Talking Health with the Clinton County Health Department

Summer’s here, the sun’s out, and the mosquitoes… well, they’ve RSVP’d to everything. Whether you're camping, grilling, or just enjoying your backyard, these tiny flying menaces always seem to show up uninvited — and they don’t come empty-handed. Besides leaving behind itchy welts, mosquitoes can spread some serious diseases like West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, dengue, malaria, and more. Not exactly the kind of souvenirs you want from a summer evening. And did you know they prefer feeding on human blood? It’s true! They actually gain a fitness advantage when they feed on humans. Mosquitoes bite (or feed) frequently, meaning (you guessed it) more opportunities to transmit illnesses. Our expert this month is Dr. Laura C. Harrington, Professor of Entomology at Cornell University and Director of the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases (NEVBD). Laura has decades of professional experience; has published over 123 peer reviewed articles and 3...

Let’s be real—riding a bike is awesome. Wind in your hair, sun on your face, and that satisfying “whoosh” as you cruise past traffic like a two-wheeled superhero. But even superheroes need a safety plan (just ask anyone who’s ever taken a tumble trying to show off). Whether you're a weekend cruiser, a daily commuter, or a trail-blazing adventurer, bike safety isn’t just important—it’s the key to keeping your ride smooth and your body free of bruises. This month we have enlisted the help of Erin Pangborn, Youth Services Recreation Director for the Town of Plattsburgh. Erin has worked for the Town of Plattsburgh Parks and Recreation Department for 15 years and has spearheaded the Bike Block Party for the past 5 years. Ready to gear up and learn how to ride safe as a family? Let’s roll! Erin, lets start with the bike itself. How do I know my child has the right one and that I’m not going to end up with a grumpy kid and a broken chain on the side of the road? You want to make sure ...

We get it. The topic of STIs ( sexually transmitted infections ) is often something we’d rather avoid. It can be as awkward as a bumble date where they looked nothing like their picture. But the reality is, STIs are far more common than we think, and getting informed is the best way to protect ourselves and others. Whether you’re in a committed relationship, casually dating, or in a situationship, understanding STIs is an important part of taking care of your health. To help us dive in, we have Nichole Louis, Director of Health Care Services at CCHD. Nichole has been a registered nurse for over 25 years and has led CCHD’s communicable disease investigation team for the past 9 years. When a Clinton County resident tests positive for an STI, Nichole’s team connects with their provider to ensure anyone exposed can be tested and/or treated early and the risk of further spread is eliminated. Nichole, I know they can often be silent – or show no symptoms, but when it comes to STI’s what s...

During a Q&A session at a community presentation last week, I was asked, “how does Clinton County stack up, health-wise, against other communities?” Now statistically we can say, we are better at this measure or worse at this one, but overall how do we know? How do you go about giving a community of almost 80,000 residents, spanning over 1,000 square miles a report card? Answer, a community health assessment (CHA). This month we are putting our usual host in the hot seat. Instead of asking the questions, Molly Flynn, Principal Public Health Educator at CCHD, will be answering them. Molly joined CCHD in 2018 and has been involved in three out of four iterations of the community health assessment resident survey. She is going to walk us through what the assessment is, why we need it, how we make sure it’s a good representation of our community, and more. Molly, we will start with an easy one. What is a community health assessment? A community health assessment, or CHA, is a snaps...