Lisa Young: Jacque Davis, Delta County Public Health Director, thanks for talking with KVNF today.
Jacque Davis: Yeah, thank you for having me.
Young: You were recently appointed as the Public Health Department Director for Delta County following the retirement of Karen O'Brien. Before that, you were the Public Information Officer and Marketing Director for Delta Health. Tell us how long you've been at the health department.
Davis: Well, I've been a here at the health department for just a little over two months. I think that my relationship with the community and understanding of the community's health care needs, as well as my background in communications and health care and health care marketing, has really allowed me to transition smoothly into this role.
Young: You're no stranger to Delta County, so that helps a lot. I'd like to start our conversation today talking about what public health is and the many services that it provides the community.
Davis: So public health is really about preventing disease, promoting wellness and protecting the health of our residents. At Delta County, we provide a wide range of services, anything from immunizations and family planning to environmental health services like restaurants and septic system inspections.
We also work on important education and outreach efforts to our community regarding disease prevention programs like the WIC program and tobacco cessation.
Young: There may be times when you emphasize a different program. Certain months you might like, say quitting tobacco. There might be a certain time of the year that the public health department really pushes out that kind of information.
Davis: Absolutely. We really try to tailor it to our community what the needs are at the moment. You know, when we talk about obviously tobacco and vaping in the schools, we're going to be doing it during the school time. So we really do try to tailor it to what's going on and where we can meet our community.
Young: I know one important area where public health makes a difference is immunizations. Let's talk a little bit about the role that the county health department plays when it comes to vaccinations.
Davis: Absolutely. Vaccinations and immunizations are the most important or effective way to protect our community from vaccine preventable diseases. At the health department, we offer a wide variety of vaccines for all ages, including childhood immunizations, which are really important.... we've been emphasizing right now with school being in session. Flu shots. We do offer COVID 19 immunizations, adult vaccinations like the shingles and pneumonia.
We have programs and provide vaccines for the uninsured and underinsured adults and children. But right now, to your point, what you're talking about seasonally right now we're really promoting getting your flu shot. Places you can get your flu shot are at the doctor's office, flu clinics that are set up within your community, local pharmacies and of course the health department.
Young: Yeah, used to be that it was either your doctor or the health department where you got immunizations, your vaccines taken care of. They've really broadened that. I think that might have been something that, you know, was a COVID necessity to kind of get those more out in the community where people had a lot more access points. But it is very important for people to get flu and COVID 19 shots. You know, now's great. Like, don't wait. I think that would probably be a message you would agree with.
Davis: I think it's really wonderful that a lot of communities have like drive through flu clinics. Different clinics have their, you know, a special time where you can walk in and get your vaccines in your clinics or in your excuse me, your flu shots. But they're also, like you said, offered at your local pharmacies.
Young: Yeah, it really opens it up. You know, also, Jacque, I think it's important to remind the community about the continued threat of West Nile virus.
Davis: Absolutely. West Nile virus is a serious concern in our area, especially during the warmer months. We encourage everyone to take precautions, things like wearing insect repellent, using protective clothing, you know, putting on those long sleeves and reducing standing water where mosquitoes generally breed.
Our department actively monitors mosquito populations and works to control them through community awareness and prevention. We also provide dunks for free mosquito larvicide dunks to our community. So you can come in and get some of those and I know that it's starting to cool down, but we're not out of the woods (pun intended) just yet. People still are at risk and should be taking those precautionary measures.
Young: Oh, absolutely. I'm just wondering, with the change in the season and I know we talked about immunizations, vaccinations, getting prepared that way. Is there other programs that the health department looks at as we move into the colder weather?
Davis: Last month in September was National Preparedness Month. And we talked a lot about making sure you're prepared, having your prescriptions in a kind of a to go box where you have your special papers, making sure you have communications with the people around you and where you're going to meet up if something were to happen. So making sure that you are really prepared in those times, in those situations. So we do a lot of community outreach for that as well.
Young: Well, we've looked at, you know, what's happened with the hurricane recently. And, you know, I think sometimes we feel like something like that is not going to happen here. But there are other things that can happen where we're at. So yeah, getting prepared, always thinking about what you need to do, what you need to have, where you need to go if you need to leave the area. Good to know that the health department is a part of that. And I would think you guys also work in conjunction with our Emergency Management Department as well through through the county.
Davis: We do. So the health department is a part of what they call emergency preparedness for the health care piece of it. But we work hand in hand with Kris Stewart, who is our Emergency Preparedness Director here at the county. And so we have a really great relationship and we couldn't do it without him. And so we really appreciate that partnership and we work really closely together.
Young: Jacque, how can the community connect with the health department? There might be people out there who still aren't sure what you do, where you're at, how they can get connected, and the benefits that they can receive from being a part of and getting connected to our county health department. So tell us a little bit about where folks can connect with you.
Davis: Absolutely. They can stop by for more information. The Delta County Health Department is at 255 West Sixth Street in Delta. Obviously, check us out on our Web site, which is Delta County Colorado. We have our own Facebook, which you can go check out or call us at 970 -874 -2165.
Young: And is there anything else you would like to add to the conversation today?
Davis: I love the question, when you asked what public health is and why is it so important? And I think that it touches every part of our lives, often in areas that people don't even realize. And I think that's why knowing your health department, knowing the folks in your health department is so important, whether, like I said, it's about your septic system or like you said, we do inspections on the food, retail food here in the county or immunizations. It really hit so many parts of our lives that people don't realize. And coming over to the health department, having a conversation, asking questions with family planning, we do STD checks. I think people would be really surprised at the level and what we do around here.
Young: Right. And public health being a little bit different from what we would probably consider private health or personal health, you know, where you have your primary care physicians and and they're working with you on your personal health. But public health does that, but it also expands it more into the community to safeguard against infectious diseases, you know pandemics, things that move through. And just basically looking out for the county the county residents. I know that there was some concern about, you know, rabies in the county. You guys are looking after things like that as well. I mean, it's a pretty it's a pretty broad umbrella. It's not as narrow as people might think.
So you guys do a tremendous job over there and we do encourage the public to check out the Delta County Public Health Department and, you know, stay connected. Facebook is a great way to find out what's going on and you can get in on some really good information through that.
