Be Prepared for A Day at the Beach

Millions of people in the U.S. have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and are resuming normal activities like going to the beach without a mask.(1)

Be prepared for a day at the beach. Take steps to protect your skin and eyes from the sun, avoid heat-related illness, and stay healthy and safe during your visit.

Know Before You Go

A beachy keen day can turn into anything if you aren’t prepared. Here are some things you should know before you go to the beach.

How to Swim in the Ocean

Swimming in the ocean isn’t like swimming in a pool. Waves, currents, and winds can drain your energy and strength. Rough surf and rip currents are especially dangerous if you aren’t already a strong swimmer and don’t know how to escape them.

Also, consider wearing a life jacket. Properly fitted US Coast Guard-approved life jackets add an extra layer of protection, particularly if you’re not a strong swimmer.

Check the local beach forecast before you leave for the beach and talk to the lifeguard when you get there. If you choose to swim at a beach without a lifeguard, never swim alone. Go with a friend and take a cell phone so that you’re prepared to call 911 for help.(2)

What the Warning Flags Mean

Read the beach safety signs before stepping onto the beach. Once on the beach, look for beach warning flags. They are often posted on or near a lifeguard’s stand. A green flag tells you water conditions are good with a minimal level of risk. The other colors can mean different things depending on the beach.

Water Quality

Germs found in the water and sand (swim area) often come from human or animal feces (poop). Before you plan your visit, check online to find out if the swim area is currently monitored, is under advisory, or has been closed for health or safety reasons. Water contaminated with germs can make you sick if you swallow it. It can also cause an infection if you get into the water with an open cut or wound.(3)

Stay Out of Water with a Bloom

Algae and cyanobacteria (sometimes called blue-green algae) are simple, plant-like organisms that live in the water. Sometimes they rapidly grow out of control, or “These blooms can sometimes produce toxins (poisons) that can make people and animals sick. Blooms can look like foam, scum, paint, or mats on the surface of the water and can be different colors. The types of blooms can differ by location. For example, a common type in the Gulf of Mexico is called Karenja brevis red tide.

Before going to the beach learn tips to help you spot harmful algae and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).

Check for local and state swimming advisories and water quality notices online or near the water before visiting the beach or any other body of water. Follow advisories to reduce your chances of getting sick.

Practice Sun Safety

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. Take steps to protect your skin from sun damage and sunburn which can increase your risk for skin cancer.

Shade

You can reduce your risk of sun damage and skin cancer by staying in the shade under an umbrella, tree, or another shelter. Your best bet to protect your skin is to use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re outside—even when you’re in the shade.

Clothing

When possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants and skirts, which can provide protection from UV rays. If wearing this type of clothing isn’t practical, try to wear a T-shirt or a beach cover-up. Clothes made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection. A wet T-shirt offers much less UV protection than a dry one, and darker colors may offer more protection than lighter colors.

Hat

For the most protection, wear a hat that has a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck. If you wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using sunscreen, or staying in the shade.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States, regardless of cost, meet this standard. Wrap-around sunglasses work best because they block UV rays from sneaking in from the side.

Sunscreen

Put on broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher before you go outside.

Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like your back. And remember, sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.

#PrepYourHealth for Tsunamis

The beach is a dangerous place to be during a tsunami. Tsunamis do not occur very often. And most that do occur are small and nondestructive. But it’s still a good idea to prepare and know the warnings signs.(8)

A tsunami can strike any U.S. coast, but the hazard is greatest for communities near geologic subduction zones, where large earthquakes can occur. Find out if your beach destination is in a tsunami hazard zone or evacuation zone, and what routes to take in the event of an evacuation.(9)

There are two types of tsunami warnings:

  • An official tsunami warning is broadcast through local radio and television, outdoor sirens, Wireless Emergency Alerts, weather radio, and NOAA websites.
  • Natural tsunami warnings include strong or long earthquakes, a roar (like a train or an airplane) from the ocean, and unusual ocean behavior, such as water receding (or moving away) from the coast. A natural warning may be the first, best, and only warning that a tsunami is on its way.(10)

You may not get both warnings. It’s important to know the differences and respond right away to whichever you get first. Seconds can make all the difference so act immediately.

