Health, Fitness & Medical
Health, Wellness, Fitness, Medical News local to Boulder County Colorado To advertise please call 303-447-8531
Colorado Environmental Coalition
Oct 29th
Colorado Environmental Coalition works on a variety of issues that span the state and include protecting our public lands, ensuring the quality of the water we drink, preserving wildlife habitat and opportunities for recreation, advocating for good transportation and growth practices, promoting common sense policies in the state legislature, and providing technology resources to other non-profits.
Boulder (NE)– Get ready for funky tap water
Oct 26th
Residents may notice slight changes in water due to source change
City of Boulder water customers in Gunbarrel, Heatherwood, Hoover Hills, and areas north of Arapahoe Avenue and east of Foothills Parkway may notice a slight change in water taste on Thursday, Oct. 27, when the Utilities Division switches water sources at the Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Plant from the Boulder Feeder Canal to the Boulder Reservoir. Service changes are a normal part of water treatment and distribution operations. No service interruptions are expected while the water source change occurs.
The potential changes are due to differences in source water chemistry between the canal and reservoir water sources. Most of the water in the canal comes from Carter Lake and is typically less mineralized (softer) than the water from Boulder Reservoir.
As part of the standard treatment process, the water is sampled and tested frequently. These ongoing evaluations are performed by water quality staff to ensure that the highest-quality drinking water is delivered to all Boulder residents.
CU-Boulder student treated for meningitis
Oct 17th
A 21-year-old female student at the University of Colorado Boulder was diagnosed late on Friday with meningococcal meningitis according to county and university health officials. The student, who is a junior living off campus, is in stable condition at Boulder Community Hospital.
Boulder County Public Health officials are investigating the single case. No other cases of the disease have been confirmed by county or state officials at present.
Meningococcal meningitis is a serious bacterial infection that causes infection of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal disease may be spread to others; however, this is uncommon.
“Most of those CU community members who have had close contact with this student have already been contacted and offered treatment by Boulder County Public Health,” said Dr. Don Misch, CU-Boulder assistant vice chancellor for health and wellness.
The risk to other people is minimal and is confined to those who have had close contact with the patient. Close contact includes kissing; sharing cigarettes, drinks, glasses or eating utensils; and being exposed to secretions from the nose or throat of the infected person.
“Others, particularly undergraduate students who have never been vaccinated for meningococcal meningitis or have not been vaccinated in the past five years, should consider getting the vaccination,” Misch said. “On a university campus, those at greatest risk in general for meningococcal meningitis are students living in residence halls, so these individuals should especially consider vaccination at Wardenburg Health Center or from their personal health care provider.”
“Vaccination is the most effective way to protect against this severe disease,” said Murielle Romine, Boulder County Public Health communicable disease control program coordinator.
Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis can include fever, severe headache, stiff neck, irritability, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, rash, disorientation and confusion. A person may be infected for one to 10 days, and most commonly three to four days, before showing any symptoms.
The last reported case of meningococcal meningitis at CU-Boulder was in March 2006. That student, a male, recovered fully.
Those who are interested in getting the vaccination can go to Wardenburg Health Center from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Wardenburg Health Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Parents of all incoming freshmen receive a letter during the summer with information about the recommendation for immunization.
For more information on meningococcal meningitis and the vaccination, check the Wardenburg website at http://healthcenter.colorado.edu or http://www.BoulderCountyHealth.org, and click on Meningococcal Information.
