Each fall as the weather cools, the Department of Health and Welfare gets questions from anglers eager to cast lines in lakes or rivers where water quality warnings were made.

Water quality warnings are often because of detection of harmful cyanobacterial blooms (“harmful algal blooms”), caused by cyanobacteria and the toxins they can produce. Cyanobacterial blooms, which can be made worse by such things as nutrient pollution and warm water, can have public health, environmental, and economic effects.

As days shorten and the weather cools, it’s the final phase of the annual bloom season. Cyanobacteria populations are still present —but are beginning to decline. However, cyanobacteria do not disappear, and a portion of the bacteria will remain near the surface of a water body even when most of the population settles to the bottom.

Idahoans who love fishing, swimming, and dog walking  should consider avoiding areas that were recently still blooming and keep pets away. The toxins the bacteria produce are not visible and may remain in the water after the bloom has vanished.

This summer and fall, a number of warnings or advisories were issued for cyanobacterial  blooms in Idaho, most recently for Cascade Lake on the Payette River and Henry’s Lake at the headwaters of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River.

As a general rule for anglers eager to return to their favorite fishing holes or dog walkers who want to let their pets swim, a body of water should not be considered free and clear until it is removed from the Public Health Warnings map at Get Healthy Idaho. Even then, advisories will be removed when toxins meet human health criteria, and dogs can become ill at lower levels, so relying solely on a public health advisory may not protect your pets.

Harmful algal blooms are a health concern throughout the United States. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13 states reported 227 harmful algal blooms that resulted in illness in 95 humans and at least 1,170 animals in 2020—the most recent year reported by the agency in depth. Of the affected animals, 94 percent died from their illnesses.

The bottom line for a number of Idaho waterways is that we can expect cyanobacteria don’t immediately disappear with cold weather and will be in the surface water for a while longer. We’re likely to see green patches of water until Idaho’s rivers and lakes ice over.

More resources:

Idaho Recreational Water Health Advisories: https://www.gethealthy.dhw.idaho.gov/recreational-water-health-advisories

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare FAQ about harmful algal blooms: https://publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=22995&dbid=0&repo=PUBLIC-DOCUMENTS

CDC resources about harmful algal blooms: https://www.cdc.gov/habs/index.html

Idaho Department of Environmental Quality about harmful algal blooms: https://www.deq.idaho.gov/water-quality/surface-water/cyanobacteria-harmful-algal-blooms/

Brigitta Gruenberg is the Environmental Health Program manager in the Division of Public Health.  

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening Idahoans' health, safety, and independence. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

The weather in Idaho has officially tipped toward fall and winter, with cooler (even freezing!) temperatures, and more rain and snow. That means we’ll all be spending more time inside, and viruses like those that cause COVID-19 and the flu will become more widespread.

By all accounts, public health officials are expecting this season to be especially difficult because of respiratory illnesses. COVID-19 continues to spread and is very likely to increase. Flu is expected to be worse than previous seasons, based on what happened in the Southern Hemisphere, where they reported their worst flu season in five years.

I’m as tired of the ominous predictions as the next person, but I also want to be realistic. I don’t want to get sick or spread illness. These viruses are not to be dismissed. And we have some excellent tools to protect ourselves and our loved ones from serious illness and death that both viruses can cause.

For COVID-19, we should stay home if we feel sick, wear masks in crowded places, and get vaccinated and boosted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people ages 5 years and older get one updated bivalent booster if it has been at least two months since their last COVID-19 dose. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines is the best way to prevent serious illness and death. Getting vaccinated after you recover from a COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19.

The actions we recommend to prevent COVID-19 also prevent flu – stay home if you’re sick, wear a mask in crowded public places, and get vaccinated every year. The flu vaccine lowers your risk for serious illness and death due to influenza. It is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.

It also helps to wash your hands often throughout each day.