Move to a safe place away from the water. Get to high ground and as far inland as you can. Follow instructions from local officials. Never go down to or stay on the beach to watch a tsunami.

Stay informed and stay put until local authorities tell you it’s safe.

Learn more ways to prepare for tsunamis.

Resources

References

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html
  2. https://www.weather.gov/safety/ripcurrent
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/oceans-lakes-rivers/visiting-oceans-lakes-rivers.html
  4. https://www.weather.gov/safety/tsunami
  5. https://nws.weather.gov/nthmp/ushazard.html
  6. https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/prep_you

 

Thanks in advance for your questions and comments on this Public Health Matters post. Please note that the CDC does not give personal medical advice. If you are concerned you have a disease or condition, talk to your doctor.

Have a question for CDC? CDC-INFO (http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html) offers live agents by phone and email to help you find the latest, reliable, and science-based health information on more than 750 health topics.

Rhode Island laboratory responds to toxic algae bloom, safeguarding health and the local economy

Rhode Island laboratory responds to toxic algae bloom, safeguarding health and the local economy | www.APHL.org

by Kim Krisberg

Every week, the Rhode Island State Health Laboratory tests water from Narragansett Bay, monitoring the estuary for harmful toxin producing plankton that can contaminate the seafood that makes it to market. The testing protects both consumers and the fishermen who depend on a healthy bay for their livelihoods.

Last October, that routine testing revealed large numbers of the algae Pseudo-nitzschia — numbers much higher than what’s considered normal. Pseudo-nitzschia can produce a neurotoxin known as domoic acid. In people, domoic acid can lead to amnesic shellfish poisoning, which can result in permanent short-term memory loss and even death. So with the sudden algal bloom detected, laboratory staff quickly began toxicity testing. Tests came back positive.

The results meant the public health laboratory had just detected Rhode Island’s first Pseudo-nitzschia bloom and triggered a statewide contingency plan designed to keep contaminated shellfish from reaching people’s plates.

“Our goal is to protect public health, but this could also affect the shellfishing economy and the harvesters here — the whole reputation of Rhode Island shellfish could go down the drain if people did get sick,” said Henry Leibovitz, PhD, chief environmental laboratory scientist at the Rhode Island Department of Health State Health Laboratories.

Contingency plan activated, laboratory staff began testing shellfish meat collected from areas with high algae counts. The meat tested positive for domoic acid levels beyond safe thresholds set by the US Food and Drug Administration. In response, on October 7, Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) officially closed down shellfish collection in parts of the bay. Leibovitz said it was the first time this particular type of algal bloom brought shellfish harvesting to a halt in the area.

As harvesting on the bay stopped, laboratory staff ramped up their testing of water and meat samples collected by the DEM as well as of quarantined shellfish already on the market.

“We wanted to prevent contaminated shellfish from getting to people and reopen the bay as soon as it was safe,” Leibovitz said.

Thankfully, none of the quarantined shellfish tested positive for contamination and within a few weeks, algae counts began dropping. A few weeks after the bloom began, Leibovitz said the number and density of plankton declined to a point where the shellfish had a chance to cleanse themselves of the toxin. Laboratory staff began seeing results well below safety thresholds so that Rhode Island shellfish were safe for consumption. By the beginning of November, DEM reopened the bay to shellfish harvesting.

Then in February, the laboratory detected another Pseudo-nitzschia bloom and high toxin levels — this time, in a part of the bay closest to the ocean. (On a side note, Leibovitz said some experts speculate that the initial bloom never really died out entirely off shore, and the bloom returned to the mouth of bay where it meets the ocean.) Based on the results, DEM shut down shellfish harvesting again on March 1, eventually reopening on March 24.

Throughout the two closures, no cases of human illness related to contaminated shellfish were reported.

During the blooms, laboratory scientists conducted hundreds of complicated tests in the span of a single month — “everyone had to stay late and get it done because we needed the answers right away,” Leibovitz said. He noted that even though the laboratory is prepared for such a surge, it’s still “very challenging” to keep up for weeks at a time.

