HAVE YOU OR YOUR CHILD RECEIVED THE CANCERPREVENTING VACCINE?

A vaccine that gives safe, effective and long-lasting protection from HPV is available at Garland Public Health’s vaccine clinic, 206 Carver St.

The HPV vaccine is recommended for routine vaccination at age 11 or 12 years, but can start at age 9. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends vaccination for everyone through age 26 years if not adequately vaccinated when younger.

HPV vaccination is given as a series of either two or three doses, depending on age at initial vaccination.

HPV is a common virus that can lead to six types of cancers later in life. Nearly everyone will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives. Some 13 million Americans are currently infected with some type of HPV and over a year’s time, another estimated 13 million Americans become infected for the first time.

HPV is transmitted through intimate, skin-toskin contact with an infected person, most commonly during sex. While some types of HPV infections will go away on their own, others do not and can lead to cancer in both males and females.

After 16 years of monitoring and research, the HPV vaccine has a record of being safe and effective.

“Infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88% among teen girls and 81% among young adult women,” Garland Public Health Nurse Sheyanne Steward said. “Among vaccinated women, the percentage of cervical precancers caused by the HPV types most often linked to cervical cancer have dropped by 40%.”

Your adolescent child can get protection from HPV, whooping cough, flu and meningitis all on the same visit to your health care provider. Many of these vaccines are required for school attendance, so be sure to keep a copy of the immunization record.

Our clinic offers low-cost vaccines for children and adults who qualify, including a full range of other vaccines like COVID-19. We are here to serve you and your family by walk-in visit Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed on City holidays).

From Monday, March 20, through Friday, March 24, anyone with an active outstanding warrant can appear in person at the clerk’s window to resolve their outstanding warrant(s) and take advantage of the warrant resolution drive incentives.

You can also speak to a judge to resolve your warrant(s) at the Walk-In Docket from 8:30 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, March 24.

You must appear in person to take advantage of these incentives during the warrant resolution drive:

• The $50 warrant fee will be waived for each outstanding warrant.

• Receive an additional 20% discount off the fine amount on warrants paid in full. This discount applies only to the fine amount, not court costs and/or fees.

Cash, check, credit card, debit card or money order are accepted as payment. If you are unable to pay in full any fine or costs assessed against you, the Court offers alternatives to satisfy the amount you owe.

March is Texas SmartScape Month and now is the time to start prepping your yard for those long, hot summer months. For a major landscape overhaul or a few quick fixes, the TXSmartScape.com website can provide you with the tools for success.

Landscaping with native and adapted plants can reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers. Minimizing the use of chemicals is beneficial to our waterways and local wildlife, as stormwater and irrigation runoff can carry chemicals from yards into your neighborhood creeks, streams, ponds, lakes and rivers.

Want to spruce up your yard, reduce the use of chemicals AND save water?

• Use native and adapted plants. Texas SmartScape plants can thrive in the wide range of temperature and moisture conditions typical in North Texas. These hardy plants are rarely plagued by major pest problems, thus reducing or even eliminating the need for pesticides. The Texas SmartScape plant search tool allows you to find SmartScapeapproved plants that are the right fit for your yard. You can search by plant type, plant shape and size, light requirement, ornamental color, wildlife value, bloom season, landscape use and more.

• Reduce turf grass. Lawns typically require a large amount of supplemental water and more intensive maintenance than other vegetation. You can use the SmartScape design page and SmartScape Pinterest to develop ideas to transform your lawn into a resilient and attractive landscape.

• Use organic mulch. Mulch reduces water loss from the soil, represses weeds, moderates soil temperature and prevents soil erosion.

• Water efficiently and effectively. Up to 50% of irrigation goes to waste due to evaporation, wind, improper system design or overwatering.

• Water early or late in the day. To avoid water loss from evaporation, water your yard between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. (Early morning is best.)

• Water deeply and infrequently. If you have an irrigation system, consider using a smart irrigation control system or manually set the controller on an as-needed basis.

• Install drip irrigation in flowerbeds and at the roots of shrubs. Almost 95% of drip irrigation water can reach a plant, while traditional automatic sprinklers are much less efficient.

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