This is the latest Live Well Allegheny e-update. It is full of information that will help in making Allegheny County healthy for all. This can also be shared with your own networks. More information is available on our website at: www.livewellallegheny.com including partner resources which are available here.

We now have 205 community partners, 68 municipalities, 53 restaurants, 34 workplaces and 18 school districts united in our efforts to make Allegheny County healthy for all!

Also, be sure to like and follow the Allegheny County Health Department on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all ACHD news.

Hello Live Well Allegheny community,

Since the first COVID-19 vaccine was approved and doses started being delivered to Allegheny County, the Health Department has worked hard to get vaccines to the people who need them most.

Our vaccination clinic at the DoubleTree Hotel in Monroeville is expanding, and we will be opening more vaccination sites soon. With time, more and more vaccines will become available, as will opportunities to get a vaccine, including at local pharmacies, FQHCs,
community clinics, pop-up events and many other locations in the coming months.

I know many of you want to know when you can be vaccinated. I wish I could answer that for you right now, but there is a great deal of information that is unknown and out of our control. We push the vaccine out as we receive it, as are vaccine providers across the county. We are working through the vaccination phases endorsed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as quickly as possible and are giving priority to those 65 and older because they bear the greatest burden of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

To help share the latest information about the county’s vaccination plan, we have added a subscription to Allegheny Alerts called “COVID-19 Vaccination Information.” If you have already signed up for COVID-19 updates, you will also receive that information. Allegheny Alerts is a community notification system. Anyone can sign up for a free subscription and can choose what information they receive, and how they receive it, including phone calls to residents who may not have a computer or smart phone. Visit alleghenycounty.us/alerts to sign up.

We’re asking for your patience. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for vaccine. Continue wearing a mask, washing your hands, and physical distancing. And, please, avoid social gatherings, even small gatherings, which can spread COVID-19.

Stay safe and be kind.

Covid-19 Testing in Allegheny County

* The Health Department offers free COVID-19 testing at walk-up locations throughout Allegheny County and at its McKeesport testing site. More information about testing in the county is available at on the Health Department’s Information on COVID-19 Testing webpage. Also, follow the Health Department on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest walk-up locations.

* Get the latest on the COVID-19 vaccine in Allegheny County from Allegheny Alerts. Visit AlleghenyCounty.us/alerts to sign up for free. If you already receive COVID-19 updates through Allegheny Alerts, vaccine information will be automatically included.

* Questions about COVID or need help? Please call 2-1-1. The Health Department and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania are working together to provide residents with information about COVID-19 and resources to help stay safe and healthy.

Sexual Health Awareness

While anyone sexually active is at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or HIV, some individuals are more at risk than others. For example, people ages 15-24 make up more than half of all new STD cases both in Allegheny County and the U.S.

There are serious long-term complications when someone has had multiple or untreated STDs. These complications can include infertility, oral, liver, or cervical cancer, and an increased risk of receiving or passing HIV. When someone is pregnant and has an untreated STD, it can cause serious illness to the infant. It is important that we know what risks we are taking so we can figure out how often we should be tested and what options are available to help reduce risk.

The Health Department’s STD/HIV Program provides FREE walk-in testing at the Public Health Clinic in the Hill District, outreach and education in the community, a Condom Distribution Program for local organizations/groups, and working with community partners to increase access STD/HIV resources. For more information visit the STD/HIV programs website. There, the Health Department answers the 10 most common questions about STDs.

ACHD & Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Covid-19 Awareness Campaign

The Health Department and Department of Human Services commissioned MEE Productions Inc. to develop a COVID-19 media campaign and community engagement initiative focused on supporting ethnic and minority communities in Allegheny County that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The campaign is launching soon. Get involved as a campaign partner! Sign up or make a referral at this link: Motivational Educational Entertainment Productions.

Did you know that 33% of American adults are at risk for kidney disease? Most of them don’t know it. It only takes a minute and a few simple questions to find out if you’re in the 33%.

Live Well Allegheny Community Partner, the National Kidney Foundation, has recommended questions to ask your doctor and other resources. Visit this National Kidney Foundation site to take our quiz and get your personalized results.

If you do have risk factors, do not panic; this does not mean you have kidney disease or will get kidney disease. It does mean you should talk to your doctor about your risk of kidney disease at your next appointment. Remember, there are things you can do to reduce your risk or even slow kidney disease progression if you already have it.

The National Kidney Foundation has a variety of resources and events. View/download this Flyer, or, visit the National Kidney Foundation/Allegheny County website.

Announcing a New Multi-Language Asthma Action Workbook

Breathe PA has released a new Asthma Action Workbook in multiple language to address gaps in the healthcare of children with asthma. Language barriers can prevent proper communication between family, school, healthcare providers and community support groups.

Breathe Pennsylvania provides supportive programs to address the health and well-being of children with asthma in Allegheny County. The COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges in the way we provide education, healthcare, and emotional support to keep our children with asthma safe and healthy. The key to proper asthma management is correct assessment, diagnosis and treatment.  Communications within the team of child, parent or guardian, healthcare provider, school, and community are vital. COVID-19 has placed new demands on the asthma care team’s time and resources.

The new Asthma Action Workbook can help by providing opportunities for more child-centered communication, and increased engagement of parents or guardians of children with asthma. It is a valuable resource for families, schools, healthcare providers, and community groups to support proper asthma management. This workbook can reflect the specific needs of each child to foster a better understanding and partnership with families and schools with the aim of reducing trips to the Emergency Department and stays in the hospital. It will help to better define and organize the individual management needs at home, school and in the community. The workbook includes an Asthma Action Plan which will help to ensure everyone is on the same page and reduce miscommunications due to language barriers.

Breathe Pennsylvania works closely with Allegheny County school nurses to provide a School Asthma Initiative (SAI), which is an asthma management program. The initiative provides in-person and real-time virtual education, training, and resources throughout Allegheny County. The goal of SAI is to promote a healthy life for all children diagnosed with asthma.

A free download of the workbook is available in English, Spanish, Somali, Swahili, Arabic, or Nepali at: School Asthma Initiative (SAI) – Breathe PA

For additional information on asthma education, training, and resources, or to speak to a Certified Asthma Educator, please contact Breathe Pennsylvania at www.breathepa.org

Join Breathe Pennsylvania in supporting our children with asthma. “Stay Well and Stay Safe.”