That’s because within the laboratory’s water microbiology unit, none of the four scientists do shellfish testing on a full-time basis. They’re also responsible for testing drinking water, beach water, dairy samples, river water and animals for rabies. But when the algal bloom appeared, the entire water microbiology laboratory turned its attention to keeping toxic shellfish off people’s plates and re-opening the bay as quickly and safely as possible. At one point, scientists from a different division within the state laboratory were called over to help.

“It’s very time-consuming and our other responsibilities don’t stop,” Leibovitz noted. “We’ve always had a contingency plan in place, but the laboratory isn’t staffed to do this (level of testing) on a routine basis and last fall, it became routine.”

So, what caused the algal bloom? Leibovitz said, “no one really knows yet.” But one theory is that successful efforts to keep stormwater runoff out of Narragansett Bay has reduced nutrients in the bay to the point that Pseudo-nitzschia may not have the competition from other algal species that flourished for years in the nutrient-rich environment. The cleaner waters of the bay may now be more supportive of Pseudo-nitzschia growth as are the waters outside of the bay, where they typically thrive.

“The worry is that this could be the new normal,” Leibovitz said. “But the group that works in the water microbiology laboratory are really dedicated to ensuring Rhode Island shellfish in the market are good and safe to eat…when something like this happens, they step up.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s unknown how many people in the US are sickened due to harmful algae blooms, as such occurrences aren’t tracked nationally. However, state and local public health agencies can now report such illnesses to the One Health Harmful Algae Bloom System, which launched last year. CDC did report that economic costs associated with such blooms have gone up in recent decades, costing the fishing and tourism industries millions of dollars each year.

Photo of Narraganset Bay via WPRI

From The Lorax to the Laboratory

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Danger in the Water: When Algae Becomes Toxic

NYDOH-bloom2_banner

Ever wondered what’s causing the water in your favorite lake to turn red?  Or were the family photos from your river rafting trip spoiled by brown water in the background?

You may be looking at an algal bloom. Summer is upon us and warm weather is the perfect environment for these algal blooms, which can cause a range of problems, from simply being an eyesore to becoming a harmful algal bloom (HAB) that can make people and animals sick or damage local environments.

So, what is an algal bloom?

Red algal bloomAlgae are plant-like organisms that come in a variety of shapes and sizes – ranging from microscopic to large seaweed that may be over 100 feet long. Algae are found all over the planet, and can live in sea water, fresh water, and brackish water (a combination of fresh and sea water). Algae are vitally important building blocks of the food chain and ecosystem.

Algal blooms occur when there are overgrowths of algae, including green, brown, or red microalgae, or cyanobacteria that are commonly referred to as blue-green algae.

Not all algal blooms are harmful; however, when there is fast growth of algae and cyanobacteria that can harm people, animals and the environment, they are referred to as harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs can produce toxins that are harmful to people and animals. The algae and cyanobacteria also reduce the levels of oxygen in the water when they decompose, and these lower oxygen levels may kill other plants and animals in the water.

Can HABs make you sick?

If people and animals are exposed to the toxins produced by HABs through water, food, or air they may experience symptoms that can range from mild to severe. These symptoms may affect the skin, stomach and intestines, lungs, and nervous system.

You may be exposed to HABs while enjoying outdoor recreational activities, while working near a body of water with a HAB, or from drinking water or food that has been contaminated.

  • Between 2009 and 2010, three states reported 11 outbreaks associated with HABs after people were exposed to freshwater in a recreational setting. These accounted for nearly half of all reported outbreaks associated with untreated recreation water that year.
  • Between 2007 and 2011, 273 people became sick after eating food that was contaminated as a result of a HAB. These illnesses were reported after people ate fish or shellfish contaminated with HAB toxins.

Are HABs increasing?

There is evidence that HABs are occurring more often, and that they are becoming more severe due to climate change, farming practices, and storm and wastewater runoff.  It is important to identify when and where HABs occur in order to protect water and food supplies, and to let people know when there may be a problem in their community.

