City of Alexandria, VA

Page updated Feb 2 2010 9:46 a.m.

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2010 Flora Krause Casey Public Health Awards

Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Flora Krause Casey Public Health Award.

Sponsored by the Alexandria Health Department and the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission, the Casey Health Awards recognize those individuals who have promoted the public health and well-being of the Alexandria community. Since 1992, twenty-four citizens have received the award.

Please click here to print out a nomination packet, including the award's eligibility criteria and a nomination form.

Please submit all nominations, by Friday, February 26, 2010, to:

Alexandria Health Department

Attn: Dean Bryant

4480 King Street

Alexandria, VA 22302

Caution: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC-sponsored State Vaccination Program. The emails ask users to create a personal H1N1 (swine flu) Vaccination Profile on the cdc.gov website and state that anyone that has reached the age of 18 has to have his/her personal Vaccination Profile on cdc.gov. The CDC has not implemented such a state vaccination program requiring registration on cdc.gov. Users that click on this e-mail are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system. Please visit the CDC “Hoaxes and Rumors” webpage (www.cdc.gov/hoaxes_rumors.html) for more information (December 2, 2009).

H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Alexandria Health Department Casey Health Center Extends H1N1 Vaccinations to the General Public

The Alexandria Health Department, Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard St.) is providing H1N1 flu vaccine to everyone over 6 months of age during January. Vaccinations are now available to everyone.

The Health Department strongly encourages people in the following high-risk groups to be vaccinated:

Pregnant women
Children and young adults up to age 24
Adults ages 25 to 64 with chronic illness such as asthma and diabetes
Healthcare workers
Caregivers of children younger than six months of age

Please call (703) 519.5979, ext. 252 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will be accepted, but priority at all times will be given to those with scheduled appointments. Both nasal mist and injectable (shots) vaccines will be available.

Please, no double-wide strollers as our facility cannot accommodate them. Clients are asked to park in the hospital visitor lot that is off N. Howard Street.

January 2010 Clinic Hours

Monday: 8:30 a.m. – Noon and 1:00 -- 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday (children only): Noon - 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon - 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday: Noon - 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. - Noon and 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

The clinic will be closed January 15 and 18.

For more information about the H1N1 flu and flu vaccination clinic, visit alexandriava.gov/Flu

Health Care Providers

The Alexandria Health Department encourages people to check with their healthcare providers for availability of H1N1 vaccine. For a listing of providers, visit the Virginia Department of Health and click “Vaccination Locations.”

Other Clinics

An updated listing of clinics in other Virginia jurisdictions may be found at the Virginia Department of Health web site. For clinics in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, visit the D.C. Health Department, and Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (county-by-county listing).

For more information, call the AHD at 703.838.4400, ext. 352. For general information about H1N1, visit the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Frequently Asked Questions about H1N1 Influenza (includes vaccine information) or call the VDH H1N1 Information Hotline at 1.877.ASK.VDH3.

CDC Vaccine Information Statements

Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) are information sheets produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that explain to vaccine recipients, their parents, or their legal representatives both the benefits and risks of a vaccine. Federal law requires that VISs be handed out whenever (before each dose) certain vaccinations are given.

Additional Information

The H1N1 influenza virus continues to spread across the United States, and on October 24, 2009, President Barack Obama declared H1N1 a national emergency. This declaration is a proactive measure that allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give hospitals the ability to implement procedures that can help them handle a possible surge of new patients.

Currently, 46 states, including Virginia, are reporting widespread flu activity, an unprecedented number for this time of year. All states and Washington, D.C., have placed orders for the H1N1 vaccine. However, the CDC has reported that production of the vaccine is slower than expected. This has resulted in vaccine being shipped to health departments and other providers in limited quantities. In the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region, vaccinations for high-risk populations have begun; within the next several weeks, adequate supplies will be available for everyone who wants to receive the vaccine.

This page will be frequently updated with information about H1N1 flu vaccination clinics in the City of Alexandria, and with other information about the disease and how to prevent it.

For more information, call the Alexandria Health Department, at 703.838.4400, ext. 352.
Expectant mothers are asked to call the Casey Clinic at 703.519.5979, ext. 252.
For general information about H1N1, please call the VDH H1N1 Information Hotline at 1-877-ASK VDH3 (1-877-275-8343).

Please also visit our recently updated H1N1 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for answers to many of your questions regarding H1N1 and the H1N1 vaccine (updated November 6, 2009, 11:15am).

Important Flu Shot Update

The Health Department is encouraging everyone to obtain a flu shot through his or her medical home or local clinic. Please refer to www.findaflushot.com to find a clinic in your area.

Currently, our supplier of seasonal flu vaccine for adults has temporarily delayed our shipment. Thus, the Health Department will not offer seasonal flu vaccine to adults in our walk-in immunization clinic until further notice. Until our supply is restored, please utilize local flu shot providers (see above).

New Health Services Resource Guide

The Alexandria Health Department is pleased to offer this recently updated Health Services Resource Guide. The Guide, first developed in 2007 as part of the Healthy Communities Access Program (HCAP) as a collaborative effort of more than 20 local public and private providers, includes a complete listing of health care resources available to Alexandria residents, the services offered, and how to access them. We plan to update this Guide regularly to assist you in navigating our complex health care system.

9-5-2-1-0 for Health

Join the Campaign for Healthier Kids to learn about how to make a difference in the lives of children. The Northern Virginia Healthy Kids Coalition is a group of residents and organizations joined together to promote better health for children of all ages. Click here for a 9-5-2-1-0 fact sheet.

To help spread the message and learn more about the program, please visit www.tippingthescales.net.

How Should I Dispose of My Drugs Safely?

Many people wonder how to properly dispose of their prescription drugs. Never flush your prescription drugs down a toilet or place in the sink. Just return your unused drugs to the pharmacy, or follow these simple instructions:

Keep the medicines in their original containers. This will help identify the contents if they are accidentally ingested.
Cross our your name and prescription number for safety.
For pills: add some salt water to start dissolving them.
For liquids: add something inedible, like cat litter, dirt or ash.
Seal the container and secure with duct tape or packing tape.
Put the container in the trash as close to pickup time as possible. Do NOT put in the recycling bin.

For further information, please consult the following publications:

www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/drug_disposal062308.html

www.deq.virginia.gov/vpdes/Microconstituents.html

Health Department Warns Parents About the Dangers of Diluting Infant Formula

A recent news report about an infant becoming ill from consuming diluted infant formula should serve as a warning to parents that doing so is unsafe and could pose considerable health risk to your baby.

The Virginia Department of Health and the Alexandria Health Department are reminding parents to follow the manufacturer's directions when preparing their baby's infant formula and NOT add extra water. Babies who drink diluted formula can suffer from "water intoxication," whereby the baby's blood sodium levels become diluted, which can lead to seizures and possible death. Drinking watered-down formula also prevents your baby from receiving all of the nutritional benefits they need for growth and development.

Parents are urged to contact the Alexandria Health Department's WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program to inquire about their Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. Please call (703) 838-4400 ext. 332, 216, or 202.

Are You Ready?

In today’s world, your health and safety, and that of your family and friends, can be affected by a wide range of potential health emergencies. Knowing what to do in advance can better protect us all. Click here to learn more.