation. This compassionate, selfless act speaks to his character and kindness during our ongoing struggle with this viral pandemic and exemplifies the values of BayCare.”

Surgeries on pause
In anticipation of increased demand, effective July 17, the following AdventHealth West Florida Division hospitals in the greater Tampa Bay area will pause the scheduling of any elective surgeries that require an overnight stay, as long as the procedure can be safely delayed with no risk to the patient.

  • AdventHealth Carrollwood
  • AdventHealth Dade City
  • AdventHealth North Pinellas
  • AdventHealth Tampa
  • AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
  • AdventHealth Zephyrhills

At this time, AdventHealth will continue to perform same-day surgeries and procedures that do not require an overnight stay.

Case of ‘brain-eating’ amoeba confirmed by officials

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The Florida Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed one case of Naegleria fowleri in Hillsborough County.

“The amoeba can cause a rare infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) that destroys brain tissue and is usually fatal. The amoeba is commonly found in warm freshwater, such as lakes, rivers, ponds and canals,” according to a health department news release.

“Naegleria fowleri usually infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose,” according to information on the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control’s website.

A confirmed case of Naegleria fowleri has been found in Hillsborough County. The amoeba can cause a rare infection of the brain and is generally fatal. The amoeba is commonly found in warm freshwater, such as lakes, rivers, ponds and canals. (B.C. Manion)

“You cannot get infected from swallowing water contaminated with Naegleria,” according to the CDC.

“Infections usually occur when temperatures increase for prolonged periods of time, which results in higher water temperatures and lower water levels. The peak season for this amoeba is July, August and September,” the health department says.

“Naegleria fowleri is found in many warm freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers in the United States, but is more common in southern states,” the health department adds.

Because there is a low number of cases, it is difficult to know why a few people have been infected compared to the millions of other people who have used the same or similar waters across the country, the health department says.

Though there are only 37 reported cases with exposure in Florida since 1962, the health department cautions those who swim and dive frequently in Florida’s lakes, rivers and ponds during warm temperatures to be aware of the possible presence of Naegleria fowleri.

To help prevent possible exposure, the health department recommends:

  • Avoid water-related activities in bodies of warm freshwater, hot springs and thermally polluted water, such as water around power plants.
  • Avoid water-related activities in warm freshwater during periods of high water temperature and low water levels.
  • Hold the nose shut or use nose clips when taking part in water-related activities in bodies of warm freshwater, such as lakes, rivers, or hot springs.
  • Avoid digging in or stirring up the sediment while taking part in water-related activities in shallow, warm freshwater areas.
  • Please note, exposure to the amoeba may also occur when using neti pots to rinse your sinuses of cold/allergy-related congestion or conducting religious rituals with tap water. Use only boiled and cooled, distilled or sterile water for making sinus rinse solutions for neti pots or performing ritual ablutions.

Symptoms of exposure include headache, fever, nausea, disorientation, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures, loss of balance or hallucinations.

If you experience any of these symptoms after swimming in any warm body of water, contact your health care provider immediately. It is essential to seek medical attention right away, as the disease progresses rapidly after the start of symptoms, the health department says.

For the latest information about the amoeba, please visit the CDC’s website at CDC.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html.

Published July 15, 2020

Health News 07/15/2020

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Autism license plate fund
Every year, the Florida Support Autism Programs specialty license plate generates funds that support nonprofit organizations providing direct services for individuals with autism and related disabilities.

In 2019, nearly $106,900 was awarded to nonprofit organizations throughout Florida bringing to life projects across the state.

All nonprofit organizations with a current Internal Revenue Service designation as a 501 C (3) exempt organization, and a current State of Florida Charitable Solicitation Registration number that are providing services to individuals with autism and related disabilities are eligible to apply for a grant. Proposals are due by July 31.

Visit AutismLicensePlate.com for information and how to apply.

HCA Healthcare update
HCA Healthcare West Florida Division hospitals in Hillsborough and Pasco, as well as Hernando, Citrus, Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties will delay certain inpatient surgeries and procedures, effective as of July 11, to free up capacity for COVID-19 patients.

This change does not affect hospital-based outpatient surgeries or procedures, nor those performed at HCA Healthcare Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Medical Center of Trinity, Memorial Hospital of Tampa, Oak Hill Hospital, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point and others are working with surgeons to identify appropriate patients for postponement of procedures that typically require a post-surgical inpatient stay.

Patients whose procedures are delayed will be contacted by their surgeon.

MOSI adds shoe sanitizing
As of June 16, the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in Tampa is utilizing the patented combination of Ozone + UVC technology as part of its safety plan for guests and employees, in combating COVID-19, according to a MOSI news release.

MOSI has placed the PathO3Gen Solutions (patho3gen.com) UVZone shoe sanitizing station at the entrance to the exhibit path to ensure guests not only utilize the technology first-hand (or foot), but also so guests can learn about the technology used in the station, as it was developed in STEM-related careers and research.

The patented technology is proven to be over 110 times more effective against deadly pathogens, and over 24 times more effective at eliminating human coronavirus, than UVC alone.

It eliminates up to 99.999% of the deadliest pathogens, including bacteria and fungi, and leaves zero human coronavirus reside on footwear.

It can be used with any footwear or shoe cover, and plugs into a standard outlet.