Alerts:  Nov. 12, 2024: Pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak confirmed in Spokane County. SRHD urges parents and pregnant people to vaccinate. Read the press release.

Blogs

Clearing Up Misunderstandings on Recent Flu Efficacy Reports

December 08, 2017

There is certainly lots of media, rumors and misunderstanding about a recent publication from Australia speaking to the effectiveness of this year's flu vaccine. Various sources report 10% effectiveness for a portion of the flu vaccine specific to influenza A H3N2 and the Southern Hemisphere. For a number of reasons, the Australian situation is not necessarily predictive of what we should expect in the U.S. or in Spokane County.

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Everybody’s Doing It. Or, Are They?

Everybody’s Doing It. Or, Are They?

October 25, 2017

Jill Royston, student assistant specialist for NEWESD 101

Guest Contributor

As a substance use counselor in a local high school, I hear daily about the ways youth are using marijuana and the reasons they use. I have also heard an array of myths about the drug. Curious about what youth are saying? Here’s what I hear most often:

“Marijuana is an herb, it’s all natural, and it won’t hurt me.”
“Marijuana helps people with anxiety.”
“Everyone does it, so what’s the big deal?”

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Minor Consent for Both HPV and HBV Vaccinations

Minor Consent for Both HPV and HBV Vaccinations

October 23, 2017

Under Washington State RCW 70.24.110, minors who are age 14 and over can give consent for STD diagnosis and treatment, which includes hepatitis B and HPV immunizations, without getting permission from a parent or guardian.

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2018 Yellow Book Now Available

2018 Yellow Book Now Available

October 23, 2017

When the height of the travel season subsides with the start of school, every other year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases its annual Health Information for International Travel book (commonly called the Yellow Book) for healthcare professionals. This fully revised and updated resource codifies the U.S. government’s most current travel health guidelines, including pre-travel vaccine recommendations, destination-specific health advice, and easy to reference maps, tables, and other charts.

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Meet the Health District's New Health Officer

Meet the Health District's New Health Officer

October 11, 2017

Bob Lutz, MD, MPH joined SRHD as health officer in June 2017. No stranger to SRHD, Dr. Lutz served for eight years on the district’s Board of Health and is a practicing urgent care physician for Multicare Rockwood Clinic. In his role as health officer, he will provide leadership for the protection of public health, enforce public health regulation, and serve as an adviser to elected officials on community health and safety.

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