When the COVID-19 pandemic was at a high point last October, there were probably fewer trick-or-treaters at your door.

This year, as more and more people get vaccinated, we may be able to celebrate Halloween more safely. 

If you want to keep this spooky holiday as safe as possible, the best thing you can do is get a vaccine. If you are eligible, make sure to get the COVID-19 booster shot for an extra dose of protection. 

With flu season coming up, it wouldn’t hurt to get your flu vaccine before Halloween as well.

Keep in mind that it takes two weeks for each of these vaccines to become effective.

Feeling sick before trick or treating? Don’t risk it! There is nothing spookier than accidentally spreading a virus. Keep your favorite candy in your home and put on a scary movie to celebrate Halloween instead. Get tested before trick or treating if you want to be absolutely sure.

One of the best preventative measures you can take is wearing a mask (no, not the Michael Myers kind). You can wear a face mask under a costume mask as long as you can breathe comfortably.

Try getting creative with your mask! Decorate a cloth mask to make a part of your costume. Add a menacing smile and fangs to a mask for a great vampire costume.

Other than that, what can you do to stay safe when you’re trick-or-treating? Monongalia County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer these tips:

• Stay outside and keep it moving.
• Stay in your own neighborhood.
• Keep groups small.
• Give others space when passing.
• Wash or sanitize your hands before eating candy.

If you plan to hand out candy this year, be innovative and avoid using a communal bowl, which could increase the risk of spreading sickness. Try spacing out candy on a table or making individual bags as a fun Halloween activity! Keep hand sanitizer close for yourself and trick-or-treaters. 

If you’re feeling sick or you just don’t want to participate, that’s totally fine! Keep your porch lights off to signal that to trick-or-treaters. 

These safety protocols are likely to keep you safer, but it is still important to remember that the CDC considers trick-or-treating to be a high-risk activity. That doesn’t mean Halloween needs to be canceled — there are plenty of low- or moderate-risk activities you and your family can try instead.

• Carve or decorate pumpkins with a small group.
• Decorate your living space.
• A Halloween scavenger hunt.
• A virtual Halloween costume contest.
• A Halloween movie night with a small group. I recommend “Hocus Pocus”!
• Go to a pumpkin patch and take pictures.
• Go to an outdoor haunted forest/house/maze with safety measures in place, such as masks or social distancing. Check out the Fright Farm, which is about 30 minutes from Morgantown.

There are plenty of things you can do to keep yourself and your family safe this Halloween, no matter what you choose to do. That being said, it is much higher risk to attend crowded parties, not wear a mask and/or be around unvaccinated people.

Remember to follow regular Halloween safety tips as well: it will be getting dark, so use a flashlight and always have someone with you. Using drugs or alcohol is also discouraged, as it could impair your judgment. 

Thank you for taking steps to be safe this Halloween! Hospitals and medical staff are appreciative of those who get vaccinated to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

Be safe, be healthy and have a happy Halloween.

On my way to work last week, I obeyed traffic laws and stopped for a pedestrian — who appeared to be a WVU student.

She had activated the crosswalk lights at the intersection of Falling Run and University Avenue and watched as cars continued to zip by her.

Only after I stopped and a few more vehicles from the other direction plowed through the intersection did a driver do the same thing and allow the woman to cross safely.

Later that day, I saw something even more alarming on a four-lane road. A driver in the left lane obeyed a crosswalk and stopped for a pedestrian. A driver coming along in the right lane couldn’t see the pedestrian and also didn’t take the stopped car as a clue. That driver nearly hit the woman.

Around the same time, a friend posted a relevant message on social media. “Red lights are not a suggestion.”

And neither is stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Pedestrian safety is a matter of public health that Monongalia County Health Department takes seriously. It is also of particular interest to one of our former epidemiologists, who occasionally walked to work and noted that getting cars to stop at the awkward intersection of Van Voorhis Road and W.Va. 705 was very tricky.

It’s especially important in a city like Morgantown, which has a large student population, excess traffic and is not known as the most walkable city.

After nearly 18 months of relatively quiet in our streets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation noticeably changed when WVU students returned in August. Around the same time, secondary school students also took to the streets again to walk to school or the bus stop.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2017, nearly 6,000 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, about one death every 88 minutes.

Additionally, CDC research states that an estimated 137,000 pedestrians were treated in an emergency department for nonfatal crash-related injuries in 2017. Per trip, the CDC adds, pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car accident.

In Morgantown, anyone who keeps up with the news has heard of instances in which individuals have been on the more dangerous end of a pedestrian vs. vehicle accident.

The CDC offers tips for pedestrians to make walking safer. Of course, we know that “crossing streets at a designated crosswalks or intersections whenever possible” still has its dangers. But it’s better to cross at a designated location and then, obviously, keep an eye out for the vehicles that do not stop.

You’ve heard of driving defensively. It’s even more important to cross defensively.

If it’s nighttime, of course, you can increase your visibility at night by carrying a flashlight and wearing reflect clothing.

We’ve all seen individuals walking on busy roads in Morgantown that lack sidewalks. While it’s not recommended, if you find yourself in that situation, walk on the shoulder and facing traffic.

And we all understand the allure of wanting to jam while your walk, but keep in mind that listening to music, like using alcohol or drugs, will cause distractions and impair judgment and coordination.

When it comes to schoolchildren, motorists should stop for school buses and also be careful around bus stops. Parents can teach their children the acronym SAFE, as listed on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website: Stay five steps away from the curb; Always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver signals for you to board; Face forward after finding a seat on the bus and Exit the bus after it stops and look left-right-left for cars before crossing a street.

​These tips mostly put the burden on pedestrians, who need to do their part by using crosswalks and staying alert. And it’s all the more reason for both motorists and pedestrians to be careful out there.

​October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Everyone knows the classic pink ribbon. But do you know the facts?

In the U.S, 1 in 8 (12.5%) women develop breast cancer and a diagnosis is confirmed on average every two minutes. It is the most prevalent cancer diagnosed in women except for skin cancer. It is estimated by the end of 2021, 281,550 new cases will be identified and 43,600 will die. Although less common, men also suffer from breast cancer. In the U.S, 1 in 833 develop breast cancer. More facts and statistics on breast cancer can be found here.

Furthermore, other groups are at higher risk. Latino and Black women have higher rates of cervical cancer, and Black women are more likely to die of breast cancer than other racial or ethnic groups.

This is why screenings are so important. 
 
The biggest risk factors for developing breast cancer are growing old and being a woman. Family history and genetics also play in a role. Some risks can be avoided, such as drinking alcohol and being overweight. However, 60-70% of people diagnosed with breast cancer have no link to any of these risk factors. More risk factors can be found here.

If caught early in a localized stage, breast cancer has a five-year relative 99% recovery rate. Therefore, it is necessary to stay cognizant of the signs. The most common sign is a lump in the breast. It is recommended for adult women to do self exams every month. Clinical breast exams and mammograms are also encouraged. 

MCHD Clinical Services performs clinical breast exams and offers mammogram referrals. The site is linked here. Through the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer (WVBCC) Screening Program, MCHD Clinical Services offers free or low-cost cancer screening. The WVBCC is hosting an online celebration for Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Oct. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. Click here to register.

You can also learn more about MCHD Clinical Services' services on Saturday morning during the 2021 Breast Cancer Survivorship Walk at Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater. We'll have a table there and be able to answer questions and we'll also be participating in the 10 a.m. walk. 

Even if you don’t have breast cancer, October is meant to raise awareness. The annual observance strives to decrease stigma for patients and increase support for research in finding a cure.

You can help the campaign in numerous ways. You can donate to help equalize access to breast cancer screenings or to research initiatives. You can support charities that want clothing for cancer patients in hospitals. You can educate yourself and others through reading. You can volunteer, spread the word and share personal stories to bring more awareness to the cause. 

And of course, you can wear the iconic pink ribbon.

Amid a hectic schedule, it is difficult to find time to focus on yourself. How are you doing mentally and physically? 

The last Wednesday in September marks National Women’s Health and Fitness Day. Women are encouraged to reflect on their well-being and place importance on regular physical activity and a healthy diet. 

