Get documents about "newletter template
Document Sample
Environmental Health
Community Outreach Newsletter
Introducing Our New Health Inspectors
Winter 08
The City of Berkeley Division staff. as an Environmental January-June 08
Department of Health Health Technician with
and Human Services is Harvey Johnson San Diego County. We Issued 2X per year
pleased to welcome two previously worked as an are pleased that these
Environmental Health Environmental Health two dedicated Our Mission:
Specialists (The official Specialist with the County professionals decided to “Our mission, as the
term for “Health of Los Angeles. come to Berkeley and Division of
Inspector”) to our Antoinette Stetzenmeyer join our community and Environmental Health, is
Environmental Health comes to us after working staff. to promote and protect
the health and well being
of all persons in the City
of Berkeley by
Eat Well Berkeley Restaurant Program administering state and
local regulations. We
How to participate believe in the importance
of disease prevention
provide healthy food ♦ At least two Eat through education and
choices. Customer can Well option menu enforcement as a means
use the program to iden- items (these can be of safeguarding public
health.”
tify restaurants that meet found on the City of
the overall criteria, as well Berkeley Eat Well Inside this issue:
as to identify specific web site.)
menu items at that restau-
What is the Eat Well rant. What is an Eat Well Norovirus 2
Berkeley Restaurant option?
program? Eat Well What do restaurants An Eat Well option is a Eat Well Berkeley: 3
Berkeley is a new com- have to do to be a part specific menu item that Continued
munity health program, of the program? has been approved by Hand Washing 4
sponsored by the City of Restaurants have to meet out dietician to meet a
Berkeley Public Health a set of health criteria, in- health standard. To be
Division Chronic Disease cluding: an Eat Well option, an
Prevention program and ♦ No trans fats entrée must have at
the Kaiser Permanente ♦ A fruit or vegetable least two of the follow-
Healthy Eating Active side dish and a lean ing: a serving of fruit or
Living Program. It is de- meat option. vegetable, a whole
signed to support and ♦ Healthy options on the grain and a lean pro-
promote restaurants that kid’s menu. (Continued on page 3)
Meet “Icky” The Microorganism
and his not so friendly pal “norovirus”
an unwanted visit. direct contact with and in-
fected person who has symp-
Norovirus toms.
Noroviruses are members of a People working with food
group of viruses called who are sick with norovirus
caliciviruses also known previ- are a particular risk to others,
ously as “norwalk virus”. Infec- because they handle the food
tion with norovirus affects the and drink many other people
stomach and intestines, caus- will consume. Since the virus
ing an illness called gastroen- is so small, a sick food han-
teritis, or “stomach flu”. This dler can easily, without
“stomach flu” is not related to meaning to, contaminate the
influenza, which is a respira- food he or she is handling.
tory illness caused by influ-
I’m “Icky” the microorganism. I’m Many of those eating the
enza virus. Noroviruses are
tiny, in fact I am so small you can’t contaminated food may be-
also not related to bacteria or
see me unless you are peering at come ill, causing an out-
parasites that can cause gas-
me through a microscope. But break.
trointestinal illnesses.
don’t be fooled by my size. I can
pack a real punch. Remember the Outbreaks of norovirus have
Norovirus infection causes
time you woke up at 2 in the morn- taken place in restaurants,
gastroenteritis, which is an in-
ing with terrible cramps and were cruise ships, nursing homes,
flammation of the stomach and
sick to your stomach? Or how hospitals, schools, banquet
the intestines. The symptoms
about the time you missed three halls, summer camps, and
are nausea, vomiting, and/or
days of work with a 102 degree family dinners. In other
diarrhea accompanied by ab-
fever and a case of diarrhea? words, places where people
dominal cramps. Some people
That could have been me, or one have consumed water and
also complain of headache,
of my not so friendly pals paying food prepared or handled by
fever, chills, and muscle
you a visit. others. It is estimated that as
aches. Symptoms usually last
many as half of all food re-
a couple of days, and begin 1
Indeed, most of you have probably lated outbreaks of illness
to 2 days after ingestion of the
met me at one time or another. A may be caused by norovirus.
virus. There is no evidence
visit from me was likely even more In many of these cases, sick
that sick persons can become
unpleasant than that unannounced food handlers were thought
long-term carriers of the virus,
weeklong stay from your ornery to be implicated.
but the virus can be in the
Aunt Edna. Make no bones about stool and vomit of infected per-
it, you are probably best off avoid- As sick as norovirus can
sons as long as 2 weeks after
ing me, uh um, like the plague (no make you, most people who
they feel better.
