Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Baltimore Declares First Code Blue of the Season

Because anticipated drop in temperatures and expected snowfall are a potential danger to health, I declared the first Code Blue cold weather alert of the winter season for tonight. The City’s Code Blue is a multi-agency effort to reduce hypothermia deaths this winter by protecting homeless individuals, seniors and other vulnerable populations from extreme cold weather.

In response to the City’s expected freezing temperatures overnight as well as potential snow accumulation, tonight’s code blue declaration will trigger several responses aimed at providing for those must susceptible to extreme cold weather:

  • The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services operates a 24-hour Housing & Resource Center for men and women at 620 Fallsway.
  • Private homeless shelters will be encouraged to extend their hours and keep people indoors.
  • Homeless Services will provide 60 additional beds for residents seeking meals and sleeping quarters accessible thru the Housing & Resource Center at 620 Fallsway.
  • Additional cold weather education and outreach efforts, as needed.


Last winter, there were 8 days when the high temperature did not surpass 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
The state Medical Examiner’s office recorded 11 hypothermia-related deaths in Baltimore.
Our city’s most at risk of hypothermia death include the elderly, individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, those who abuse alcohol, drug users and the homeless.

As always, it is important to minimize your risk of hypothermia by staying indoors in safely heated areas. If you must go outside, be sure to dress warmly and stay dry.  Also remember that drinking alcohol – even in small quantities – can increase your risk of cold-related injuries, so imbibe with caution. And of course, if you have elderly or chronically ill neighbors, check in on them to make sure they are staying warm. 

On this first Cold Blue night of the season, it’s also important to remind residents lacking heat of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from using generators in enclosed spaces, or burns caused by alternate heating sources. Energy assistance is available to residents in need at the Office of Home Energy, 410-396-5555.

If you or someone you know needs shelter tonight, please find the list of city and private shelters on our website.  For other cold-related inquiries and service requests, or to find a nearby homeless shelter, residents can call 311 (410-396-3100 after hours).

Bundle up, and take care, B’more.
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As always, it is important to minimize your risk of hypothermia by staying indoors in safely heated areas. If you must go outside, be sure to dress warmly and stay dry.  Also remember that drinking alcohol – even in small quantities – can increase your risk of cold-related injuries, so imbibe with caution. And of course, if you have elderly or chronically ill neighbors, check in on them to make sure they are staying warm. 

On this first Cold Blue night of the season, it’s also important to remind residents lacking heat of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from using generators in enclosed spaces, or burns caused by alternate heating sources. Energy assistance is available to residents in need at the Office of Home Energy, 410-396-5555.

If you or someone you know needs shelter tonight, please find the list of city and private shelters on our website.  For other cold-related inquiries and service requests, or to find a nearby homeless shelter, residents can call 311 (410-396-3100 after hours).

Bundle up, and take care, B’more. 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Honor National Flu Vaccination Week By Getting Immunized

Winter is here, and that means a host of wonderful traditions – ice skating, hot chocolate, building snowmen, and the Hampden holiday light show. It also means we are in the midst of flu season. This week is National Flu Vaccination Week (December 4 – 10). If you haven’t already received your annual flu vaccine, I encourage you to get one before it’s too late. 


According to CDC, it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. Therefore, CDC recommends early vaccination to ensure that as many people as possible are protected during the current flu season. That is why it is so important for people to get vaccinated early in the season.

It is also important to take preventive measures at this time of year: wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing, and stay home when you’re sick. These steps will keep you from spreading or catching the flu this year.

Typical flu symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache and muscle aches, and extreme fatigue. While most people recover quickly and fully from the flu, others are at risk for more serious complications.This includes children under five, adults over 65, pregnant women, and those with certain health problems. Residents in these high risk categories are encouraged to contact their physician as soon as they experience any flu symptoms, especially fever and cough, to find out if they may benefit from anti-viral medications. If taken early in the course of the flu, these medications can help decrease the length of illness. Also, persons over 65 years of age should check with their healthcare provider to make sure they are vaccinated for pneumococcal disease.


If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, I encourage you to visit one of the Health Department’s TIKE clinics. Shots are free and there is no appointment necessary. Other tips on avoiding flu are available on the DHMH website at www.dhmh.maryland.gov, and from the CDC website's flu information web pages at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/.

Monday, December 5, 2011

A Major League Win for Tobacco Cessation: MLB Bans Smokeless Tobacco in Games

Over the summer, I shared with you the initiative among health commissioners from 15 major US cities – including Baltimore – to urge Major League Baseball to curb tobacco use among its players. When MLB announced the terms of the players’ new contract recently, we received extraordinarily good news: the new bargaining agreement includes historic limitations on the use of smokeless tobacco by players, managers and coaches.  

The new agreement prohibits players, managers and coaches from using smokeless tobacco during televised interviews, at team events, autograph signings and other appearances made on behalf of their teams. Any time when fans are in the ballpark, they will be prohibited from carrying tobacco products in their uniforms or on their body, and violators are subject to discipline.

Major League Baseball and the players’ union are jointly launching a nationwide public service campaign against smokeless tobacco, with youth – and in particular, young baseball players – as the target audiences. The Major League Baseball Players Association is establishing its own Tobacco Cessation Center, to be launched in the 2012 season. In addition, players will be screened for oral cancer during their annual physicals, probably at spring training.

This is extraordinary news, because the simple fact of the matter is that tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. As cigarette smoking has declined, the tobacco industry has increased its marketing of smokeless products and is spending record sums to promote them. But smokeless tobacco use is itself very dangerous, causing serious diseases of the mouth, including oral cancer. In addition, there is reason to worry that smokeless tobacco use by young persons may serve as a gateway to cigarette smoking, this nation’s leading preventable cause of premature death and disease. The new contract means that players, coaches, and managers will be offered the resources to quit and the screenings they need.

To show they are tobacco-free, many players turn their pockets inside out. That trend was pioneered by former Baltimore Oriole Tony Batista. Come Opening Day next year, I hope to see a whole lot more inside-out pockets on display.

While these provisions do not include an outright prohibition on smokeless tobacco use during games, they represent the first steps baseball ever has taken to begin breaking the game’s addiction to tobacco.  The new agreement will make a difference in how smokeless tobacco is perceived by young people, and hopefully represents a major step toward its ultimate elimination from the game.

To show your appreciation to MLB for taking this major step toward eliminating tobacco use from America’s greatest pastime, visit Tobacco Free Baseball and sign their online thank you letter. If you are anyone you know wants to quit tobacco, we urge you to call 1-800-QUIT NOW for information on how to stop.

Take care, B’more.