Andover Director of Public Health Thomas Carbone.
The Andover Health Division kicks off National Public Health Week today by showcasing the work of local agencies and volunteers in protecting residents.
Each day this week, the town’s website features articles and columns highlighting various health issues.
“The main goal of public health agencies is to prevent illness, and when we do our job, we are out of sight and out of mind,” said Andover Director of Public Health Thomas Carbone. “It can be hard to measure a lack of illness, but preventing health problems is at the core of what we
Andover Health officials said they are inspired by a quote from Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore health commissioner. “Public health saved your life today. You just didn’t know it.”
The field of public health ranges from physicians, nurses and first responders to health educators, restaurant inspectors, social workers and sanitarians. This also includes board of health members who volunteer time, as well as residents who serve on advisory committees and task forces that play an important role in public health.
Such duties include inspecting swimming pools at hotels, athletic clubs and housing complexes; testing water quality at local beaches; ensuring landlords comply with the state sanitary code; testing animals for rabies; providing child and adult immunizations, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings; following-up on communicable diseases, including TB; issuing guidance on emerging diseases such as Zika virus and Ebola.