Your September Update: From Ticks to Telehealth (and Everything in Between)

LIVING WELL IN ESSEX COUNTY

September 2026| Issue

Inside this issue:

September Health Topics

Got Bats?

WIC News

Growing up with Children's Services

Bringing Care Home - Home Health

Key Messages

Visit our Website

Let No Tick Stick! 🕷️

This comes at a seasonal time when ticks are active in the fall. Local data shows a rise in tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis here in Essex County.

📈 Lyme cases ⬆ rose from 197 in 2024 to 267 in 2025, representing a 36% increase.

Data also shows that residents aged 55 and older are being affected more often.

Check out the prevention tips in our video!☝️

Director's Message

Dear Community Members,

As we head into September, I want to share an important update regarding measles across New York State and reassure you about our local status here in Essex County.

The New York State Department of Health has reported an increase in measles cases in several regions of the state this year. Earlier this summer, our team investigated and fully contained a single, isolated measles case. Because the individual and their household cooperated fully with voluntary quarantine and accepted MMR vaccines, zero additional cases occurred. Our routine public health measures worked exactly as intended, and that event is entirely unrelated to the current rise in activity seen elsewhere in the state.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes fever, rash, and serious potential complications, including pneumonia and hospitalization. Because two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective (and one dose is about 93% effective), vaccination remains our best defense.

Are your immunizations up-to-date?

Check your status: Most people born before 1957 are considered immune. Others should confirm their vaccination status with their healthcare provider or by calling us.

Traveling soon? Reach out to us if you are planning international travel or visiting areas experiencing outbreaks.

Infants: Babies aged 6 to 11 months can receive an early dose of MMR vaccine if traveling to regions where measles is prevalent.

If you have questions about measles or immunizations, give us a call.

Sincerely,

Linda Beers

Director of Public Health

phone: 518-873-3500

This Month in Health

September is National Recovery Month, a time to shine a light on substance use recovery and the support networks right here in Essex County for individuals, families, and communities.

Local Support and Resources

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 anytime for free, confidential, 24/7 support if you or someone you know is in distress or needs immediate mental health help.

Essex County Heroin & Other Coalition (ECHO): Connects residents with regional treatment providers, community-based support services, and helpful information.

Community Opioid Overdose Prevention (COOP) Program: Run by ECHD, this program focuses on hands-on community education, teaching people how to recognize an overdose, and expanding access to Narcan.

Anonymous Narcan Distribution: Anyone in the community can request a Narcan kit anonymously and get a quick walkthrough on how to use it properly.

Local Referrals: Every kit handed out comes with direct local contact info for round-the-clock support, treatment options, and referral services.

August Activity: A total of 37 Narcan kits were distributed through the program during the month of August.

August 31st was Overdose Awareness Day. As of September 16th, there have been 8 non-fatal and 2 fatal overdoses in Essex County in 2026.

Request Narcan

🎉GIVEAWAY 🎉 Just by letting us know you are taking on the challenge, you will be entered to win a smart scale or a pickleball paddle set!

How to enter:

1. Commit to your birthday workout

2. Drop a comment on our facebook page to tell us you are in!

Let's get moving, Essex County

#getfitessexcounty!💪🏻

🍎 BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO FITNESS! 👟✨

Ready to restart your routine this September? We’re kicking off September with the #getfitessexcounty Birthday Workout Challenge! 🎂💪

Here’s how it works:

1️⃣ Pick your Birth Month to get your exercise.

2️⃣ Pick your Age Range to get your rep count or seconds for the exercise. (And yes, if you tell everyone you're 29 every year... then 29 is officially your rep count! 🤫)

3️⃣ Put them together and get moving! Complete the exercise every day except Sundays.

Need to modify? No problem! Listen to your body—you can scale any move (like doing knee push-ups or chair squats) or split your total reps into two smaller sessions throughout the day.

National Child Passenger Safety Week

September 20 - 26, 2026

In passenger cars, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers 1 to 4 years old in passenger cars.

For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corresponding reductions are 58% and 59%, respectively.

Bats = Busy Time for Health Department Staff.