With work, family, emotions and more, stress seems to keep accumulating. Moreover, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to feelings of isolation and anxiety, which further intensify stress. 

So, on National Women’s Health and Fitness Day, step away from the current chaos of your life. Consider what you need to ensure a healthy lifestyle.

Here are some ideas:

Maybe, you need to incorporate some more exercise into your daily routine. Go on a walk alone or with a friend. Try out a yoga or Zumba class. Daily exercise increases your endorphins, which is linked with positive emotions. You can also try to incorporate more physical activity through adding simple things like parking your car farther away from where you work. Here is a list: Integrate exercise into everyday life.

Maybe, you need to build your mental confidence. Start engaging in mindfulness. Remember what you are grateful for and focus on the positives in life. One way to do this is by journaling. Sometimes it is easier to explore and process what is on your mind by writing it down and processing. Here are some tips: Journaling for stress relief.

Perhaps, you are not prioritizing your diet. Evaluate your food intake and attend a nutrition seminar. Understand that spending time on nutrition is not a waste. A healthy diet keeps you energized throughout the day, making you more productive. Meal prepping is a good option for women who don’t have time to cook every day. Here is a link for recipes: Meal prep for nutritious meals.

If you haven’t, get vaccinated to relieve some stress from COVID. Make sure you are taking measures to protect yourself from the virus, including wearing a mask, washing your hands and carrying hand sanitizer. Monitoring your health is crucial to staying healthy. It is also critical to make sure you are up to date on all doctor’s appointments. 

Monongalia County Health Department Clinical Services has resources available for women to receive free or low-cost birth control, breast and cervical cancer screening, pap smears, mammogram referrals, STD and hepatitis tests, vaccines and more. 

MCHD Dentistry is a full-service practice that accepts insurance, CHIPS, adult Medicaid and has a new patient special and sliding scale fees for those who qualify. Seeing a dentist twice a year for a checkup and cleaning is vital to maintain good oral and overall health.

MCHD WIC, operated in six counties, is a short-term intervention program to help families improve health behaviors. 

WIC offers nutrition counseling and education to participants who qualify who are pregnant or post-partum women and children up to their 5th birthday. Clients can work with a nutritionist and registered dietitian to assess the nutrition needs of themselves and their family members.  

Additionally, through WIC, pregnant women, or women with infants can receive breastfeeding counseling and support. Post-partum support is available as well. 

Browse through the WIC website and find more than 100 resources to assist you in topics ranging from how to be active while socially distancing to oral healthcare while pregnant. 

Look at National Women’s Health and Fitness Day as an opportunity to assess your health needs. Read a book, do some art, watch a movie, work out, or have a spa day. Do whatever keeps you mentally and physically healthy. Stay well and stay safe. 

Sam Shawish used substances and got clean a few times, once for more than two years. But a little over a year ago, on Sept. 4, 2020, six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, “I had some things happen to me and I made the decision to use again.”

After Shawish missed a work meeting and also an appointment to give a client a ride, Russell Wyatt, a peer recovery coach (PRC) with West Virginia Sober Living, went to Shawish’s apartment and found him unresponsive, with shallow breathing. It’s estimated that he had been out for quite a while and was in cardiac arrest.

Wyatt, who is also a member of the Monongalia County Quick Response Team (QRT), put
his training into action, giving Shawish two 4-mg naloxone doses three minutes apart.
Naloxone reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by kicking opioid molecules off brain
receptors.

Following procedure, Wyatt had already called 911, and soon, Jason D. Morgan, a
Monongalia County sheriff’s deputy and a fellow QRT member, showed up and gave
Shawish additional doses, as did paramedics.

Shawish’s breathing improved although he did not wake up, and he was taken to the hospital.

When he finally came to, Shawish, now 28, had additional challenges to embrace other than a renewed path to recovery.

“My brain was impacted and I had to rebuild my function,” he said. “I had issues making a
sandwich.” He also had to re-learn how to use his legs.

For someone who had struggled with substance use disorder, this added extra layers to
Shawish’s fight for life.

