News

Continuous Update:  February 1, 2010
North Central District Health Department
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North Central District Health Department announces
H1N1 Community Vaccination Clinics that are free of charge to the public.

NOTICE:
The Health Department will offer H1N1 Flu Vaccinations at the office in O'Neill on
Wednesday afternoons between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
Please call to schedule an appointment:
(402) 336-2406

The following list contains the dates and times of the Community Vaccination Clinics:

H1N1 Community Vaccination Clinics
Thursday, March 11, 2010	Tilden	Tilden Public Library	4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Monday, March 15, 2010	Plainview	Plainview Community Hall	4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010	Neligh	American Legion Post 172	4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010	O'Neill	NCDHD - Call for an Appointment	3:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 18, 2010	Atkinson	Atkinson Public Library	4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010	O'Neill	NCDHD - Call for an Appointment	3:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.

(The Clinic dates and times are subject to change. Check back for daily updates.)

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12-30-09

Radon Awareness

O’Neill, NE – To promote radon awareness and make it easier for Nebraskans to test their homes for radon, North Central District Health Department will offer free radon test kits.  Winter months are an opportune time for Nebraskans to test for radon in their homes, according to Sara Morgan, program manager for the Radon Program of the Nebraska Health and Human Services System.  During winter, homes are closed up and can trap the toxic gas.  “Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for people who have never smoked,” she said.  “This is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that is present in most Nebraska homes.  Everyone should test for radon.”

The Environmental Protection Association (EPA) estimates that approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year are radon-related, second only to tobacco-related lung cancer deaths.  Radon comes from the decay of naturally occurring uranium in the earth’s soil and can accumulate indoors to dangerous levels.  It enters the home through cracks or holes in concrete floors or walls, sump pits, and drinking water from private wells.  Once trapped inside an enclosed space, radon can accumulate.  People should take action to mitigate the radon level in their home if it is 4 picocuries per liter or above, a health standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“The majority of tests conducted in Nebraska report elevated levels of radon.  The state average is well above the action level,” Morgan said.  The EPA recommends that houses with radon levels above the health standard be fixed to reduce the risk of developing lung cancer.  Additional information and a list of trained professionals who can help people whose homes test high is available at the Nebraska Radon Program website http://www.hhss.ne.gov/radon.  For more information on radon, radon test kits and radon mitigation, call Ryan Parks at North Central District Health Department, 1-877-336-2406 or visit the EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/radon.  

North Central District Health Department serves Antelope, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Holt, Keya Paha, Knox, Pierce, and Rock Counties.

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4-28-09

VIEW THE CENTER OF DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION'S WEBSITE

VIEW THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE

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3-6-09
North Central District Health Department Reviews School Policies on Tobacco.

This report reviews policies related to tobacco use in 21 school districts in north central Nebraska, with the content of the individual policies compared to that of model tobacco policies from the National Association of State Boards of Education and the Center for Disease Control.

Click here to view the School Tobacco Policies.

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3-5-09
The Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition has identified a problem that too many youth are smoking cigarettes and using spit tobacco in the north-central region of Nebraska.
The Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition’s purpose was to reduce tobacco use among youth through leadership by youth.  The objective of the Coalition was to educate youth, ages 18 and under in North Central Nebraska, about life without tobacco. 
Click here to view the Tobacco Intervention Lessons Learned.
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