During the summer months, along with rising temperatures and more daylight, comes the nuisance of mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects. In the United States, mosquito bites are largely no more than an annoyance, but worldwide, mosquitoes transmit disease to more than 700 million people every year, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine. And the recent outbreaks of the Zika virus have made people especially wary. The best way to avoid the threat of insect-borne disease is to prevent bites from occurring in the first place.

The American Heart Association (AHA) has recognized February as American Heart Month since President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 proclamation made it an annual occurrence. Throughout the month, Occupational Health Services did its part to help educate NCI and Frederick National Lab employees about the dangers of heart disease.

The Campus Improvement Committee (CIC) has recently been re-established, with Mike Addington, manager, Operations and Maintenance, as chair. Addington is excited to be involved in a committee that’s so near and dear to his heart, and he’s a big believer in the value of increasing morale and productivity through an appealing and pleasant work environment.

Occupational Health Services (OHS) recently took part in the 41st Great American Smokeout, an event that highlights the dangers of smoking and encourages smokers to make a plan to quit. Tobacco smoking is the single most preventable cause of chronic disease and death.

As summer ends, many students will be heading off to college. While it may be an exciting time of year, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. College means new experiences and knowledge, but it can also mean stress and anxiety for some students. Not to mention, there’s always the potential for illness.