The Township of Montclair is looking for residents who are interested in volunteering to help protect the health of our community; these residents will become part of the Greater Montclair Public Health Reserve Corps (GMPHRC).

The Public Health Reserve Corps or PHRC unit is  community-based and functions as a way to locally organize and utilize volunteers who want to donate their time and expertise to respond to public health emergencies. PHRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources. We recognize that in the event of a public health emergency, people are our most valuable resource. While our plans and infrastructure are in place for an emergency, trained volunteers will be needed to supplement the existing public health workforce. Therefore, The Nutley Health Department is joining federal and state efforts to recruit and train volunteers from our surrounding communities.

Montclair Township launched its new web-based Emergency Alert System (EAS) which sends notifications to subscribers in the event of an emergency. Alerts will be sent to subscribers’ e-mail addresses and/or cell phones as text messages.

Residents can register for the new service on the township web site by clicking on the “sign up now” Emergency Alert System icon on the upper right-hand side of the home page.

In light of the recent news stories that have appeared regarding MRSA infection, the Montclair Health Department would like to provide you with the following accurate information.

MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a species of bacteria commonly found on the skin and/or in the noses of healthy people. MRSA is often contracted by skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces that have been touched by someone with the infection. Though MRSA is resistant to treatment with certain antibiotics therefore making it more difficult to treat, there are other antibiotics that are still able to kill the MRSA bacteria.

The Montclair Health Department is offering the whooping cough vaccine at cost – $35 per vaccination – to township residents. Until recently, no vaccine existed to protect adolescents and adults against pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. Now, there is a new vaccine, Adacel or Tdap, which prevents this highly contagious disease in the 11 through 64 age group.

Pertussis is a bacterial infection that damages the lungs, causing painful spasms of coughing that can last 6-10 weeks. It starts out with a mild cough and cold like symptoms, which become severe after 10-12 days. It is spread by coughing and sneezing.

The incidence of pertussis in persons over age 15 increased an astounding 452% during 1994-2003. Many cases go undiagnosed. Infants typically catch the disease from infected teenagers and adults living in the home, whose immunity has waned. Protection wanes 5-10 years after the last booster received in childhood. Infants do not start to receive immunization until they are 2 months old.

Therefore, adults and teens receiving this vaccine are protecting unimmunized infants from disease. Pertussis in infants can lead to pneumonia, seizures, and death. The vaccine, Adacel, is administered together with Tetanus and diphtheria vaccine, all in one shot. Receipt of this new combination of vaccines is recommended 5 years after the last tetanus vaccination. Side effects may be absent. If they do occur, the most common side effects are pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, and headache, fatigue, body ache or fever.

Other vaccines offered at the Montclair Health Department for adults and adolescents, include hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps and rubella, polio and meningitis vaccines.

Please do your part in protecting yourself and your family against this sometimes fatal disease by calling the Montclair Health Department at 973-509-4974. Vaccinations are administered on Mondays between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.