As the holidays approach, I am looking forward to spending time with my children and grandchildren, and I don’t want COVID-19 or flu to wreck my plans. If you get boosted or vaccinated very soon, your immune system will be good and primed for Thanksgiving dinner. I encourage everyone to take the precautions we know work to keep ourselves and our loved ones as healthy as possible.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend! 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

There is no known safe level of lead in the human body. Children are especially at risk because their bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their nervous systems, including their brains, are not fully developed.

Lead is a naturally occurring metal, and exposure often goes unnoticed because people may have no symptoms and appear healthy. Lead can enter the bloodstream through breathing or swallowing. Children’s brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead, and exposure can result in difficulty learning, behavioral problems, hearing issues, slowed growth, and headaches. Even low levels of lead in blood can cause developmental delays.

Where can a child be exposed to lead?

Lead can be found in the home, air, soil, and water -- all places where children live, learn, and play. The most common exposures include:

• Lead-based paint: Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. Deteriorated surfaces where lead-based paint may be peeling, chipping, or cracking can create dust that contains lead.
• Lead contamination from clothing: Contamination of the home can occur from clothing worn by adults who work in mines, auto shops, and construction sites. Clothing worn during recreational activities in locations containing lead can also bring lead into a home.
• Lead in drinking water: If your home was built before 1986, it may have lead pipes, fixtures, and solder. Lead can enter drinking water when lead service pipes corrode. 
• Lead in soil: Soil in yards or playgrounds can contain lead from different sources, including the ground where exterior lead-based paint may fall after it flake or peels. The use of leaded gasoline in cars or industrial sources, such as former lead smelters or mines, can also be sources of soil contamination.
• Lead used in jobs and hobbies: Jobs and hobbies that may expose you to lead include welding, auto or boat repair, making ceramics or stained glass, target shooting at firing ranges, furniture refinishing, and home remodeling . People may bring lead dust into their cars or homes by carrying it on their clothes or body.   
• Lead in products: Lead may be found in certain foods, cosmetics, and traditional medicines imported or purchased in other countries. You cannot tell if a product contains lead by looking at it or tasting it. 
• Lead at old mining sites: Historical mine sites can have high levels of lead and other metals in waste rock, tailing piles, soil, water, and buildings. 

What are steps I can take to protect my child from lead?

Work with your doctor: Lead exposure often has no obvious symptoms and can go unrecognized. Testing is the only way to know if your child has lead in their body. If you have never had your child tested, or think your child has been exposed to lead, contact your doctor to arrange a simple blood test.

Be sure to follow up: If your child has an elevated blood lead level, work with your doctor for information about how to lower it. Follow-up testing should be scheduled until the level of lead in the blood is no longer a concern.

Find sources of lead exposure:

• Find and remove sources of lead from the environment before a child is exposed. This is one of the most important things that can be done.
• For more information on sources of lead, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention website and the Idaho Environmental Health Childhood Lead Prevention website. 

Ways to reduce lead exposure:

• Repair deteriorating surfaces containing lead-based paint that are peeling, chipping, and cracking. This repair should be done immediately by an EPA-certified contactor. Home repairs such as sanding or scraping paint can create lead dust and should be carried out by an EPA-certified contractor. 
• Wash your hands often. Everyone should wash their hands before eating and sleeping, especially after playing outside. Lead dust is so small it cannot be seen. Children can get lead poisoning from swallowing dust on their hands and toys.
• Keep lead-associated hobbies separate from living space. If you have hobbies that involve lead, such as bullet reloading, fishing, or antiquing, prevent the build-up of lead dust by regularly cleaning your work area and keeping your hobby separate from your living space.
• Remove shoes and dirty clothing before entering your home, especially if you have a job that includes welding, auto or boat repair, making ceramics, stained glass, target shooting at firing ranges, furniture refinishing, and home remodeling.
• Clean play areas, toys, and toy containers often. If toys come from outside, clean them before bringing them inside.
• Lead may be found in the paint, metal, and plastic parts of toys and toy jewelry, particularly those made in other countries, as well as antique toys and collectibles. Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website or call 800-638-2272 to be sure your child’s toys are safe.
• Lead can be found in foods, cosmetics, and medicines from other counties. Pregnant women and children should avoid use of any product that may contain lead. More information can be found here.  

