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A Healthy You; A Healthy Community
Tips to Stay Healthy in Brookline: A Review
“Talk about the coronavirus, now called COVID-19, is everywhere. While the current risk in Massachusetts remains low, it’s important to remember you can stay healthy by practicing good hygiene. The Brookline Department of Public Health prepared “Tips to Stay Healthy in Brookline: A Review,” which is available on the town website: www.brooklinema.gov. Take a moment to refresh your memory and remember - if you have flu-like symptoms, stay home and call your health care provider.”
Tips to Stay Healthy in Brookline: A Review. (PDF)
(PDF) نصائح لتحافظ على صحة جيدة في بروكلين: مراجعة.
在 Brookline 保持健康的小贴士：须知回顾。 (PDF)
Konsèy pou rete an sante nan Brookline: Yon Rezime. (PDF)
טיפים על מנת להישאר בריאים בברוקליין: סקירה. (PDF)
Brookline에서 건강을 유지하는 요령: 검토. (PDF)
Dicas para permanecer saudável em Brookline: revisão. (PDF)
Советы для поддержания здоровья в Бруклайне: обзор.(PDF)
Consejos para mantenerse saludable en Brookline: un resumen. (PDF)
Five Ways to View Coverage of Coronavirus (PDF)
Health Advisory Update on Coronavirus
BROOKLINE – The Brookline Department of Public Health is closely monitoring information about the COVID-19 virus (Coronavirus). While the risk is currently low in Brookline, this is a rapidly changing health issue. “We have convened a Task Force which will meet regularly to keep current about the virus and the situation in the United States”, said Dr. Swannie Jett, Health Commissioner for Brookline Public Health (BPH). Brookline is currently at low risk with no cases of coronavirus but, we are closely monitoring the situation. Recently, CDC increased its travel warning to Level 3 for China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. We strongly encourage anyone that has traveled to these countries to stay home and self-monitor for 14 days upon entry into the United States. “I would avoid any unnecessary travel to these countries as well”, said Dr. Swannie Jett.
Symptoms for COVID-19 include fever and respiratory illness, such as cough and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, infection can cause bronchitis, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. Symptoms may be similar to the flu. Preliminary information suggests that older adults and people with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe complications from this virus.
2019 Novel Coronavirus Fact Sheet (PDF)
Health Alert: Travelers from China (PDF)
Additional Links
Information on the Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronoavirus (MDPH)
March Events
Special Free Community Screening of IF THEY HAD KNOWN
On Tuesday, March 10 at 7 pm in the BHS Roberts/Dubbs Auditorium, BHS PTO and B-PEN (Brookline Parent Education Network) are presenting a special community screening of a powerful documentary called “If They Had Known.” The 35-minute film focuses on the risks of the current party culture, which often involves teens and young adults mixing alcohol and prescription drugs as a way to deal with stress or get high. The film is an honest, emotional account of a real-life tragedy — the death in 2015 of 19-year-old Clay Soper of Winchester after mixing alcohol and Xanax. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion.
April Events
2020 Rabies Clinic
Saturday, April 4, 2020 | 9:00 am - noon
Brookline Town Hall (Lobby) | 333 Washington Street
Cost: Rabies Vaccination $15 Microchip $15 (Cash or check only)
BWH Volunteer Opportunities
HANDWASHING | Fight Germs. Wash Your Hands!
Wash Your Hands Fact Sheet - English (PDF)
Wash Your Hands Fact Sheet - Spanish (PDF)
MARCH | Colon Cancer Awareness Month
National Public Health Week
April 6 - 12, 2020
More information coming soon! Check back in the future for details on Brookline’s Public Health Week events.
Friends of Public Health
Brookline resident and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) Dean, Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, was awarded the Alan Balsam Public Health Leadership Award by the Friends of Brookline Public Health (FPH) on April 4, 2019, during National Public Health Week activities in Brookline. The award is presented to a Brookline resident for outstanding leadership in public health both at the local and national level. Dean Galea received the award at the Coolidge Corner School in Brookline prior to his talk: “How the Trump Administration is Shaping Your Health.”
Prior to coming to BUSPH in January, 2015, Dean Galea was Gelman Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
He previously held academic and leadership positions at the University of Michigan and at the New York Academy of Medicine, and received degrees from Columbia and Harvard University.
Dean Galea has published more than 800 scientific journal articles, 50 book chapters, and 13 books. His forthcoming book, Well: what we need to talk about when we talk about health, will be published by Oxford University Press in May 2019.
The Friends of Brookline Public Health (FPH), a non-profit organization, was formed in 1999 by J. Jacques Carter MD, MPH (Chair, Brookline Advisory Council of Public Health) and Alan Balsam PhD, MPH (Director, Brookline Public Health and Human Services). The goals of the organization are to build a constituency and advocate for public health at the local level, educate the community about public health, secure grants and other donations, and provide seed funding for worthy local public health projects.
To date, FPH include 160 individual members and 10 corporate members, the former paying $25/year and the latter paying $100/year to join. Most members are public health and medical practitioners who live and/or work in Brookline. The Friends of Public Health also holds annual public health forum moderated by Former Governor Dukakis. Awards and mini grants are given out during this meeting. We also accept your kind donations in order to fund organizations that need our support!
Brookline Public Health and Human Services’ mission is to preserve, protect & promote the physical, mental, and environmental health of the Brookline Community. We collaborate with partners to reduce health inequities and respond to emerging public health challenges.
Currently, the FPH is moving toward to obtaining its 501 (C)(3) status by recruiting more members who are interested in supporting local organizations. The Friends of Public Health plays a role in educational campaigns and community health, as well as in advocacy for local community. The Friends of Public Health would love to have your support to make the town a better place! Please join us!
Find us on social media:
Twitter : @fph_Brookline
Facebook: Brookline Friends of Public Health@brookline.fph
Email: brookline.fph@outlook.com
Population Health
Greetings!
I’ve been asked many times what population health is. Wikipedia defines it as “the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group." It is in essence, a strategic plan to improve the health of the entire population.
Health is a dynamic state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (WHO, 1998) Public Health is “What we, as a society, do collectively to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy." (IOM 1988).
Public Health
- Prevents epidemics and the spread of disease
- Prevents injuries
- Promotes and encourages healthy behavior
- Responds to disasters
- Assures the quality and accessibility of Health Services
“Population health is public health”
- A medical model saves lives one person at a time
- Public Health saves lives millions at a time.
Through public health achievements life expectancy in the United States has increased from 47.3 years in 1900 to 78.1 years in 1996. That’s a 25+ years of life improvement.
Additional Information
Dr. Swannie Jett, Health Commissioner of Public Health, asks that you contact the Brookline Health Department at 617-730-2300 with any questions or requests for additional information.