Office of Highway Safety Suspends SoberLift^® Program for St. Patrick’s Day

*MEDIA ALERT*

March 15, 2020 

WHAT: The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is suspending its SoberLift program as of 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, through Wednesday, March 18 at 2 a.m., statewide, due to growing concern for the health and safety of Delawareans and their families brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Ultimately this decision works to protect everyone’s health, prevent the spread of the virus and support our nation’s health system from becoming overwhelmed during this unprecedented situation.

OHS also wants to take this opportunity to encourage Delawareans to be vigilant with their health and that of their loved ones, elderly and vulnerable neighbors during this situation. Individuals can stay informed through the State of Delaware’s dedicated coronavirus website, www.DE.gov/coronavirus.

If you have questions about the coronavirus in Delaware, please contact the Division of Public Health Call Center at 1-866-408-1899 or email at DPHcall@delaware.gov. Hours of operation M-F 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sat-Sun 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The call center is open to take questions from the public, schools, medical providers, and community organizations. People with hearing impairments can dial 7-1-1.

WHERE: State of Delaware       

WHEN: Immediately

WHO: The Delaware Office of Highway Safety

            Lyft^®

MORE: The program was set to run through Wednesday, March 18 at 2 a.m., providing free Lyft^® vouchers* (maximum value of $15) for individuals who want a sober ride. For more information, please visit ohs.delaware.gov.

CONTACT: Cynthia Cavett (302-943-7293) or Jenn Buchman (215-806-1635)

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook (@highwaysafetyde); Twitter (@highwaysafetyDE); Instagram (highwaysafetyde); Snapchat (@highwaysafetyDE).

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About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.

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DOVER – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is expressing concern about the increasing number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases in the state as the agency announces additional flu-related deaths for the 2019-2020 season. To date, nine Delawareans have passed away due to flu-related complications during the 2019-2020 flu season. All nine individuals had underlying medical conditions.

Most recently, an 83-year-old woman from New Castle County who was diagnosed with influenza A passed away this week due to complications from the flu. Last week, a 59-year-old woman from New Castle County who was also diagnosed with influenza A passed away due to flu complications. Of the nine individuals who have passed away this season, they range in age from 29 to 96. Five persons were from New Castle County, one was from Kent County and three were from Sussex County. Six individuals were diagnosed with Influenza A and three were diagnosed with Influenza B. Only two of the nine individuals who died from flu complications received the flu vaccine this season.

As of February 15, 2020, there have been 5,047 confirmed cases of influenza in Delaware, including 267 hospitalizations. These numbers reflect only the number of lab-confirmed cases; the actual number of cases circulating statewide is likely much higher. By comparison, at the same time in the 2018-2019 season, there were 3,264 flu cases in Delaware, including 537 hospitalizations, and 13 flu-related deaths.

“We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of those we have lost due to seasonal influenza,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “It is still not too late to get the flu vaccine. People six months and older should receive the flu vaccine every year. The vaccine’s main purpose is to make you less likely to catch the flu, but if you do still get it, the vaccine will make your symptoms milder. It takes two weeks for the antibodies in the flu vaccine to become fully effective, so if you haven’t gotten the vaccine yet, you should make arrangements to do so as soon as possible. Always remember to take any antiviral medicine that your doctor prescribes as needed, also.”

In addition to getting a flu vaccine and taking antiviral medication, DPH recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If no tissue is available, cough or sneeze into your inner elbow.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Over-the-counter medicines can provide symptom relief, but if you suspect you have influenza, call your doctor as he or she may decide to provide antiviral medications to help hasten recovery and prevent serious complications. This is particularly important for those who feel very sick, are pregnant or have chronic medical conditions.

The risk for flu-related deaths is greatly increased in the very young, older individuals, and those of any age who have underlying health conditions. DPH continues to remind the public that there are steps they can take to prevent the spread of the flu. It is important for older individuals with underlying health conditions not only to be vaccinated, but also to limit contact with anyone who may be sick with influenza, and to contact their health care provider as soon as they become ill. Also, family, friends, and caregivers of older individuals with underlying health conditions should be vaccinated and arrange for alternative care, if possible, if they become sick with influenza.

DPH also recommends that individuals with chronic diseases monitor and manage their conditions, as non-compliance with physician’s recommendations can increase the risk for infection and complications. This includes maintaining appointments with their health care provider, taking medications as prescribed, and following diet and exercise recommendations from their doctor. Additionally, individuals who smoke and who are ready to stop using tobacco are encouraged to call the Delaware Quitline at 1-866-409-1858.

Flu symptoms come on suddenly, and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches and body aches, chills and fatigue. Some people get complications including pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections. People with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes and asthma are more susceptible to catching the flu.

Flu vaccines are available at many pharmacies and grocery stores, and through primary care physicians and some specialists. To find participating stores, enter your ZIP code in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s flu vaccine finder at www.cdc.gov/flu/. For more information about the flu, visit flu.delaware.gov/ or call DPH at 1-800-282-8672. Flu shots are still available at DPH clinics located within the State Service Centers:
• Porter State Service Center, 509 W. Eighth St., Wilmington. For all ages 9 and up. Walk-ins are welcome Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Hudson State Service Center, 501 Ogletown Road, Newark. For all ages, including children age 6 months and older. Call 302-283-7587 (choose Option 2) to make an appointment Monday through Friday.
• Williams State Service Center, 805 River Road, Dover. For all ages, including children age 6 months and older. Call 302-857-5140 to make an appointment Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Milford State Service Center – Riverwalk, 253 N.E. Front St., Milford. For ages 9 years and older. Mondays and Fridays. Walk-ins are accepted on Mondays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. By appointment only on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 302-424-7130 to make an appointment.
• Anna C. Shipley State Service Center, 350 Virginia Ave., Seaford. For all ages, including children age 6 months and older. Walk-ins welcome Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Adams State Service Center, 544 S. Bedford St., Georgetown. For all ages, including children age 6 months and older. By appointment only. Call 302-515-3220 to make an appointment.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – On the third Thursday of each November, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), leads National Rural Health Day, shining a light on those who serve the vital health needs of the estimated 57 million people living in America’s rural communities. Each of the nation’s 50 State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) belongs to NOSORH. In Delaware, the SORH is the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health within the Division of Public Health (DPH).

SORHs provide support to rural hospitals, clinics, and first responders in several ways, including technical assistance, funding that supports workforce development, population health management, quality improvement initiatives, and more. Beginning in 2015, NOSORH invited its SORH members to nominate Community Stars – hospital and emergency first responder teams, community health, and volunteer service heroes on the front lines of rural health who were making a positive impact on rural lives. Annually, NOSORH publishes the names and stories of selected persons for each state in their online book of Community Stars. NOSORH announces the awardees on National Rural Health Day, which this year is Nov. 21, 2019.

Dr. Tabatha Offutt-Powell, State Epidemiologist and Chief of the Epidemiology, Health Data and Informatics section of DPH, was nominated and selected to appear in the 2019 edition in part for her work to spearhead the development of Delaware’s My Healthy Community data portal. My Healthy Community, launched in May 2019, allows Delawareans to access information about the overall health of their communities. The data portal delivers neighborhood-focused population health, environmental and social determinant of health data to the public, and allows users to navigate the information at the smallest geographic area available, and understand and explore data about the factors that influence health.

Throughout her tenure at DPH, Dr. Offutt-Powell has collaborated closely with the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health and the Delaware Rural Health Initiative (DRHI) to identify needs, compile data, and to present it in a format that rural health care advocates could easily understand. DRHI includes representatives from DPH and the three southern hospital systems: Bayhealth, Beebe Healthcare and Nanticoke Health Services. The DRHI was created as a collaborative vehicle for addressing shared regional health concerns in a more coordinated manner and to develop an organized and strategic approach to improving the health of Sussex County residents.

“It’s an honor to represent Delaware and receive this award on National Rural Health Day,” said Dr. Offutt-Powell. “As an epidemiologist, my passion is to work with data to understand factors that influence health and translate the data into information that can be used to affect change. I am excited to see the progress that we’ve made to share data with Delawareans that will help them create actionable change in their communities. I have an amazing team of dedicated public health professionals that helped make this accomplishment possible.”

“The Division of Public Health is thrilled to see Dr. Offutt-Powell’s hard work and accomplishments recognized on a national level,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “We are so proud of the work she does every day to improve the lives of Delawareans. Not only does the My Healthy Community data portal contribute to rural health innovation, education, collaboration and communication, it also helps build capacity for rural data-driven program planning and decision making by rural health advocates.”

Dr. Powell’s story along with those of all 50 state awardees is available on the PowerofRural.org website, the official hub for NRHD. For the first time since its inception, a limited number of Community Star books will also be available for purchase. PowerofRural.org also contains free tools, ideas and details about NRHD events occurring across the United States. For more information about DRHI, visit https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/chca/ruralhlthinit.html. To view data on My Healthy Community, visit https://myhealthycommunity.dhss.delaware.gov/.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – Bayhealth and Beebe Medical Centers have each received $750,000 in federal grant funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to develop rural residency programs. HRSA awarded approximately $20 million in Rural Residency Planning and Development Program (RRPD) grants to recipients across 21 states. The two health systems were among 27 nationwide that will receive up to $750,000 over a three-year period to develop new rural residency programs while achieving accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

The award comes at a time when the number of full-time equivalent primary care physicians providing direct patient care in Delaware is declining. That number declined about 6 percent from 2013 to 2018, according to a University of Delaware study of the primary care physician workforce commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). In 2018, there were 815 individual primary care physicians practicing in Delaware, down from 862 in 2013.

