TARRANT COUNTY, TX
Public Health
November 12, 2018
November 12, 2018
Babies, turkeys and the flu
One measure of health for any society is how many of its children survive their first year of life.
Children born before 37 weeks of pregnancy (premature birth), and complications resulting from such early births are the number one cause of "infant mortality" in the United States and the second cause in Tarrant County.
Of all the large counties in Texas, Tarrant County has been leading in the rate of infant deaths --until recently. We've been doing something about that, and thankfully we're seeing positive progress.
On a lighter note, if you're like me you see the upcoming holidays as a time of good fun and great food. Our Live A More Colorful Life program offers a variety of enjoyable recipes that can help you enjoy the holiday treats without all the excess calories. Most are easy to make and will add to any party you take them to. And we have special recipes for healthy holiday treats.
We're also big on food safety too. While we don't employ gourmet chefs, we have the know-how to safely prepare turkey, ham and other meats. Don't give the 'stomach bug' a chance to ruin your holiday meals.
And if you get the chance before the holiday rush, squeeze in time for a flu shot. Getting a flu shot now gives your body time to develop the necessary resistance to help you ward off the flu when it becomes more prevalent. And there's not a lot of people lining up just yet to get one. But whether you get it from one of our clinics, or elsewhere, it doesn't matter as long as you get one.
Happy holidays and best of health to you and yours!
Sincerely,
Veerinder (Vinny) Taneja
Tarrant County Public Health Director