Feed your child healthy foods:

• Foods that contain calcium, iron, and vitamin C may help keep lead from building up in the body.
  • Calcium is in milk, yogurt, cheese, and green leafy vegetables like spinach.
  • Iron is in red meats, beans, peanut butter, and cereals.
  • Vitamin C is in oranges, green and red peppers, and juice.

For additional information

• Lead | Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program | CDC
• Lead | US EPA

Kelly Berg is an Environmental Health Program Specialist in the Division of Public Health. Kelly is responsible for developing Idaho’s first Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, aimed to raise awareness of childhood lead exposures and increase blood lead testing rates for children 6 years and younger throughout Idaho.

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

Preventing suicides and helping Idahoans who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis is an important priority for the Department of Health and Welfare. It’s so important that it’s one of four goals in our strategic plan. Goal 3 is to help Idahoans become as healthy and self-sufficient as possible, and reducing the number of suicides in Idaho is the first objective.

The launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline earlier this summer was a big moment for Idaho. And I’m extremely pleased to be able to report that since the launch of 988, the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline has seen an increase in call volume of about 39 percent when compared to the same timeframe in 2021. Nationally, reports show call volume increasing 50 percent and texts answered increasing 1,000 percent.

This is wonderful success! Even so, we still have work to do. As we continue to improve the crisis care continuum in Idaho, we are pleased that Idahoans now have an easy-to-remember number to call when they or a loved one is in need, and they are using it.

Anyone experiencing behavioral-health related stress -- thoughts of suicide, mental health issues, substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress — can call or text 988 at any day and time. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis intervention.

Veterans can call 988, and then press 1 when prompted to reach the Veterans Crisis line.

Help is available. Suicide is never the answer.

For more information, visit call988idaho.com.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend! 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

In the last 30 days, Idaho has experienced eight earthquakes with a magnitude 2.5 or greater, all of them clustered in the Sawtooth or Salmon River mountains of central Idaho—and all of them relatively benign.

Most of central Idaho’s recent seismic activity consists of aftershocks from a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that shook the region near Stanley on March 31, 2020, but it underscores that Idaho is a seismically active place where a major earthquake could impact the health and safety of Idahoans.

This Thursday, Oct. 20, is the Great Idaho ShakeOut, a day to think about and prepare for the possibility of a serious earthquake. At 10:20 a.m. (local time), people around the globe will join the ShakeOut to practice earthquake safety in their homes, businesses, and civic groups.

Great Idaho ShakeOut resources include drill manuals and guidance for schools, workplaces, museums, and government offices, including specific guidance for conducting drills during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earthquakes aren’t Idaho’s only potential natural disaster, however, and this week’s ShakeOut is a reminder that Idahoans can prepare for a wide range of emergencies, whether it’s flood, drought, wildfire, or a major blizzard. Being prepared means reducing the immediate negative impact when disaster strikes, and by having a plan, you can connect quickly with family or friends because you’ve planned ahead.

During a public health emergency, access to food, water, daily medications, and other resources may be limited. Individuals, families, businesses, and communities can prepare for all public health emergencies by following a few simple steps.

How to prepare

Create a plan. Your plan should include how you’ll cover or obtain the five basic necessities, including: water, food, energy, shelter, and security.

Setting copies of important documents aside is another important piece of preparedness planning for families and individuals. Important documents include medication lists, marriage certificates, birth certificates, and medical insurance information.

In addition to collecting necessary basics, your plan should focus on the following:

1. The best way to get to safety (in your home and away from it)
2. Methods of communication
3. How to reunite after the disaster

Talk with your whole family and agree on communication signals. Remember that a lot of times during a crisis, phone lines and cell towers may not work. Choose a family member or friend who doesn’t live in your area to be a point of contact, and if disaster strikes that person can be a hub with whom everyone checks in. Note that sending a text message may be more effective during a disaster due to the high volume of phone calls likely being placed.  

When to prepare

Preparing for an emergency begins long before anything happens. Your plan should be developed and practiced. 