“These funds will significantly help us strengthen the primary care workforce in Delaware, particularly the central and southern parts of the state,” said DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a board-certified family physician. “We need more primary care physicians to remain in practice and find ways to encourage new doctors, including those from minority and rural backgrounds, to choose primary care as their specialty.”

Another concerning trend shows a declining percentage of primary care physicians expecting to be active in five years, especially in Kent County. Kent has the highest percentage of physicians 65 and older (25 percent), compared with Sussex County (16 percent) and New Castle County (13 percent). Only 60 percent of primary care physicians in Kent County reported that they will be active in five years, compared to 70 percent in Sussex County and 78 percent in New Castle County.

“We are extremely grateful for, and excited about, the opportunities this funding provides for our state,” said Division of Public Health (DPH) Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “As demonstrated in Kent and Sussex counties, rural communities are more likely to have a shortage of health professionals. However, clinicians who train in rural settings are more likely to continue to practice there after they complete their residencies. This grant award will help us enhance the pool of long-term practicing physicians.”

The Rural Residency Planning and Development Program (RRPD), administered by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) and Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW), is part of a multi-year initiative by HRSA to expand the physician workforce in rural areas by developing new, sustainable residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry. Rural residency programs often face challenges in securing sustainable financing and faculty support. The RRPD grant award funding will help recipients address these challenges.

Both Beebe and Bayhealth have chosen to focus on family medicine in their residency programs. The Bayhealth program will include six residents per year and the Beebe program will include four residents per year.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded this grant from HRSA. This grant will be used to continue our promise to deliver the nation’s best health care here at home,” said Bayhealth President & CEO Terry M. Murphy, FACHE. “As we look toward our future at Bayhealth, our medical education programs are an investment not only in Bayhealth’s future, but in the future of each community we serve.”

“We are excited as Beebe embarks on another transformative journey and begins looking at providing medical education and training programs to doctors,” said Beebe Medical Group Senior Vice President/CMO, Bobby Gulab, MD, MBA. “This will also allow us to keep more of these doctors in the area and continue to meet the needs of the community. I have no doubt Drs. James and Richard Beebe would have been very proud of the steps Beebe is taking to help our community and to provide medical education to doctors.”

“Bayhealth and Beebe Medical Centers are both vital sources of care for many Delawareans,” said Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. “This grant will expand the primary care physician workforce in Sussex and Kent counties, which will allow us to reduce some of the barriers patients experience when seeking medical care.”

“Delaware and states across the country are grappling with a shortage of primary care physicians in rural and underserved areas,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper. “As we continue to look for ways to increase access to quality, affordable health care to everyone no matter where they live or how much money they make, this federal grant will go a long way to attract and retain primary care physicians to Delaware where we need them the most.”

“We’re facing a projected shortage of primary care physicians in our country, particularly in places like Kent and Sussex counties. The number of older folks who will need access to quality health care is also predicted to double in the next twenty years,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons. “The Rural Residency Planning and Development Program is one of many initiatives supported by Congress to address these shortages while supporting medical centers like Bayhealth and Beebe.”

Both Kent County – 2,069 patients per primary care physician – and Sussex County – 2,014 patients per physician –¬ are above the 2,000-to-one ratio used by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to designate shortage areas.

To review a complete list of all grant recipients, visit www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/rural-residency-planning-development.

For more information about rural health policy issues, visit https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/index.html.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

DOVER – The Division of Public Health (DPH) is looking for volunteers to participate in an emergency preparedness exercise on Saturday, September 28, 2019, at two Delaware Technical Community College (Delaware Tech) campuses. The purpose of the exercise is to evaluate the state’s ability to set up Points of Dispensing and simulate the dispersal of life-saving medication in an emergency situation.

Volunteers will report to either the Delaware Tech Stanton Campus (400 Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19713) or Terry Campus (100 Campus Drive, Dover, DE 19904). DPH is seeking volunteers for one-hour time slots at each location between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided to registered volunteers. During the exercise, volunteers will fill out forms and proceed through a line five to seven times to simulate medication dispensing to a large segment of Delaware’s population.

Those interested in volunteering must register at https://conta.cc/2STTHz1 and indicate the campus and time slot(s) for which they would like to volunteer. Participation is not required for the entire day, but registration is mandatory. No ID is required to participate.

“This exercise is an excellent opportunity for our staff to test our response capability and address any areas that may need improvement. It is imperative that in the event of a real-life incident, we are as prepared as possible to respond to the situation while keeping all Delaware residents safe and healthy,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “We highly encourage members of the public to volunteer for this event and directly support DPH in its efforts to prepare for potential public health threats.”

If you have logistical questions about volunteering or wish to sign up a group of people to volunteer, contact exercise coordinators Shawn Foster or Trina Cale-Rosario at 302-223-1720.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.