Theme for National Public Health Week: ‘Building Bridges to Better Health’
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
April 5-11, 2021 is National Public Health Week and this year’s theme is called “Building Bridges to Better Health.”
This is the time to recognize the contribution of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the health of our community.
“Public health has been at the forefront this past year due to the highly visible response of Covid-19,” said Paul Pettit, public health firector for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “However, public health has been promoting, protecting and preventing illness and disease in our communities along with our community partners for many years.”
The GO Health team reminds everyone to take a moment to think about your health and the health of our community. Although Covid-19 has been the primary focus this past year, it is also important to remember to prioritize preventative health measures such as:
- Cancer screenings for breast, colorectal (colon), prostate and skin
- Regular well-being and well child visits
- Blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol tests
It is also important to prioritize your own physical and mental health by:
- Eating a well-balanced diet
- Engaging in daily exercise (walking, running, dancing, taking the stairs, biking)
- Avoiding tobacco/nicotine use and excessive alcohol use
- Getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night
- Participating in activities you enjoy
- Connecting with others, even if we are physically apart
GO Health hopes that with these reminders, we can work together to build a stronger, healthier community where even though we may be physically distant, we are working together to stay healthy and promoting the health of our community.
“Since it is National Public Health Week, I would like to take the time to thank our GO Health team and community volunteers for their dedication and commitment to our community over the past year,” Pettit said. “We celebrate and recognize you for your perseverance and resilience during such a challenging time in public health.”
