Flu season is imminent and just in time to coincide with the Virginia Department of Health’s latest MAPP2Health Community Health Assessment. Throughout the rest of the year, Blue Ridge Health District, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, and UVA Health System are all collaborating to conduct in-person and online focus groups and to survey residents from the City of Charlottesville, as well as Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties.
The MAPP2Health survey is an anonymous questionnaire that takes fewer than five minutes to complete and requests basic health information about residents and their households. The focus groups, which will be conducted online as well as in-person, will be more in-depth, focusing on a comprehensive look into the health care needs of residents in our area. VDH will use the data when assessing the community’s needs, distributing resources, and looking for lapses in their assistance programs.
Blue Ridge Health District’s Communications Manager Jason Elliott says that the data from this program is essential for local and state health care officials for determining the needs of the people in the area.
“It’s really important for us to have an accurate picture of our community and what those needs are,” he says. “We can use this data to see what areas might need better access to public transportation or broadband.”
Elliott also stresses the need for continued vigilance when it comes to infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 and Influenza.
“According to the CDC, [COVID-19] infections in Virginia as a whole are likely declining,” he says. “However, it’s important to remember that with in-home testing options available, we may not have an accurate count of just how prevalent infections are.”
Elliott says people should remain vigilant and take precautions against COVID-19 by staying up to date with their vaccinations and practicing good hygiene. Those who suspect that they may have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19, he says, should use precautions to prevent spread, including staying home and away from others, including members of your household who may not have contracted the virus yet.
Another virus that Americans should be cautious of this year is Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. After an international outbreak was traced to a rave in Madrid in May 2022, the JYNNEOS vaccine was developed and released that August. Since the initial outbreak, Virginia has seen 601 total reported cases of Mpox, 25 hospitalizations, and two deaths, the majority of which were recorded in 2022. Over the last 12 months, Virginia’s only had 26 reported cases of Mpox, with only four of them leading to hospitalization. None were fatal.
“People with Mpox often get a rash that may be located on hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth, or near the genitals,” Elliott says. Other symptoms may include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, and respiratory symptoms.
The Mpox vaccine is available for anyone who believes they may be at risk, including those who come in contact with wild animals, those who have intimate or sexual contact with someone who does, or those who have been in contact with potentially contaminated materials. People with multiple sexual partners of any gender are at higher risk, as well.
“Getting the Mpox vaccine is as easy as making an appointment at the BRHD … [or] at local health departments throughout Virginia,” Elliott says.
Those interested in a COVID-19, Mpox, or flu vaccine or who are seeking additional information can contact their local health department or visit cdc.gov.