If you find a bat in your home, do not let it outside. Safely capture it if possible and contact the Essex County Health Department for guidance.

🦇Not all bats have rabies. In fact most bats don’t have rabies.

🦇Rabies is found in all bat species in NY.

🦇Rabies can be transmitted from bats to other mammals but rabid bats rarely attack people.

🦇Rabid bats may show unusual behavior like fluttering on the ground, flying during the day, or biting people or animals.

🦇Avoid direct contact with all bats – bats have small teeth that may leave marks not easily seen.

📞 Report all confirmed or suspected bat exposures by calling 518-873-3500.

Number of Bats returned positive for rabies to date in 2026 = 0

Dealing with uninvited winged guests in your attic or walls? Late August through October (and early spring) is the ideal window to safely seal them out. Because baby bats are grown by late summer, you won't risk trapping flightless young inside!

If you or your pet have been bitten, scratched or have had contact with the saliva of any animal, wash the wound immediately with soap and water, call this Department for assistance in planning treatment.

Report an Animal Bite

Report all animal bites /exposures to Essex County Health Department

Mon-Fri 8 AM – 4 PM 518-873-3500

After Business Hours, Weekends, Holidays call 518-873-3500, you will be connected to our on call staff.

Wonder if you qualify for WIC?

Visit our WIC page

Growing up with Children's Services

We have a Certified Car Seat Technician that specializes in car seat safety when transporting children with special health care needs?

Standard car seats do not always fit every child's physical requirements. ECHD can provide support through our certified Car Seat Technician specializing in transportation safety for children with special healthcare needs.

Whether a child requires adapted restraint systems due to muscle tone issues, physical disabilities, medical casts, or respiratory conditions, ECHD offers personalized evaluations to ensure proper fit, correct positioning, and secure installation. Caregivers looking for guidance or interested in scheduling a safety assessment can call us to set up an appointment at 518-873-3500.

New York State Early Intervention Program Information Session SIGN UP

Have questions about this event or our Early Intervention Program?

Call 518-873-3500 and ask for Children's Services.

Bringing Care Home - Home Health

What is Telehealth?

Telehealth home care lets your health care provider care for you without an in-person office visit. Telehealth is done primarily online with internet access on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Essex County Home Health partners with Health Recovery System to offer home care patients an innovative solution to monitor their health status.

Tracking your health:

Your vital signs (blood pressure, pulse rate, oxygen level and temperature) are measured using accessories that link to a tablet. Vital signs are automatically sent out to your personalized health platform. Your platform is monitored by the telehealth coordinator and the patient’s nurse case manager.

A telehealth coordinator will come to your home to show you how to use it. The tablet features large font and one click navigation.

The tablet monitors your vital signs using accessories that link to your tablet,

such as:

Blood pressure
Glucometer
Pulse Oximeter
Stethoscope
Thermometer
Weight scale

Eligibility

Give us a call to see if you qualify for this program at

518-873-3500.

Stay Healthy, Whatever the Season

The Essex County Office of Emergency Services has a new mobile app, Essex Emergency Services, NY, to help residents and visitors stay safe. The free app provides alerts and updates directly from the Office of Emergency Services and includes features to help you be prepared for any emergency, whether natural or manmade. You can find the app by searching for "Essex County Emergency NY OES" in your app store.

Emergency Preparedness Month: Are You Ready?

September is National Preparedness Month. Essex County, like many areas, can face various emergencies, from ice storms to flooding. Now is the time to ensure you are prepared.

Here are some actions you can take:

✔ Build or restock your emergency kit: Gather essential supplies such as food, water, first-aid items, and a flashlight.

✔ Create a communication plan: Determine how your household will stay in touch and where to meet during an emergency.

✔ Sign up for emergency notifications: Receive important alerts directly to your phone.

Falls Prevention Awareness Week |

September 21–25, 2026

Over 14 million older adults fall each year, but small everyday changes can significantly reduce the risk and help preserve mobility, independence, and overall quality of life.

Stay Healthy and Independent by Checking Your Risk for a Fall here.

Healthy People in Healthy Communities

Essex County Health Department