Saratoga County Department of Health

11/26/2025

🤧 The holidays are fast approaching, and large gatherings, travel, and more time indoors can mean more viruses spreading.

💉 Protect yourself, family and friends with a flu vaccine ahead of the holidays!

📌 For more information, please visit: https://loom.ly/lHGlKOY.

11/24/2025

🦃 No matter how you celebrate, it’s important to prepare your holiday meats properly to prevent food poisoning. Keep these food preparation tips in mind:

🌡️ Use a meat thermometer to ensure turkey and chicken reach 165°F, beef and egg dishes reach 160°F, and whole cuts of beef, veal, pork and fish reach 145°F (let rest for 3 minutes).
🧊 Always thaw your meats in the refrigerator or cold water, not on the counter.
🥩 Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and wash hands and surfaces thoroughly.
🗓️ Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and consume within 3-4 days.

☎️ For more food safety information, please visit: https://loom.ly/FKI1GSs.

11/20/2025

🚭 The Great American Smokeout is held every year in November. Make a plan to start your quit journey today!

💨 About 34 million American adults still smoke ci******es, and smoking remains the largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world. No matter how you age or how long you’ve been smoking, quitting improves health both immediately and over the long term.

📲 For help quitting, call the New York State Smokers’ Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487) or visit www.nysmokefree.org.

11/18/2025

🦌 Ticks feed on the blood of various animals, including rodents, rabbits, deer, birds—and even humans!

⛺ Hunting brings you in close contact with ticks, so take the proper safety precautions to reduce your chances of being bitten:

▪️Treat your clothing with permethrin.
▪️Tuck pants into boots or socks.
▪️Shower when you return from a hunt.
▪️Perform tick checks after being outside in tick habitat.

‼️ If you find a tick attached, remove it promptly with fine-tipped tweezers and clean the area with soap and water. If you develop a fever or rash, call your doctor.

📌 For more information, please visit: https://loom.ly/T0zM3nU.

11/17/2025

Save the date for the International Survivors of Su***de Loss Day Event on 11/22/25 from 12:00 PM-3:00 PM at the Saratoga YMCA Senior Center (290 West Ave. Suite 1 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866).

If you'd like to take part in this event, please sign up using the QR code on the flyer or via this link: https://loom.ly/whI9jHk.

Saratoga County Department of Health

11/14/2025

🗣️ If you live, work, or go to school in Saratoga County, we want to hear from you!

📝 Your input is important to us as we work to improve the health of all people who live in Saratoga County.

🖇️ Please complete our Community Health Survey at www.SaratogaCountyNY.Gov/Health.

📌 The survey closes on 12/12/2025.

11/13/2025

🌟 Today is World Kindness Day – a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can make a world of difference.

💗 You never know what someone may be going through. Be kind, always!

📞 If your or someone you know is struggling, you’re not alone. Help is just a call or text away: The 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7, free, and confidential.

📌 For more information, please visit: https://988lifeline.org/get-help/.

11/12/2025

Come join our team!

💼The Saratoga County Department of Health is looking for a Public Health Engineer to join their team. As a Public Health Engineer III, you’ll play a vital role in maintaining and promoting a healthy environment for everyone.
📲👉 For further details and to submit your application, please visit our website: https://loom.ly/TKxAT94

11/06/2025

⚠️ Lead is extremely harmful to everyone, but people who can get pregnant and children are at highest risk.

🦌 This hunting season, consider lead ammunition alternatives. Studies show that lead bullets shatter into small pieces upon impact and may contaminate meat. These pieces can be too small to detect by sight, feel, or even when eating.

📌 To learn more about how to minimize lead exposure and keep your family safe, please visit: https://loom.ly/fuQzHD0.

11/04/2025

🗣️ November is Diabetes Awareness Month.

👥 Diabetes is a leading cause of death in the United States affecting millions of individuals every day.

🧩 Diabetes is one of the many conditions included in the Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Program. The CYSHCN Program seeks to improve the system of care for children and youth with special health care needs from birth to 21 years of age and their families.

🖇️ To submit a CYSHCN referral, please visit: www.saratogacountyny.gov/children.

10/30/2025

🎃This Halloween, follow the poison prevention tips (on the graphic) for a safe and enjoyable day for all!

📞If you have any questions or suspect an accidental poisoning, call the Upstate New York Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 (available 24/7, 365 days).

10/28/2025

💤October is SIDS Awareness Month - a time to remind parents and caregivers to follow safe sleep practices to help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

👶Most SIDS deaths occur between 2-4 months, often linked to unsafe sleep environments.

🛏️Reduce the risk by following these safe sleep tips:
🔹Always place your baby on their back to sleep, including naps.
🔹Use a flat, firm mattress with a fitted sheet in a crib or bassinet.
🔹Keep the baby's sleep space in your room for at least the first six months.
🔹Avoid blankets, pillows, bumpers, and soft toys.
🔹Keep you baby's head uncovered and avoid overheating.

📊Families in Saratoga County can explore the Family Health Dashboard for local infant and maternal health data, resources, and support programs. To view the dashboard, please visit: www.saratogacountyny.gov/data.