pun intended). are infected recover com-
pletely within a couple of
In this newsletter I am going to tell People can become infected days, with no long term com-
you all about my good friend noro- with the virus in several ways, plications. Anyone working
virus. He is a particularly unpleas- including: eating food or drink- in a restaurant who experi-
ant and devious pal of mine, so I ing liquids that are contami- ences norovirus-like symp-
am going to give you some back- nated with norovirus, touching toms should not come to
ground information on him and surfaces contaminated with the work until cleared by a doctor
what you can do to help prevent virus and then placing their and/or the local health de-
hand in their mouth, or having partment. (www.cdc.gov)
Page 2 Environmental Health
Eat Well Berkeley Restaurant Program
(Continued from page 1) ♦ Your restaurant’s community
image is enhanced. What am I committing to do
tein source. An entrée must ♦ Your employees will enjoy a when I join the program?
also have less than 750 calories, healthier workplace and will Once you are accepted to the
30% calories from fat and 10% have one more reason to take program, you commit to:
calories from saturated fat. A pride in working for you. ♦ Inform restaurant staff
side dish, appetizer or dessert ♦ The program offers you free about your restaurant par-
must have one of the above nutrition consultation and sup- ticipation in the program.
items and have less than 300 port. ♦ Post window decals and/or
calories (with less than 30% a certificate of participation
calories from fat and 10% calo- What does my restaurant re- so that customers can iden-
ries from saturated fat). ceive when I am part of the pro- tify you as an Eat Well
gram? Berkeley restaurant.
How do I know if a restaurant ♦ Eat Well Berkeley window de- ♦ Advertise specific “Eat Well
is participating in the Eat Well cals. Options” menu items in any
Berkeley program? ♦ Stickers of digital logos to use way that fits with your res-
You can find a list of participat- on menus to highlight “Eat taurant.
ing restaurants at the City of Well Options”. ♦ Continue to meet the crite-
Berkeley official web site. You ♦ Table tents. ria.
will also know a restaurant is ♦ A certificate of recognition.
part of the Eat Well Berkeley ♦ Listing on the Eat Well Berke- How long does the process
program by the decal displayed ley website. take?
on the door, the certificate on ♦ Listing in the Eat Well Berke- Eat Well Berkeley’s goal is to
the wall and the other promo- ley brochure that is distributed register you within 4-6 weeks
tional materials describing the by the Berkeley Public Health of receiving your completed ap-
program throughout the restau- Department. plication. If we have a waiting
rant. Restaurant operators list, we will inform you of the
choose to participate in the pro- Do I have to make big changes length of the expected delay.
gram. Participating in this pro- to become and Eat Well Berke-
gram shows a restaurants inter- ley restaurant? How do I get started?
est in and willingness to offer Not necessarily. You may al- You can go to the Eat Well
healthy food choices to their ready fulfill many of the criteria. Berkeley web site at www.
customers. Additionally, if you do not cur- cityofberkeley.info/publichealth,
rently meet enough of the criteria, and fill out an application or call
Why should my restaurant be an Eat Well Berkeley dietician (510) 981-5300.
part of the Eat Well Berkeley consultant can come meet with
program? you to help you figure out simple,
♦ As a restaurant owner/ affordable changes you can
operator, you have the op- make.
portunity to make a differ-
ence in the health of your Do I get credit for the good
customers and community! things I’m already doing?
♦ Similar programs in other cit- Yes! In fact, your restaurant may
ies have found increased already qualify.
customer satisfaction with
participating restaurants. Is there a fee to be part of the
♦ The program promotes Eat program?
Well Berkeley restaurants to Not currently. During this pilot
the public (for free)! period, there is no charge to join.
January-June 08 Page 3
Hand Washing
Why should I wash my hands?
Washing your hands is one of the single most impor- Wash your hands BEFORE:
tant things you can do to prevent illness. Clean hands ♦ Eating
can help protect you from infectious and food-borne ♦ Touching or handling foods
illnesses. If you are sick, it can help to keep you from ♦ Touching or bandaging a cut or scrape
passing your illness to others. ♦ Inserting or removing contact lenses
Hand washing protects your health by helping to re-
move dirt and germs that get on your hands during
almost any activity. If you don’t wash your hands, the
germs on your hands can get into your mouth, nose,
eyes, cuts and scrapes, and food you are preparing. It
may then make you and others sick. Even if your
hands look and feel clean they can still have germs on Wash your hands AFTER:
them. ♦ Eating
♦ Touching or handling foods-especially raw
Wash your hands the right way by using warm run- meat, poultry, fish and eggs
ning water and soap for 20 seconds. Use extra care ♦ Using the bathroom
to wash the areas between your fingers and under ♦ Sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose
your nails where germs hide. When finished, use a ♦ Touching cuts, sores or rashes
paper towel to dry, and be sure you don’t sully your ♦ Handling garbage
hands by touching the bathroom door on the way out. ♦ Smoking
Publisher/Editor: Environmental Health Staff
City of Berkeley
Health & Human Services Dept.
Environmental Health Division
1947 Center Street, 3rd floor
Berkeley CA 94704
510.981.5310 main
510.981.5305 fax
510.981.6903 TDD
Email: envhealth@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Protecting public health.
the Web!
We’re on .info
ofberkeley
www.city
