Barnstable County Community Health Newsletter, 6th Edition
As we wrap up a busy summer season on Cape Cod, it’s important to focus on one of our
most important environmental health issues–water quality. August is National Water
Quality Month and we’re making a point to drill down on a recent change to Title 5–the
Massachusetts environmental code that regulates septic systems. While the purpose of
this change is to protect our waterbodies from nutrient pollution in wastewater originating
from septic systems, there will be financial implications for our residents. The situation is
prompting a lot of questions and our goal is to help clarify how these regulatory changes
will impact our communities, both from an environmental and economic standpoint.
As summer transitions to fall, there’s another important topic to discuss–weather and
emergency preparedness. September is National Hurricane Preparedness Month and the
time of year when it’s important to be on alert for hurricanes making their way north
towards New England to our sun warmed waters. As we’ve learned from the recent
wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, devastating emergencies can take even the most
prepared communities by surprise.
Finally, we have some wellness tips from our Public Health Nursing Division and a reminder
from our Public Immunization Program to stay current with your vaccines, especially Tdap
(Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis) and flu. There’s also been an uptick of COVID-19 cases in
the community over the last 6-8 weeks–a reminder that the virus is still actively circulating.
Getting up-to-date on your COVID-19 vaccines and boosters will prevent you from
experiencing severe symptoms if you are exposed. For the latest recommendations and
resources regarding COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control’s (CDC),
website.
Read the newsletter in its entirety at Community Health Newsletter (capecod.gov)!
