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Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux
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When swimmer's itch appears...
After swimming in a lake, you might develop an itch and notice a patchy red pinpoint rash on your skin. The cause might be swimmer’s itch. While not a significant health risk, swimmer’s itch is produced by small larvae called cercariae. You can find out more and learn about means for preventing the condition by reading the documentation on swimmer’s itch.
Oppressive Heat Wave
When the weather is very hot, such as now, everyone must take certain precautions to prevent the harmful health effects of the heat, in particular, dehydration. Increased vigilance is required with young children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic diseases or who are taking medication. People who work outdoors are particularly susceptible to heatstroke. Some preventive measures during heat waves include drinking lots of water without waiting to feel thirsty and trying to spend a few hours in a cool or air-conditioned space each day. For more information, visit the Heat waves documentation.
Preventing pollen allergies
This is the time to act to control the spread of ragweed, a common plant in many regions of Québec. In allergic individuals, ragweed pollen triggers conjunctivitis, rhinitis, sinusitis and even asthma. Pull ragweed out or cut it at ground level before the end of July. For more information about this plant and ways to control it, see the Ragweed section.
STBBIs are spreading more than ever
The Let's Take Action to Stop the Spread of STIs awareness campaign is calling on the people of Québec to rally together. The campaign includes radio messages, posters throughout the health and social services system, publicity where people meet, and the launch of itss.gouv.qc.ca. It aims at informing the public about a significant rise in STBBIs over the last several years and convincing adults to protect themselves and their close contacts. For more information, visit the fight against STI Web site.
Preventing STBs
The campaign for preventing STBs aims at encouraging young people to use condoms with their partners and to continue using condoms after their initial relations. The theme is "Beware and Be Aware." It reminds young people that infected individuals do not always have visible symptoms, which is why always using condoms is so important. Condoms. 100% on. For more information, visit tasjuste1vie.com