CDC and partners have created the One Health Harmful Algal Bloom System for state and territorial public health partners to report cases of human and animal illness after being exposed to a HAB and environmental data about HABs. Data about the number of people and animals who get sick from HABs, the symptoms they experience after exposure, and where HABs occur is important to understand and prevent HABs and HAB-associated illnesses.

Learn more about HABs from CDC’s Harmful Algal Bloom-Associated Illness website.

Understanding images: A giant single-celled plant

This continues our series of blog posts from PLOS Genetics about our monthly issue images. Author Daniel Chitwood discusses January’s issue image from Ranjan et al Author: Daniel H. Chitwood Competing interests: Daniel H. Chitwood is an author of the … Continue reading »

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Ugg – story about gene transfer/evolution based on NSF press release has a NASA-esque smell

Well, this made me cringe many many times: Extreme Algae Thieves Its Genes From Bacteria - Science News - redOrbit: Science

The article discusses a new paper which itself sounds potentially interesting.  The paper itself sounds somewhat interesting.  But that is besides the point.  The parts that made me cringe are the inaccurate or overhyped statements about the novelty of this work.  Here are some of the statements I find troubling
  • "While the ability to pilfer genes from another microorganism has been seen before, scientists have never observed this ability in a eukaryote – an organism with a nucleus."  
    • Wow.  Completely ludicrous.  There are hundreds if not thousands of papers on lateral gene transfer to organisms with nuclei.  
  • “The results give us new insights into evolution,” said co-author Gerald Schoenknecht of Oklahoma State University’s Department of Botany. “Before this, there was not much indication that eukaryotes acquire genes from bacteria.”
    • Same complaint as above. 
  • "The age of comparative genome sequencing began only slightly more than a decade ago, and revealed a new mechanism of evolution – horizontal gene transfer – that would not have been discovered any other way,” said co-author Matt Kane, program director in the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Division of Environmental Biology. “This finding extends our understanding of the role that this mechanism plays in evolution to eukaryotic microorganisms."
    • This quote is deeply troubling.  Genome sequencing did not reveal a new mechanism of evolution.  And it is thus also inaccurate to say 'it would not have been discovered any other way".  Lateral gene transfer was studies for many many many years before the first genome sequence was determined.  Certainly, comparative genome analysis helped reveal the extent of gene transfer but it is seriously inaccurate to say it "revealed a new mechanism of evolution".  Here for example is a link to a google search for the specific phrase "lateral gene transfer" in papers published prior to 1995.  And here is one for the phrase "horizontal gene transfer". 
    • I hoped that this was a misquote because the person quoted is Matt Kane - an NSF program officer responsible for many areas related to microbial studies.  But alas I found the press release from NSF with the same quote.  Perhaps NSF PR people misquoted Matt.  I hope they misquoted Matt.  Because if not - the quote grossly oversells genome sequencing and what has been learned from it and rather than standing on the shoulders of giants it makes the giants of the past seem like ants.  
  • "It's usually assumed that organisms with a nucleus cannot copy genes from different species--that's why eukaryotes depend on sex to recombine their genomes. "How has Galdieria managed to overcome this limitation? It's an exciting question. What Galdieria did is "a dream come true for biotechnology," says Weber."
    • This is wrong in so so many ways.  Again, as discussed above, eukaryotes have been known to undergo gene transfer for many years.  
    • And to say that the inability to acquire genes by LGT is why eukaryotes depend on sex to recombine their genes?  Really?  Uggh.  As far as I know there are no major theories out there that suggest sex is there because eukaryotes cannot undergo lateral transfer (although certainly some theories on the origin and maintenance of sex do indeed relate to increasing diversity by recombination).
    • And what makes this a dream come true for Biotech exactly? 
    • I note - this too was in the NSF press release.  Has NSF suddenly decided to become like NASA in terms of ludicrous PRs? 
I note - I do worry about the effect of calling out NSF on this in terms of my ability to get grants from them.  But this is just terrible stuff in this PR and story and it needs to be stopped.  I note further that I consider Matt Kane a friend and I hope that he clarifies his quote here and also manages to get NSF to be more rigorous in their PRs.