Early preparation should also include an emergency preparedness kit that you or your family members can grab quickly.

For more information about emergency preparedness, visit DHW’s Emergency Preparedness webpage where you’ll find resources to get a kit, make a plan, and be informed.

Influenza season is here, and now is the time to get your annual influenza (flu) vaccine, also known as the “flu shot.”

Although the U.S. has had mild flu seasons the last two winters, this flu season could be different. In the countries of the Southern Hemisphere the most recent flu season was the worst in five years, with influenza A (H3N2) circulating.

The A (H3N2) viruses have been associated with more severe influenza seasons compared to other flu viruses that have circulated in years past, and the U.S. could see it this season. As people resume their normal routines, more people may be exposed to circulating respiratory viruses like flu and the virus that causes COVID-19.

Public Health officials expect both influenza and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to be present and spread in Idaho at the same time. Vaccination against respiratory viruses can help prevent hospitalization and death.

To protect against the flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months of age or older get the flu vaccine each year in September or October. However, vaccination after October can still be helpful since flu seasons generally last into spring. CDC bases recommendations on the Advisory Committee on Immunization (ACIP).

Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community against the flu. In the U.S. flu vaccination prevented an estimated 7.5 million illnesses, 3.7 million medical visits, 105,000 hospitalizations, and 6,300 deaths associated with influenza during the 2019-2020 flu season.

The 2022-2023 flu vaccinations are estimated by scientists to protect against four different influenza viruses that may circulate during the upcoming flu season: two different influenza A viruses and two different influenza B viruses. Medical visits for the flu can be reduced up to 60 percent when the vaccines effectively match the viruses circulating in a season.

Read more about vaccine effectiveness: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm.

Other ways to protect yourself during the flu season include wearing masks, physical distancing, hand washing, and staying home when you’re sick. These actions can prevent flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory infections.

To learn more about influenza and the influenza vaccine, please visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/index.html.

To learn more about influenza in Idaho, visit the Idaho influenza website: https://flu.idaho.gov.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

Women’s Health Check is a breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic testing program for low-income, uninsured women in Idaho. It is a valuable resource for eligible women to get screening services such as mammograms, Pap tests, pelvic exams, and  other diagnostic testing.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s important to me that women in Idaho know these services are available so they can get screened regularly – it could help save their lives. Strengthening the health and safety of all Idahoans is a critical part of our mission at the Department of Health and Welfare.

Idaho has one of the lowest breast cancer screening rates in the United States, even though breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Idaho ranks 50 out of 52 for breast cancer screening. I would love to change that number. 

When breast or cervical cancer is found early, it increases the chance of successful treatment. Ninety-eight percent of women will survive at least five years after an early detection. That’s why regular screenings are so important.

In addition, women screened or diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer may be eligible to receive treatment through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Medicaid Program, which may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and drug therapy. 

You can learn more about the Idaho Women’s Health Check Program on our website at https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/medicaid-health/womens-health-fit-fall-quit-smoking/womens-health-check.

To see if you are eligible for Medicaid, visit https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/medicaid-health/apply-medicaid.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend! 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

Tissue donors save and change lives, but it only works if donors are matched with people in need. Since 2013, the team at the Idaho State EMS Communications Center has been helping make that connection.

Many tissue donors are connected to patients through hospital systems, but when a person passes away outside a hospital, police and other first responders can become their gateway into the donor system. If you’re an emergency responder or know someone who is, you can coordinate through StateComm at 800-632-8000.

Based in Meridian, StateComm is a component of the Bureau of EMS and Preparedness in the Division of Public Health. It routes emergency calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week—making it a logical point of contact for first responders reporting pre-hospital deaths.

When emergency responders reach out about a recently-deceased person, StateComm sends the name, date of birth, and location of the deceased to a referral center, which searches for matches.

This volunteer process is working. One of our partners at a tissue procurement center in Boise recently reported that StateComm is outperforming some of Idaho’s rural hospitals. This is a point of pride for emergency responders and dispatchers who are imperative to making these crucial connections happen.

