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Covid testing site is closingFree Access




The LHI – OptumServe Covid-19 testing site located at the Mariposa Park and Ride is scheduled to close with the final day of testing being Feb. 3.

According to Mariposa County Health and Human Services (HHSA), the LHI testing facility was never meant as a permanent testing site and was provided as a resource due to the Public Health Emergency.

Testing options remain available through other channels including John C. Fremont Healthcare District and some Quest lab locations, and the county will continue to share that information as well as resources. Contact clinics directly to ask their requirements.

The community is still encouraged to use personal mitigation measures such hand washing, masking, vaccinating and staying home when ill or experiencing symptoms.

Covid-19 antigen (rapid) tests are available and easy to access through options including doctors’ offices, pharmacies and online purchases.

Rapid tests are available from www.covid.gov/tests — these are free at-home tests delivered via USPS. For testing information and resources, visit www.covid19.ca.gov/get-tested

For individual concerns, contact your primary care physician.

The county will be hosting vaccine clinics every Thursday in February from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Community Health Center located at 5300 Highway 49 North. In addition to scheduled clinics, the Mobile Health van will be out and about — dates will be shared as they are confirmed.

Visit www.MyTurn.ca.gov or call 1 (833) 422-4255 to schedule an appointment for a vaccine clinic. All clinics have first, second, additional and booster doses available, including vaccinations for children aged six months and older.

As of Jan. 27, Mariposa County Public Health had Covid-19 information stated as 4,515 total cases, three current hospitalizations, 41 deaths, 1.52 average daily cases, 17 cases reported for the week and the county at a Low community level. Information is updated Friday afternoons with the exception of federal holidays.

For other Covid-19 information or for questions, call the Community Health Center at (209) 966-3689. You can also call or text (209) 259-1332 or send an email to mariposacovid19@gmail.com.

Advice given for cervical cancer

About 13,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer, with approximately 4,000 dying yearly. Protect yourself from cervical cancer by checking out these tips on how you can keep your cervix healthy.

Use condoms or dental dams every time you have sex to help lower the chances of spreading or contracting human papillomavirus (HPV) during sex. Talk with your doctor or nurse about the best plan for your health.

Get regular wellness exams, including tests for HPV and Pap smears, when you need to.

Get vaccinated against HPV and encourage others to do the same.

HHSA, CDC share information on radon

Jan. 23-27 was Radon Awareness Week and HHSA posted some tips about reducing radon levels, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.

Anyone can get lung cancer from breathing in high levels of radon over time. Radon is an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas that can build up in homes and buildings, putting people at risk.

Steps you can take to measure and reduce radon levels include the following:

• purchasing a radon test kit and sending the kit to an approved laboratory to determine radon levels

• testing your home or office

• fixing your home if radon levels are high

The only way to know if you have unsafe levels of radon in your home or office is by testing. You can contact your state radon office for testing or purchase a test kit in a hardware store or online.

If your test shows that radon levels are above four pCi/L or you are interested in reducing radon in your home, contact your state radon office to help you find a qualified or state-certified radon contractor in your area to fix your home.

Lowering high radon levels requires technical knowledge and special skills so you should rely only on a qualified professional for these repairs. Test radon levels again after any repairs to be sure they worked.

Since there is no safe level of radon, reducing radon inside your home or building will always help reduce your risk of lung cancer, even when the level in your home is less than four pCi/L.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends these actions you can take to reduce your risks of lung cancer and help lower radon levels in your home:

Increase air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. However, natural ventilation is only a temporary strategy to reduce radon.

Seal cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk or other mate­rials designed for this purpose.

You can cover the earth floor in crawl spaces with a high-density plastic sheet. A vent pipe and fan can be used to blow the radon from under the sheet and vent it to the outdoors.

Always test radon levels again after making any of these changes to ensure these actions reduced the radon levels.

Smoking and second-hand smoke, combined with exposures to high radon levels, increase the risk of lung cancer. Not smoking and not allowing others to smoke in your house helps prevent lung cancer. Call 1 (800) QUIT-NOW or visit www.CDC.gov/quit for free support and resources to help with quitting smoking.

Ask about radon-resistant construction techniques if you are buying a new home. It is almost always cheaper and easier to build these features into new homes than to add them later.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides guidance and resources for reducing radon in schools. Contact your state radon office for information about testing and reduction strategies in schools, daycare and childcare facilities and workplaces in your area.

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