“I actually couldn’t see myself restarting it,” he said of working toward recovery again. “I
had done it so many times. And all of those things hitting me at one time, it was
overwhelming.

“Eventually, I told myself that I did have a choice.” Because of his lengthy hospital stay, he
was no longer physically dependent on the drugs. “The decision to make the choice to dust
myself off or just tap out was totally mine.”

He chose the former, working a 12-step program, completing inpatient rehabilitation at
Jacob’s Ladder treatment facility in Aurora in Preston County, undergoing intensive
outpatient therapy and allowing himself to ask for help and not remain isolated, which would have been easier because of the pandemic.

“I would pick up the phone and call people and tell them when I’m struggling,” he said. The
availability of telehealth also contributed to his success.

More than a year later, Shawish works at Valley HealthCare System as a recovery coach.
And this Saturday, he will be one of the volunteers working with QRT members to teach
naloxone administration to anyone who wants it. Save a Life Day will take place from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. at 13 different locations in Monongalia County.

“It’s been great to see Sam make a comeback and for him to have naloxone available to him to give him an opportunity at another chance to recover,” said Wyatt, who has been
coordinating volunteers and sponsors for the event.

“As far as Save a Life Day, this is a perfect example of why we need to carry naloxone and
use it and have it in the hands of the general public along with individuals with substance use disorder. If the medication is available to save somebody’s life, I feel we have a
responsibility to use it.”

There are other examples of when having naloxone and knowing how to administer it is
important, Wyatt noted.

“We’ve seen situations in which children get into a medicine cabinet or their parents’ stash,
or when people with memory issues have trouble with their prescription dosages,” he added.

These are people’s family members, as Wyatt well knows from a personal experience that
occurred just recently.

“As an example, my 18-year-old son was experimenting with what he thought was cocaine
for the first time. It ended up being fentanyl.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic drug that is more powerful than other substances and often takes
individuals by surprise when it’s surreptitiously added to or substituted for something else.
Wyatt’s son overdosed and was rushed to the emergency department. “If it weren’t for
naloxone, my son wouldn’t be here anymore.”

Save a Life Day locations include five McDonald’s restaurants in Morgantown: Sabraton,
Westover, Star City, Pierpont, Suncrest Towne Centre; the WVU Mountainlair Green and the
WVU Student Rec Center; Morgantown Farmers Market Pavilion; Pierpont Landing
Pharmacy; Star City Fire & EMS; the 7-Eleven on Mason-Dixon Highway in Blacksville;
Woodland United Methodist Church on the Mileground and Mount Pleasant United
Methodist Church on Kingwood Pike.

Participants can just walk up to a table at any of these locations to receive the training.
Naloxone is applied in the nasal passages as a nose spray and is easy for anyone to
administer. Naloxone training has been a key component of the Monongalia County QRT,
which formed in the spring of 2019.

Funded through grants obtained by Monongalia County Health Department, the Monongalia
County QRT is a collaboration among public health, PRCs, first responders and other
partners dedicated to providing immediate and longer-term help to those struggling with
substance use disorder.

The goal is for PRCs is to reach someone who has overdosed within 24 to 72 hours, whether at the hospital, at their home or by telephone. They work with individuals to get them services and, even if not right away, treatment, which sometimes requires time and the cultivation of a relationship before someone is ready.

During Save a Life Day, participants will not only receive the five-to-seven minute naloxone
training, but will also be sent home with two 2-mg doses so they will be able to respond to
real-life situations.

The idea of not helping someone out, no matter how many times the individual has
overdosed, does not make sense to Wyatt or Shawish.

“We don’t get to decide how many attempts it takes,” Wyatt said.

Added Shawish: “It’s like saying, ‘Why give someone medication to someone with
schizophrenia or who struggles with mental health. It’s available and why not?”

And a year later, Shawish is living proof that someone who does recover can then assist
others and pass along the gift of the ability to save someone’s life.

“Today, I sponsor people again,” he said. “I’ve gone from being somebody who couldn’t stop using for six hours at a time to over a year of sobriety. I couldn’t have done it without the support.”