Moreover, the process and feedback they often receive when there is a match can help emergency responders heal from calls they responded to.

Once again, if you or someone you know would like to participate, please coordinate through StateComm at 800-632-8000.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

The HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Section in the Division of Public Health has a big job – to prevent and treat HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and viral hepatitis in Idaho.

After people get HIV, they have it for life. There is no cure. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. People with HIV who get effective HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and protect their partners. 

Somewhat similarly, STDs can be treated with medicine, but unlike HIV, some can be cured entirely. They don’t always cause symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms, so it is possible to have an infection and not know it. That is why it is important for people who are sexually active to protect themselves and their partners, and to get tested.

The Department of Health and Welfare’s HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Section is made up of five separate programs that manage and monitor HIV prevention, HIV care, STD prevention, and prevention services related to viral hepatitis in Idaho. The Syringe Exchange Program was added in 2019 after the Idaho Legislature made syringe and needle exchanges legal.

The overarching goal for all these programs is to help Idahoans be as healthy as possible by preventing, treating, and controlling HIV and STDs in the state. 

The section works closely with local public health districts, community health centers, federally qualified health centers, and community-based organizations to ensure prevention and care services are available to the Idahoans who need it.

The primary HIV prevention services include HIV testing, counseling, and referral services for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and connection to HIV medical care; condom distribution; and HIV disease investigation services for newly infected people and their partners.

The section also manages services for those diagnosed with HIV, including medical case management, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, and support services to enhance access to and retention in HIV medical care and treatment.

STD prevention-related services are offered through partnerships with local public health districts, community health centers, and federally qualified health centers throughout the state. Services include testing and treatment; education and outreach; and disease investigation services for newly diagnosed clients and their partners.

In line with the national emphasis on eliminating hepatitis C, the section has expanded access to hepatitis C screening and testing through a statewide network of partnerships with clinical and community-based organizations.

The section works closely with the Epidemiology Section to monitor HIV and STD trends throughout the state and deploys resources to combat the spread of disease. Rates of HIV and STD fluctuate year to year, but the 2021 rate of syphilis continued a multi-year increase and remains of concern.

The syringe exchange services provide technical assistance to community-based entities supporting syringe and needle exchange activities and implementation guidance, per statute requirements.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend! 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

Project Filter offers free resources and support in Idaho to help people quit smoking, vaping, and chewing, as staffers work toward an Idaho that is free from tobacco-related deaths and disease.

The program promotes healthy behaviors and offers free Nicotine Replacement Therapy in the form of nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges, to help people on their journey to quit commercial tobacco. Staff works closely with Idaho’s seven local public health districts and two tribes to make sure free resources and classes are available to all Idahoans who want to quit using tobacco.

The program offers:  

• Up to eight weeks of free nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges for eligible participants.
• Personalized support from a trained quit coach anytime, day or night. (This is available in Spanish and 150 other languages)
• Personalized text or e-mail messages to help with your quit attempt when you sign up for eCoach.

The tobacco industry markets and targets their products to youth, racial and ethnic minorities, people who are LGBTQ+, veterans, people who live in rural and remote areas, and many others. To provide  services to the people who need it most, the program staff works hard to meet people where they are. That’s why Project Filter works with an array of groups in a variety of places and events, from fairs and festivals, to rodeos and stock car races, including:

• Canyon County Fair in Caldwell
• Eastern Idaho State Fair and Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo in Blackfoot
• Stateline Speedway in Post Falls
• Jerome County Fair and Rodeo in Jerome
• MRP RAcing in Coeur d'Alene
• Pride festivals – statewide
• Bull Mayhem at the Fort Hall Indian Reservation
• Flipside Festival in Garden City
• Boise Music Festival
• Treefort Music Festival in Boise
• World Village Festival in Boise

In 2011, 17 percent of adults in Idaho smoked cigarettes. In 2020, the smoking rate was under 14 percent, thanks to the many efforts of Project Filter and their partners across the state.

Idahoans can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit projectfilter.org to sign up for free services from anywhere in the state.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend! 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.