Public health: news and campaigns
BeeZee Bodies are commissioned by Hertfordshire County Council to run free healthy lifestyle programmes to help support parents and children aged 5-15 years to make healthy but realistic changes to their lives to help manage weight.
*Our services are currently running online and we offer a 12 week course which has a weekly live webinar with nutritionists and behaviour change specialists covering a huge variety of topics such as portion size, snacks and drinks, takeaways and physical activity.
If you have families you feel would benefit from our programmes please contact info@beezeebodies.co.uk or call 01707 248648. For any further details about our services please visit:
Diabetes UK have re-launched the 4 T’s campaign to raise awareness of signs and symptoms of Type 1 diabetes in children & young people. This is especially important currently when people may delay or avoid seeking medical advice or treatment because of social distancing measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The early signs and symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are easy to mistake for a viral infection or other illness, which is why it’s so important to be 4T aware.
What are the 4Ts?
- toilet - going to the toilet a lot, bed wetting by a previously dry child or heavier nappies in babies
- thirsty - being really thirsty and not being able to quench the thirst
- tired - feeling more tired than usual
- thinner - losing weight or looking thinner than usual
Please seek urgent/same day medical advice if your child or young person has any of these symptoms to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment.
This guidance is for ALL schools in Hertfordshire, providing you with information that can help you to ensure children are eating healthily during the school day, enabling them to have the energy and focus required to do well academically and to stay happy and healthy.
There’s now one more reason to quit smoking, as from 1 October 2015 it will be illegal to smoke in a vehicle with someone under 18 present.
The law is changing to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Both the driver and the smoker can be fined £50 if they break the law.
More than 80% of secondhand smoke is invisible and odourless. No matter how careful you think you're being, your family still breathes in the harmful chemicals, putting them at risk of meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia and increasing the likelihood of breathing problems and chest infections.
By not smoking, you will protect the health of yourself and those close to you.
If you need an added incentive to give up, why not join the thousands of others around the county who are giving up smoking for the 28 day Stoptober challenge this October.
To sign up to the nation’s biggest mass quit attempt, search Stoptober online or visit:
Hertfordshire County Council’s Stop Smoking service provides free, local stop smoking support to anyone who lives or works in Hertfordshire. Text SMOKEFREE to 80818, call 0800 389 3 998 or visit:
HCC: Stop Smoking Service - for help to quit.
You can also get free help to quit from your local pharmacy or GP.
More information about the Smoking in Cars legislation is available at:
Department of Health and Social Care: Smoking in vehicles
To view an animation about the new law visit:
YouTube: Smoking in vehicles animation
To find out more about other health initiatives in Hertfordshire please visit:
Flu is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract. It is most common during the winter months.
People often describe colds as flu, but symptoms of flu come on very suddenly and are much more severe than a cold.
Flu symptoms are:
- a high fever
- shivering
- headache
- an aching body; and extreme tiredness
How is flu spread?
Flu is caught through droplets of saliva that spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can then be breathed in by other people or they can be picked up by touching surfaces, toys and equipment where the droplets have landed.
Children of 2, 3 and 4 years are now routinely offered flu vaccination. Pilot vaccination programmes for school aged children are taking place in some parts of the country.
Why are some children of school age offered flu vaccine?
If children suffer from certain types of illness then catching flu can be serious. These children may not be able to fight off ‘flu as effectively as other children can or it might make their existing condition worse.
These conditions include:
severe asthma, diabetes and heart conditions and children who are immunosuppressed.
If you know of children in your school who suffer from these conditions please be aware that they are especially vulnerable and encourage them to seek advice on ‘flu vaccination from their GPs.
Good hand hygiene by all is a great way of preventing most infection!
With winter fast approaching parents and carers across Hertfordshire are being reminded to get their two, three and four year-olds protected from flu. The call comes from Hertfordshire County Council’s Public Health team who are supporting a national campaign to encourage at risk groups to have a flu jab. For most people flu is unpleasant but usually clears up in a week or so. However for some, including the very young, it can cause more serious health issues.
Getting vaccinated is the best way to for parents and carers to protect their children from the virus. The vaccination, used successfully for the first time last year, comes in the form of a quick and painless nasal spray – so there’s no need to worry about needles.
Mums-to-be are also being reminded that they are eligible for a free jab. You can have the jab at any point during your pregnancy and it can also protect your baby for the first few months after birth.
Teresa Heritage, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Localism, explains why the Council are encouraging parents and carers to get their little ones protected.
“Having this vaccination is the best way to keep two, three and four year-olds flu safe this winter. If you haven’t arranged an appointment yet, I would urge you to do so as soon as you can.”
For more information, speak to your GP, midwife or practice nurse, or visit:
Following a rise in cases of whooping cough, women who are between 28 and 38 weeks of pregnancy are being offered vaccinations to protect their newborn babies.
The vaccination boosts the short-term immunity passed on by pregnant women, to protect their newborn babies. Whooping cough is a highly contagious infection, with newborns particularly vulnerable to severe complications, including pneumonia and even brain damage.
If you could be affected, contact your nurse, midwife or GP to arrange a vaccination. It should also be offered at your next antenatal appointment. If you work with someone who does not have access to the Grid, please pass this message on to them.
For more information and frequently asked questions on whooping cough vaccinations during pregnancy visit the NHS or the Department of Health websites:
NHS: Whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy
PHE: Whooping cough: vaccination in pregnancy programme resources