Outreach
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Overview
SWCOEH faculty, staff and students have provided over 580 hours of COVID-19 outreach and training to professionals and organizations across PHR6 and the U.S. The range of topics covered included keeping workers and customers safe, returning to work, or use of personal protective equipment. The SWCOEH has also provided numerous consultations to work organizations and news interviews on COVID-19. Our bilingual English and Spanish COVID-19 Resource website hosts the post-webinar recordings, industry-specific publications, media interviews, and links to local, regional, national, and international public health web-based resources. In addition, our trilingual English, Spanish, and Guatemalan K’iche’ COVID-19 mitigation and vaccine resources for agricultural workers and their families can be found here. Our COVID-19 education and outreach program has facilitated the education of 2,079 agricultural workers and their families, the on-worksite COVID-19, influenza, Tdap, MMR, and pneumonia vaccination of over 3,200 dairy, produce, meat-processing, and equipment manufacturing industries workers as well as their immediate family members with the help of 24 local health and non-health community partners across 19 counties in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
For More Information
Anabel Rodriguez, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Director, Outreach Program
Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
UTHealth School of Public Health
7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1119
San Antonio, TX 78229
Phone: 210-276-9019
Email: Anabel.Rodriguez@uth.tmc.eduWhat are infectious diseases?
Infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that can spread from person-to-person directly or indirectly in other ways. Humans can also become infected after exposure to an infected animal.What is Influenza?
Influenza (or the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. There are two main types of flu: Type A and Type B.What is tetanus?
Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria. These bacteria invade the body and produce a poison that causes painful muscle contractions.What is Tuberculosis (TB)?
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick or has symptoms. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist latent TB infection (LTBI) and active TB disease. If not treated properly, active TB disease can be fatal.What is Hepatitis A (HAV)?
Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver, and when this happens, the liver's function can be affected.What is Hepatitis B (HBV)?
Hepatitis B (HBV) is another virus that can cause inflammation of the liver.What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox. The virus is part of the same family of viruses as the variola virus, which causes smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms but milder, and Monkeypox is rarely fatal.What is Coronavirus (COVID-19?
COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia. COVID-19 may attack more than your lungs and respiratory system.
Myths & Facts: COVID-19 Vaccines- MYTH: The ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous.
- FACT: Nearly all the ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines are also ingredients in many foods – fats, sugars, and salts.
- MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines cause variants.
- FACT: No. COVID-19 vaccines do not create or cause variants. COVID-19 vaccines can help prevent new variants from emerging.
- MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips.
- FACT: No. Not possible.
- MYTH: Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine can make you magnetic.
- FACT: No. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at your injection site. All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals.
- MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines can alter my DNA.
- FACT: No. COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.
- MYTH: A COVID-19 vaccine will make me sick with coronavirus.
- FACT: No, the vaccine cannot make you sick. None of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines contain a live virus that causes COVID-19.
- MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines will affect my fertility.
- FACT: Currently, no evidence shows that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems (problems trying to get pregnant) in women or men.
The good news is that prevention of infectious diseases is easy! Practice the following preventative tips:
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water
- Cover your cough and sneezer with a tissue and throw it away after
- Reduce your contact with sick individuals (those coughing or sneezing)
- Wear your mask (KN95 or N95) when sick or around sick individuals
- Avoid sharing personal items like toothbrushes or glucometers
- Maintain a clean home and workplace and disinfect frequently
- Stay home when you feel sick or test positive
Remember getting vaccinated is the BEST way to prevent infectious diseases!¿Que son las enfermedades infecciosas?
Las enfermedades infecciosas son causadas por gérmenes como bacteria, virus, hongos, y parásitos que afectan la salud de las personas. Estas enfermedades pueden transmitirse de persona a persona directamente (cuando estas cerca de una persona enferma) o indirectamente (cuando tocas algo que tiene gérmenes). Hay algunas enfermedades en animales que afectan también a los humanos. Por eso los humanos también pueden llegarse a enfermar sí tienen contacto con animales enfermos.¿Qué es la Influenza?
La influenza (o mejor conocida como la gripe) es una enfermedad respiratoria contagiosa causada por el virus de la influenza que afecta la nariz, la garganta, y los pulmones. Hay dos tipos de influenza; la tipo A y la tipo B.¿Qué es tétanos?
El tétanos es una infección casada por una bacteria. Esta bacteria invade el cuerpo y producen un veneno que provoca dolorosas contracciones musculares.¿Qué es Tuberculosis (TB)?
La tuberculosis (TB) es causada por una bacteria llamada Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Esta bacteria usualmente ataca a los pulmones, pero la bacteria de la TB también puede atacar cualquier otra parte del cuerpo como el riñón, columna vertebral o cerebro. No toda la gente infectada con la bacteria de la TB se enferma o tienen síntomas. Existen dos tipos de TB: la tuberculosis latente (la cual puede vivir en su cuerpo sin que usted se enferme) y tuberculosis activa, la cual puede ser letal.¿Qué es el Hepatitis A (VHA)?
Hepatitis es la inflamación del hígado, la cual afecta su funcionamiento normal.¿Qué es Hepatitis B (VHB)?
Hepatitis B (VHB) es otro virus que puede causar inflamación del hígado.¿Qué es la viruela del mono?
La viruela del mono es una enfermedad infecciosa poco común causada por el virus de la viruela símica. La viruela del mono no está relacionada a la varicela, es parte de la misma familia de virus que la viruela. Los síntomas de la viruela del mono son muy similares a los de la viruela normal, pero más leves. La viruela del mono es muy raramente fatal.¡Las bunas noticias son que las enfermedades infecciosas son fáciles de prevenir! Solo sigue los siguientes consejos preventivos:
• Lavase las manos por 20 segundos con agua y jabón
• Cúbrase la boca con un pañuelo de papel cuando tose o estornuda y tírelo a la basura
• Reduzca el contacto con personas enfermas (personas que estén tosiendo o estornudando)
• Póngase su mascarilla (KN95 o N95) cuando este enfermo o esté cerca de personas enfermas
• Evite compartir artículos personales como como cepillo de dientes o agujas (como el del aparato de la diabetes)
• Mantenga una casa y lugar de trabajo limpio y desinfecte frecuentemente
• Quédese en casa cuando se sienta enfermo o cuando el doctor le indique que este enfermo ¡Recuerde que vacunarse es la MEJOR manera de prevenir la mayoría de las enfermedades infecciosas!
- MYTH: The ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous.