One of the most important responsibilities of the Department of Health (DOH) is prevention of disease and harm in the event of a disease outbreak, pandemic, natural disaster, terror attack, or other event that can threaten the public’s safety and well-being.

You have the power to reduce your own risk of disease and harm in a number of ways. DOCD provides resources and information for prevention on these topics, as well as ways for the community to get involved in efforts to protect the public’s health:

• Get vaccinated to protect yourself from potentially deadly diseases
• Wash you hands often and thoroughly (especially after using the bathroom and before handling food) to prevent transmission of serious illnesses
• Use antibiotics carefully, making sure to use them how your healthcare provider prescribed them, to prevent antibiotic-resistant superbugs
• Prevent mosquito bites to help us control arboviruses (viruses carried by mosquitoes) such as Zika, dengue fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever