NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT

Healthy people, families, and communities.

Request for Proposals Due April 28

NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT - The Living Bridge Center is requesting proposals for 3 separate items: 1) The Installation of New Flooring, 2) Medical Equipmemt Furnishing, and 3) Renovation/Construction in the building located at 1200 West Waugh, Suite A, in Dalton Georgia. Proposals will be evaluated to determine the most advantageous based on vendor experience and qualifications as well as total cost. Sealed proposals are due no later than 1 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2017. Proposals are to be mailed or hand delivered to the attention of Stephen Tonya, Financial Operations & Services Manager of the North Georgia Health District - Please see attachments for all details, including mailing instructions and specifications.

Offices of the North Georgia Health District and Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties are CLOSED on Monday, October 10th for Columbus Day. This closing also includes all Environmental Health, WIC and Children's Health services. Normal hours of operation will resume on Tuesday. Happy Columbus Day!

The North Georgia Health District office in Dalton and public Health  Departments and programs in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will be CLOSED for a state holiday on Monday, April 25. This includes all Children's public health programs and WIC services. We will resume normal hours of operation on Tuesday.

Gilmer County Health Department will close early at 3:30 PM today, Thursday, March 3, 2016, due to inclement weather and possible hazardous road conditions.

Pickens County Health Department will close early at 2:30 PM today, Thursday, March 3, 2016, due to inclement weather and possible hazardous road conditions.

Fannin, Gilmer and Pickens County Health Departments will open on a 2-HOUR DELAYED basis on Thursday, February 11th due to continued hazardous road conditions.

Alert Update: Fannin, Gilmer and Pickens County Health Departments will be CLOSED today, Wednesday, February 10th due to hazardous weather conditions.

The North Georgia Health District office in Dalton, GA and Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will Delay Opening by 2 Hours today, Wednesday, February 10th, due to hazardous weather conditions. This includes Environmental Health offices and WIC and Children's Public Health services. 

ALERT UPDATE 2: Pickens County Health Department in Jasper, GA will now CLOSE at 5 PM today, Tuesday, February 9th due to hazardous weather conditions.

Alert Update: Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Gilmer, Murray and Whitfield Counties will CLOSE early at 6 PM today, Tuesday, February 9th due to hazardous weather conditions. Fannin County Health Department will remain closed. 

Fannin County Health Department will be CLOSED today, Tuesday, February 9th, due to hazardous weather conditions. This includes Environmental Health and all WIC and Children's health services in Fannin County. 

NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT 1-2 OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THAT THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES WILL BE CLOSED TODAY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 25 DUE TO ANTICIPATED WEATHER-RELATED HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS:

- CHEROKEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT CLINICS IN CANTON AND WOODSTOCK

- FANNIN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN BLUE RIDGE

- GILMER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN ELLIJAY

- MURRAY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN CHATSWORTH

- PICKENS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN JASPER

- WHITFIELD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN DALTON

- NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT 1-2 OFFICE IN DALTON

NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THAT THE NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT OFFICE AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN GILMER, MURRAY AND WHITFIELD COUNTIES WILL DELAY OPENING TO 9:30 AM ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013, DUE TO POSSIBLE ICY ROAD CONDITIONS.

FANNIN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL DELAY OPENING UNTIL 10 AM.

ANY FURTHER DELAYED OPENINGS AND/OR CLOSURES WITHIN THE NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT WILL BE FORWARDED WHEN THE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. UPDATES WILL ALSO BE POSTED AT WWW.NGHD.ORG. 

NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THAT THESE OFFICES WILL Closed EarlyCLOSE AT 2 PM TODAY DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER:

- MURRAY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMTENT, CHATSWORTH, GA

- WHITFIELD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DALTON, GA

- NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT OFFICE, DALTON, GA

FURTHER UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT.

Closed for the Holidays sign web 

World AIDS Day 2012 web photoDalton (GA) - The North Georgia Health District, based in Dalton, Georgia and comprised of Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties, joins health agencies and organizations worldwide in celebrating World AIDS Day 2012 on December 1.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2012 is "Getting to Zero." Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths.

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that damages a person's immune system by destroying blood cells that help fight against diseases. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the late stage of HIV infection where the immune system is severely damaged, leaving the person susceptible to infections and tumors. HIV is spread by contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health HIV/AIDS Statistics and Reports online, Georgia is ranked sixth highest in the nation for its cumulative reported number of AIDS cases through December 2009, and in 2010, the number of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Georgia was over 40,000 (http://health.state.ga.us/epi/hivaids/.)

UNAIDS is a global strategy adopted for years 2011 to 2015 that aims to advance progress in halting and reversing the spread of HIV worldwide by 2015. 
The North Georgia Health District office in Dalton and health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will be closed Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

These offices will resume their regular business hours on Monday, November 26.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Dalton (GA) - Turkey is such the favorite staple of most Thanksgiving feasts that Thanksgiving Day is often fondly referred to as Turkey Day. But, given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that 80 percent of food borne illnesses are linked to meat and poultry, proper handling and cooking of your holiday turkey is essential. 

Below are important turkey safety tips to practice this holiday season: 

1. IMPROPER THAWING: If a turkey is not completely thawed it will not get done in the middle allowing Salmonella to survive.
  • Whenever possible, thaw turkeys in the refrigerator. However, it takes 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. A 20 pound frozen turkey can take 4 to 5 days to thaw in a refrigerator.
  • Frozen turkeys can be thawed by sealing in a food-grade plastic bag and submerging in cold tap water. Change the water every thirty minutes. This method takes approximately 30 minutes for each pound of turkey. Using a small stream of running water is an even better method but the water must drain at the same time.  An ice chest is a good container for these methods although a kitchen sink may suffice.
  • NEVER thaw turkeys out at room temperature! Bacteria will grow on the outside of the turkey before the middle is thawed.      
  • Microwave thawing is a possibility but most whole frozen turkeys won’t fit inside most microwave ovens. Cook the turkey immediately after removing from microwave.

2. IMPROPER COOKING: The middle of the turkey must reach 165ºF in order to kill all Salmonella and other bacteria. Don’t guess! Use a meat thermometer. Cook dressing separately - don’t stuff the turkey. Whether you bake, smoke or fry a turkey, the middle must reach 165°F.


3. IMPROPER COOLING: Never let a turkey sit out at room temperature for more than one hour after cooking. Many cases of Salmonella food poisoning have happened because the turkey was not thoroughly cooked and then allowed to sit out at room temperature all morning or all night. If the turkey is not served the day of cooking, it should be carved and placed in the refrigerator.

4. LEFTOVERS: Don’t leave leftovers sitting out a room temperature. After the meal, freeze or refrigerate leftovers in convenient smaller portions. Leftovers can be as or more dangerous than freshly cooked turkey. Your home refrigerator should be no higher than 41°F.

Just follow these tips, and have a very happy and SAFE Thanksgiving! Turkey cartoon - Nov 2012 for web
The North Georgia Health District and health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Veterans-Day-Happy-Memorial-DayMurray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will be closed on Monday, November 12 in honor of Veterans Day.

Offices will open at the regularly scheduled time on the following day, Tuesday, November 13.

In the USA, Veterans Day annually falls on November 11. This day is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which ended the World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918. Veterans are thanked for their services to the United States on Veterans Day.
Dalton, GA - Carol Hendrix was recently announced as the Carolyn Wetzel Continuum Award Winner for 2012 by the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia. This award recognizes volunteers and health professionals who contribute to the health and well being of Georgia's families.

Carolyn Wetzel Continuum Award 2012 Winner Carol Hendrix for webCarolyn Wetzel Continuum Award Winner for 2012 is
Carol Hendrix, Breastfeeding Coordinator, WIC, North Georgia Health District. Pictured left to right: Karen Rutledge, Nominator; Carol Hendrix, Winner, Pat Swan, HMHB Board of Directors
Hendrix truly embodies the spirit of the award as both a volunteer and a health professional. In addition to serving as the Breastfeeding Coordinator for North Georgia Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Hendrix volunteers for the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition, the Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition and the Southeastern Lactation Consultant Association.


Hendrix played an integral part in the production of the highly successful Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition's DVD titled "Breastfeeding: A Guide for Success".

Additionally, Hendrix manages fourteen Loving Support Peer Counselors. These Peer Counselors are mothers who have personal experience with breastfeeding and are trained to help women initiate and continue breastfeeding.

Through Hendrix's collaboration with Theresa Brown, Lactation Consultant at Hamilton Medical Center of Dalton, the Peer Counselors are able to spend time at the hospital providing breastfeeding support to new mothers.

Hendrix and Brown presented their unique collaboration at recent International Lactation Consultant Association and Atlanta Emory conferences.

Also this year, Hendrix and Brown gave a presentation of their Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition collaborations at the National Breastfeeding Coalition Conference in Washington, DC.
Dalton, GA - The Whitfield County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) recently received an Whitfield County EMA Director Claude Craig displays AED that was recently purchased for the agency's mobile command vehicle- webWhitfield County EMA Director Claude Craig displays AED that was recently purchased for the agency's mobile command vehicle.Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to place on board the agency's mobile command vehicle. The AED was provided with federal funds through the North Georgia Health District's Emergency Preparedness Department.

According to Claude Craig, director of Whitfield County EMA, "I was concerned we did not have an AED in the mobile command vehicle and there is not always an EMS unit or Fire unit in the area of the mobile command post. Considering budget restrictions, we are pleased our local public health district could positively respond to our request for the AED. We and our other community partners train together, respond together and exercise together, and this is just another way we are making our community better prepared for emergencies."

AEDs improve defibrillation response to sudden cardiac arrests experienced by adults and children. Chances of full recovery from sudden cardiac arrest decrease with each minute the patient goes without defibrillation; therefore, having this AED readily available in the mobile command vehicle is a potentially life-saving provision.
Dalton, GATwo Whitfield County residents are undergoing rabies post-exposure treatments as a result of exposure to a pet cat that the Georgia Public Health Laboratory has now confirmed as positive for rabies.

rabies virusRabies virus: characteristically bullet shaped virion. Rabies is an extremely dangerous disease, often transmitted by the bite of an infected animal. The 15-year old cat had bitten its owner and exposed the owner’s fiancé to the disease before it died. The positive test result for rabies was returned on October 26, 2012.

The cat was reported to have had rabies vaccinations in the past but was not currently vaccinated. Because of its age and since the animal was an indoor cat, it was thought that the probability of rabies was very small. In fact, the cat’s owner could not recall an incident when the cat may have been exposed to rabies.

The owner lives in the Middle Summit Drive area of Dalton between Cleveland Highway and Waring Road, which is a highly developed area of condominiums and apartments; therefore, public health officials went door-to-door delivering rabies notices. 
Canton (GA) - Nine local residents and their children were taken on a free Shopping Matters grocery tour at Kroger in Canton on Thursday where they learned how to make healthy food choices on a limited budget.
Shopping Matters tour in Canton 10-25-12 for NGHDJosefina Arvizu-Villela, WIC nutritionist with Cherokee County public health, teaches Shopping Matters tour participants how to read food labels for nutritional values
The Shopping Matters tour was sponsored by North Georgia WIC and was led by Josefina Arvizu-Villela, a WIC nutritionist based in the Cherokee County Health Department who was recently trained as a Shopping Matters tour facilitator.

"Often, people don't know how to buy nutritious, yet affordable food for their family because they don't understand which foods are best, nor do they know how to make sense of the labels," Arvizu-Villela explained. "Shopping Matters empowers them to shop more effectively because it breaks it all down in a practical, sensible way."

This tour focused particularly on foods available in the Women's, Infants and Children (WIC) food package and taught ways to make healthy, affordable choices among these foods.
Dalton, GA One hundred fifty area residents joined thousands of people all over the nation Wednesday to celebrate Food Day—the nationwide celebration and movement toward more healthy, affordable, sustainable food and a better food system. A kick-off in Dalton was sponsored by White’s Pediatrics and North Georgia WIC at the Mack Gaston Community Center. 

Kimbilee Jonas of Whites Pediatrics and young Diego Hurtado at Food Day in DaltonKimbilee Jonas (right) of White's Pediatrics in Dalton discusses the benefits of healthy food choices with young Diego Hurtado at the Food Day Celebration held in Dalton on Wednesday

“The reason we became involved in Food Day is because we began to realize that parents of many of the obese children coming into our clinic wanted to make the needed lifestyle changes but didn’t know how,” said Kimbilee Jonas, Community Outreach Coordinator for White’s Pediatrics. “So, by working with the children to make healthier food choices, we're helping the whole family adopt the right tools for healthy lifestyle changes.”


The theme seen throughout the local Food Day event was the positive effects of community collaboration in encouraging easy access to locally produced healthy and affordable foods.

For example, as part of Wednesday's Food Day activities, locally produced, low-cost fruits and vegetables were available at the farmers market held inside the community center pavilion.

“Food Day is about embracing the concept of real food,” North Georgia WIC Program Manager Karen Rutledge said. “And, as a society, we need to look more toward consuming foods that are right here in our own back yards.”
"I never thought it could happen to me," said 63-year-old Paulette White of Dalton after she was diagnosed last fall with breast cancer.Paulette White of Dalton is a breast cancer survivor due to early detectionPaulette White of Dalton is a breast cancer survivor due to early detection

But it did happen.

And now, Paulette is a breast cancer survivor because she maintained regular check-ups.

Paulette was faithful to get yearly health screenings, including mammograms, despite her lack of health insurance. Working for a small Dalton-based company, Paulette doesn't have access to affordable health insurance. Yet, not to be deterred from seeking basic healthcare, Paulette gets physicals each year at the Whitfield County Health Department's Medical Access Clinic (MAC).*

It was there during her physical last October that the abnormality was detected.

"The MAC nurse felt a very small knot," said Paulette, "so small, it's no wonder I didn't notice it myself when doing my monthly self breast exams."
Beth Spivey and Paulette White on webBeth Spivey, RN, BSN of the Whitfield County Health Department's Medical Access Clinic and breast cancer survivor Paulette White discuss monthly self breast exams. "Ms. White's breast cancer was detected early," said Spivey, "The chance of a woman having breast cancer sometime during her life is one in eight and early detection is key in the treatment of it."MAC staff assisted Paulette in getting a mammogram and diagnostic evaluation through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP).**

When it was confirmed she had cancer and she needed surgery, the staff helped her apply for assistance through the Women's Health Medicaid Program.***

"I was reeling from the shock of being diagnosed with breast cancer and wondering 'What do I do next?'," Paulette recalled. "But the health department staff was there for me, connecting me to resources I needed." 

Now, she feels like her old self again.

"I never thought I would get cancer," said Paulette, "but, because I didn't let circumstances keep me from getting yearly check-ups and from seeking help when breast cancer was detected, I'm here to enjoy life with my grandchildren."
______________
*Whitfield County Health Department's Medical Access Clinic (MAC) - http://nghd.org/Whitfield-County-Health-   Department/macservices.html
**Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) - http://health.state.ga.us/programs/bccp/index.asp
***Women's Health Medicaid Program - http://health.state.ga.us/programs/womensmedicaid/index.asp
Food Day Press Release
Ellijay (GA) - An Ellijay resident fought to protect her Chihuahua from a raccoon attack, and now, she is undergoing post-exposure rabies treatment and her dog is under six-months quarantine.

Gilmer County Environmental Manager Andrea Martin reported that the attack occurred on October 9, 2012 at the pet owner's home on John Call Road in Ellijay.

"The owner intervened in the attack and came in contact with the raccoon's saliva through a skin abrasion on her hand," said Martin. "Since then, the raccoon has tested positive for rabies, so, the owner of the dog is receiving post-exposure rabies treatment."

Because the Chihuahua was "slightly overdue" for its annual rabies vaccination at the time of Rabies quarantinethe attack, Martin required that the dog be given a rabies booster vaccination and quarantined for six months.

Rabies that goes untreated is fatal almost 100 percent of the time.

Health officials urge residents to maintain current rabies vaccinations in their pets, not only for the pets' protection, but to also protect themselves and their families.

"If our pets are not properly vaccinated and are exposed to rabies, then we are next in line for exposure," said Martin, "We must keep those rabies vaccinations current each year."

Another important step in the prevention of rabies exposure is to avoid contact with all unfamiliar animals, both domestic and wild.

For more information about rabies, please contact Gilmer County Environmental Health at (706) 635-6050 or log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov.

Registering participants for SHOPPING MATTERS Tours!

Canton
(GA) -
Buying affordable, yet nutritious food can be a real challenge to anyone, especially for families on a budget.

Shopping Matters is a new program in Cherokee County that teaches registered shoppers how to buy nutritional food on a budget and is locally sponsored by North Georgia WIC.

Participants will be taken on a free grocery store tour by a local, trained facilitator who will empower them with knowledge about how to shop for and prepare healthy meals. They will then be given a guidebook that includes tasty, simple recipes and information provided during the tour.

Two Shopping Matters Tour dates are currently scheduled in Cherokee County:
Hadley Standring conducts Shopping Matters Tour training at Canton KrogerHadley Standring conducts Shopping Matters Tour training at Canton Kroger
Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 9 A.M.
Canton Kroger
4045 Marietta Hwy., Canton, GA 30114


Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 1 p.m.
Woodstock Kroger
5339 Old Hwy. 5, Woodstock, GA 30188


For more details about these free Shopping Matters Tours and to register for one of the scheduled tour dates, call the local WIC office at 1 (866) 942-9675.

Shopping Matters is a branch of Cooking Matters, which is part of the national organization Share Our Strength. Learning to fully utilize WIC and the SNAP program to purchase healthy, easy to cook meals is a key ingredient of the program.

Learn more about Shopping Matters and Cooking Matters at Share Our Strength's website: www.nokidhungry.org.

Health Departments in North Georgia Health District focus on Breast Cancer Awareness

Dalton (GA) - According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.Fannin County Health Department staff wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness - webFannin County Health Department staff wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is almost 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 36.


The good news is that breast cancer death rates have been going down. According to ACS officials, this is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment. Right now there are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

In observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, officials of the North Georgia Health District based in Dalton and health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties are reminding the public that early detection is key in the treatment of breast cancer. 

The following breast cancer awareness activities are being held by the county health departments:

Cherokee County: On Tuesday, October 23, from 11:30 A.M. to 1 P.M., a Cherokee County Breast Cancer Awareness event will be held in the picnic area of the Woodstock Health Center at 7545 N. Gilmer County Health Department staff wear Pink Ribbons for Breast Cancer AwarenessGilmer County Health Department staff wear Pink Ribbons for Breast Cancer AwarenessMain Street. The requested attire is pink. Activities will include recognition of two employee breast cancer survivors and a Zumba Fitness Demo. Call (770) 928-0133.

Fannin County: Health department staff is wearing pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and has a display in the health department lobby with a breast cancer awareness focus. Staff is working with their Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Program patients. The Fannin County Health Department is located at 95 Ouida Street in Blue Ridge. Call (706) 632-3023.

Gilmer County: Health department staff is recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink and by providing information at the health department about breast cancer and early detection. The Gilmer County Health Department is located at 28 Southside Church Street in Chatsworth Mayor Dan Pendland signs Breast Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation in the presence of Murray County Health Department's Cathy Gray and Debbie Chesnutt - webChatsworth Mayor Dan Penland signs Breast Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation in the presence of Murray County Health Department Cathy Gray and Debbie ChesnuttEllijay and the phone number is (706) 635-4363.

Murray County: Chatsworth Mayor Dan Penland officially proclaimed October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Chatsworth, and on Tuesday, October 30, health department staff will wear pink and will provide free breast exams at the clinic. . . Walk-ins are Welcome! The Murray County Health Department is open from 7:30 A.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Tuesdays and is located at 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road in Chatsworth. Call (706) 695-4585.

Pickens County: Health department staff is wearing pink to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is providing breast cancer and early detection information at the health department. The Pickens County Health Department is located at 60   Health Way in Jasper and the phone number is
(706) 253-2821.


Whitfield County: Health department staff is wearing pink and is providing breast cancer awareness information at the Whitfield County Health Department at 800 Professional Boulevard in Dalton. They will also provide breast cancer awareness materials at their booth at the Georgia Department of Labor Job Readiness Kick Off on October 22, 23 and 24 from 1 to 8 P.M. at the Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center in Dalton. Call (706) 279-9600.

Mayor Don Penland and wife Barbara get flu shots from Julie CulpepperChatsworth Mayor Don Penland and wife Barbara get flu shots from Julie Culpepper, RNChatsworth (GA) - Eighty people were added to the list of people protected against the flu today in Chatsworth as they drove by Murray County Health Department staff to receive their flu vaccinations. 

This was the second public health drive-by flu shot clinic held at the Murray County Recreation Center this year because the one conducted last month was forced indoors due to rain. Yet, despite those conditions, 135 residents still came for a flu shot.

"Now, with the 80 shots given today, a total of 215 residents have received flu vaccinations at our two drive-by flu shot clinics," said County Nurse Manager Debbie Chesnutt.

Chesnutt continues to urge residents to get a flu vaccination at the health department located at 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road in Chatsworth as soon as possible because the flu season has now begun. 

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is $20 at the health department. They accept cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.
FREE HIV TESTING IS OFFERED AT THE MACK GASTON COMMUNITY CENTER IN DALTON ON THE LAST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 3 P.M. TO 6 P.M. HIV T-shirt

THE FREE HIV TESTING AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER THIS MONTH WILL BE ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30TH.

BECAUSE ALL OF US MATTER, WE SHOULD UPDATE OUR HIV STATUS! ANYONE AT RISK FOR HIV, OR ANYONE WHO HAS THE DISEASE BUT DOESN'T KNOW IT, HAS POWERFUL REASONS FOR LEARNING THEIR HIV STATUS. 

TAKE THE TEST, TAKE CONTROL!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FREE HIV TESTING AT THE MACK GASTON COMMUNITY CENTER, LOCATED AT 214   FREDRICK STREET IN DALTON, CALL (706) 281-2360.
Jasper (GA) – Pickens County Nurse Manager Sandy Singleton commends the 75 residents who were vaccinated at the Pickens County Health Department Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic today at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Jasper.

Winford Duckett of Jasper vaccinated at Pickens Co Health Dept Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic - web shotWinford Duckett of Jasper is vaccinated by Nancy Loyed at the Pickens County Health Department Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic“These folks are now better prepared to face the flu season,” Singleton said. "Not only did they protect themselves, but as each individual gets vaccinated against the flu, it builds a stronger wall of immunity that protects the whole community from influenza."

Now that flu season has begun, Singleton is encouraging all residents to come to the health department at 60 Health Way in Jasper to get their flu vaccination without delay. 

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot.

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.
The Murray County Health Department will conduct a second Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic on Tuesday, October 16 from 8:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. at the Murray County Recreation Center at 651 Hyden Tyler Road in Chatsworth.FLU SHOT

The flu vaccine is $20. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.

Georgia State Patrol will provide child safety seat checks at the clinic, as well.

For more information, please contact the Murray County Health Department at (706) 695-4585.
Pickens Drive-by 2012 - Poster for webDon't forget! The Pickens County Health Department will conduct a Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic THIS Wednesday, October 10 from 8:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. at Mount Zion Baptist Church on North Main Street in Jasper.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic is designed to make getting that shot quick, easy and convenient!

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.

For more information, please contact the Pickens County Health Department at (706) 253-2821.
Ellijay (GA)The combined Gilmer County Health Department Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics ended today with the final one at First United Methodist Church of Ellijay and a total of over 80 residents vaccinated against the flu!Marsha and Irene Carpenter at Gilmer Drive-byMarsha and Irene Carpenter get flu shots from Gilmer County Health Department staff at the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic in Ellijay

“This was our first year to conduct drive-by flu shot clinics each Friday in September in addition to the one we have annually in October at First United Methodist," said Katherine Meyer, county nurse manager. “We did this to provide a wider range of opportunity for people to get a convenient drive-by flu shot, and we're thrilled these 80 residents are now armed against the flu." 

Meyer is now urging all other Gilmer residents who have not yet gotten their flu shot to come to the health department at 28 Southside Church Street to receive their vaccination.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is $20 at the health department and the department accepts cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.
Woodstock (GA) - The Allen Temple AME Church in Woodstock celebrated the opening of its Lactation Room with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this past Saturday!

The Lactation Room will provide privacy and a comfortable location for mothers who desire to nurse their babies while attending worship services.

The church understands the benefits of breastfeeding to infants and supports mothers who desire to breastfeed their babies. The addition of the room is another step toward the church's goal of reducing childhood obesity by providing education and support to the church community. 
Pastor Carl Moore and Carol Hendrix at Allen Temple AME Lactation Room Ribbon-cutting for webCarl A. Moore, Sr., Senior Pastor, Allen Temple A.M.E. Church of Woodstock and Carol Hendrix, WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator for the North Georgia Health District cut the ribbon to the church's new Lactation Room where mothers may now privately breastfeed their babies during worship services. The Lactation Room is a result of the Georgia SHAPE partnership between the Health Ministry of Allen Temple and North Georgia Health District's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Georgia SHAPE is a statewide initiative of Governor Nathan Deal to join governmental, philanthropic, academic, and business communities to lower incidence of obesity in Georgia – now at epidemic proportions.

Evidence continues to mount that breastfeeding can help prevent obesity and is important to the health of both mothers and children.

Leading health experts throughout the world and our nation recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for at least the first year. Exclusive breastfeeding offers women some protection from breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, while offering children important protection against ear, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, obesity, diabetes, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).


For information about the Lactation Room at Allen Temple AME Church, contact Dr. Orin Gill at (678) 761-2203 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.www.northgawic.comThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.www.georgiashape.orgThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dalton (GA)The two-day Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic held by the Whitfield County Health Department ended today, but not before a total of 1,236 people received their flu vaccinations!

“We are very pleased with the number of people who armed themselves against the flu at our clinic yesterday and today,” said Gayle Brannon, county nurse manager. “Now, we challenge all our residents to protect 1236 vaccinated at Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic in Daltonthemselves by getting their flu shot here at the health department right away."

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is $20 at the health department, located at 800 Professional Boulevard in Dalton. The department accepts cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.

The Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic also served as a drill so that health department staff could test their ability to quickly administer medications in a widespread public health crisis such as pandemic influenza. The vaccination process went smoothly and quickly for everyone who participated.

“We are very grateful for the help we received in successfully operating our clinic from the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office and from volunteers, including members of the local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)," Brannon said. 

For more information about influenza vaccination, please contact the Whitfield County Health Department at (706) 226-2621 or log onto www.cdc.gov/flu.
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View photos of the Drive-by Clinic in Dalton on our Facebook page at  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.415673561820747.103775.130708733650566&type=1 

The Pass It On - Good Health Celebration at Woodstock City Park this past Saturday, September 29 was a huge success as families were reminded of how much fun it is to play together while getting physically fit!

Dozens of families came to enjoy fun games, entertaining exercises, dancing, Zumba®, walking, jump roping, healthy snacks, nutritious recipe demonstrations, and health screenings such as blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) measurements and Pass It On Photohearing, dental and vision screenings for kids!

Plus, a clothing and food drive took place simultaneously at nearby Allen Temple AME Church as well as the ribbon-cutting to the church's brand new Lactation Room, where mothers may privately breastfeed their babies while attending worship services.

The Pass It On - Good Health Celebration was a *Georgia SHAPE event and was sponsored by the Allen Temple AME Church of Woodstock. Participating partners included LA Fitness, Kroger, Cherokee County Health Department, North Georgia WIC, and the North Georgia Health District, part of the Georgia Department of Public Health.
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*More about Georgia SHAPE: Georgia SHAPE is an exciting initiative to improve Georgia’s future, beginning with our state’s most vital and important asset — our young people. We know all children can benefit from knowledge of their current health-related fitness levels, along with a capacity to develop and implement strategies for personal improvement. For more information on Georgia SHAPE visit: www.GeorgiaSHAPE.org.
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Photos from this event are on our Facebook page at  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.415277418527028.103675.130708733650566&type=1 

759 Whitfield County residents armed themselves against the flu today by getting vaccinated at the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic at the Whitfield County Health Department!

The Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic continues tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 3rd, from 8:30 to 4 at the health department at 800 Professional Boulevard in Dalton.Facebook

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is $20 at the health department and the department accepts cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.

For more information about receiving a flu shot, please contact the Whitfield County Health Department at (706) 226-2621, or log onto www.cdc.gov/flu.
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Photos of the Drive-by are posted on our Facebook page at  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.415673561820747.103775.130708733650566&type=3
Whitfield Drive-by 2012 - flyerTHE WHITFIELD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT REMINDS YOU TO COME TO THEIR DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC OPEN THIS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT LOCATED AT 800 PROFESSIONAL BOULEVARD IN DALTON!

CLINIC TIMES WILL BE 8:30 TO 6 ON TUESDAY AND 8:30 TO 4 ON WEDNESDAY!

PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST THE FLU BY GETTING VACCINATED EASILY AND CONVENIENTLY WHILE NEVER HAVING TO LEAVE YOUR CAR.


THE REGULAR FLU SHOT IS $20 AND THE HIGH DOSE FLU SHOT FOR ADULTS AGES 65 AND OLDER IS $50. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ACCEPTING CASH, CHECKS, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, STATE CIGNA AND STATE HEALTHCARE INSURANCES.
Don't forget that the Gilmer County Health Department is having a Drive-By Flu Shot Clinic THIS Friday, October 5 from 8 to 1 at the First United Methodist Church of Ellijay on McCutchen Street.

The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and at the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic, you can arm yourself against the flu while never having to get out of yourNurse
car!

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.

For more information, please contact the Gilmer County Health Department at (706) 635-4363.
Don't forget to join us as we celebrate the opening of the new Lactation Room in the Allen Temple AME Church of Woodstock! The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 11 A.M. this Saturday, September 29, 2012 in the Nursery of the Allen Temple AME Church, located at 232 Arnold Mill Road in Woodstock. 

The public is cordially invited to attend the 11 o'clock ribbon-cutting ceremony as well as the associated Pass It On - Good Health Celebration that will be conducted from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. at Woodstock City Park!breastfeeding

For more information about the opening of the Lactation Room at Allen Temple AME Church or if you are interested in the Pass It On - Good Health Celebration, contact Dr. Orin Gill at (678) 761-2203 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.www.georgiashape.orgThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gilmer Drive-by 2012 - Poster for webThis is a reminder that the Gilmer County Health Department is gearing up for its DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5 FROM 8 A.M. TO 1 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church of Ellijay at 75 McCutchen Street.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic is designed to make getting that shot quick, easy and convenient!

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.

For more information, please contact the Gilmer County Health Department at (706) 635-4363. 
Blue Ridge (GA)172 Fannin County residents were vaccinated today at the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic held by the Fannin County Health Department at the Farmers Market in Blue Ridge. 75 of the shots administered were the high dose flu vaccine for adults ages 65 and older.

“That’s 172 folks who are now better prepared to face the flu season,” said Freda Williamson, county nurse manager, “And we urge all residents to protect themselves by
receiving a flu shot at the health department on
Ouida Street here in Blue Ridge.” 
Fannin - Cecil Patterson - FBCecil Patterson receives flu shot from Beth Thomas at Drive-by in Blue Ridge
Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is $20 at the health department and the department accepts cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.

Today's flu shot clinic also served as an opportunity for the Fannin County Health Department to test their ability to quickly administer medications in a widespread public health crisis such as pandemic influenza. Vaccinations were administered within just a few minutes of participants' arrival at the clinic.
FLU SHOTTHE FANNIN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT REMINDS YOU TO COME TO THEIR DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC TODAY ANY TIME FROM 9 TO 5 AT THE FARMERS MARKET ON EAST FIRST STREET IN BLUE RIDGE!

PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST THE FLU BY GETTING VACCINATED EASILY AND CONVENIENTLY WHILE NEVER HAVING TO LEAVE YOUR CAR.

THE REGULAR FLU SHOT IS $20 AND THE HIGH DOSE FLU SHOT FOR ADULTS AGES 65 AND OLDER IS $50. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ACCEPTING CASH, CHECKS, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, STATE CIGNA AND STATE HEALTHCARE INSURANCES.
Don't forget to join us for the  Pass It On - Good Health Celebration at Woodstock City Park this Saturday, September 29 from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.

The Pass It On - Good Health Celebration is FREE to all and will remind families of how much fun it is to play together while getting physically fit!
Pass It On - Good Health Poster -small
Bring the whole family to enjoy fun games, entertaining exercises, walking, jump roping, healthy snacks, nutritious recipe demonstrations, and health screenings such as blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) measurements and hearing, dental and vision screenings for kids!

Plus, locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables will be available at affordable prices.

The Pass It On - Good Health Celebration is a *Georgia SHAPE event and is sponsored by the Allen Temple AME Church of Woodstock. Participating partners include LA Fitness, Kroger, Cherokee County Health Department, North Georgia WIC, and the North Georgia Health District, part of the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Woodstock City Park is located at the corner of Main and West Mill Streets in Woodstock.  

To learn more about the Pass It On-Good Health Celebration or how to participate, contact Dr. Orin Gill of Allen Temple AME at (678) 761-2203 or at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
.
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*More about Georgia SHAPE: Georgia SHAPE is an exciting initiative to improve Georgia’s future, beginning with our state’s most vital and important asset - our young people. We know all children can benefit from knowledge of their current health-related fitness levels, along with a capacity to develop and implement strategies for personal improvement. For more information on Georgia SHAPE visit:
www.GeorgiaSHAPE.org.
Don't forget to protect yourself against the flu this season quickly and easily while never having to get out of your car at the DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC in Blue Ridge on Wednesday!
Fannin Drive-by 2012 - flyer for web
The Fannin County Health Department will conduct their Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic this Wednesday, September 26 from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. at The Farmers Market on East First Street in Blue Ridge.

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.


For more information, please contact the Fannin County Health Department at (706) 632-3023.
Whitfield Drive-by 2012 - Poster for WebThis is a reminder that the Whitfield County Health Department will conduct its DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC on Tuesday, October 2 from 8:30 A.M. to 6 P.M. and on Wednesday, October 3 from 8:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. The clinic will be held at the Whitfield County Health Department, located at 800 Professional Boulevard in Dalton.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic is designed to make getting that shot quick, easy and convenient!

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.

For more information, please contact the Whitfield County Health Department at (706) 226-2621.
Jump roping, invigorating walks, eye-catching exhibits, healthy snacks and stimulating martial arts demonstrations were all part of the fun families enjoyed at the World Breastfeeding Week Celebration events held today at the Murray County Recreation Center in Chatsworth and at the Mack Gaston Community Center in Dalton.

North Georgia WIC, Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition, Georgia Mountains Health, Bradley Wellness Center, Amerigroup Real Solutions, WellCare of Georgia, Peach State Health Plan, Murray County D.A.R.E., Dalton Police Department, Dalton Fire Department, and SEO's Martial Arts of Dalton partnered in these events to stress to over 400 attendees the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

PinsonKeisha Pinson of Rocky Face breastfeeds son, Marius, while at World Breastfeeding Week event in Dalton with daughter, Kari, and older son, TzarielAnd that road begins with breastfeeding.

While malnutrition plagues numerous developing countries, rates of obesity are at an all-time high in many developed countries, with the highest prevalence in the United States and Mexico. The health and nutritional status of mothers and infants are directly linked, making appropriate infant feeding a critical first step in preventing these and a variety of other medical conditions. 

Research shows that infants who are not exclusively breastfed for their first six months of life are also more likely to develop a wide range of chronic and acute diseases and conditions including ear infections, diarrheal diseases, asthma, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and respiratory illnesses. In addition, mothers who do not breastfeed are at an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

FREE HIV TESTING WILL BE OFFERED AT THE MACK GASTON COMMUNITY CENTER IN DALTON ON THE LAST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 25!
HIV T-shirtTake the Test. Take Control! Free HIV Testing at Mack Gaston Community Center in Dalton last Tuesday of each month.
TESTING WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 1 P.M. TO 4 P.M. THIS TUESDAY, THE 25TH.

HOWEVER, STARTING IN OCTOBER, THE HIV TESTING TIMES ON THE LAST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH WILL BE FROM 1 P.M. TO 6 P.M.

BECAUSE ALL OF US MATTER, WE SHOULD UPDATE OUR HIV STATUS! ANYONE AT RISK FOR HIV, OR ANYONE WHO HAS THE DISEASE BUT DOESN'T KNOW IT, HAS POWERFUL REASONS FOR LEARNING THEIR HIV STATUS. 

TAKE THE TEST, TAKE CONTROL!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FREE HIV TESTING AT THE MACK GASTON COMMUNITY CENTER, LOCATED AT 214 FREDRICK STREET IN DALTON, CALL (706) 281-2360. 
Woodstock (GA) September 19, 2012 - The Allen Temple AME Church will celebrate the opening of its new Lactation Room with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 A.M. on September 29, 2012. The room will be conveniently located in the Nursery. The church understands the benefits of breastfeeding to infants and breastfeedingsupports mothers who desire to breastfeed their babies. The Lactation Room will provide a comfortable location and privacy for mothers who desire to nurse their babies while away from home. The addition of the room is another step toward the church's goal of reducing childhood obesity by providing education and support to the church community. Additional games, activities and events will be offered on September 29th from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. at Woodstock City Park to highlight this focus.

The Lactation Room is a result of the Georgia SHAPE partnership between the Health Ministry of Allen Temple and North Georgia Health District's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Georgia SHAPE is a statewide, multiagency, multidimensional initiative of Governor Nathan Deal joining governmental, philanthropic, academic, and business communities to lower incidence of overweight and obesity in Georgia – now at epidemic proportions.
UPDATE: As of 11:40 A.M. on September 19, the two dogs referred to in this press release had been euthanized, according to Shannon Bradburn of Fannin County Environmental Health. 

Blue Ridge
(GA) September 19, 2012 - Fannin County Environmental Health officials announced today that a raccoon that fought two dogs in Mineral Bluff has now tested positive for rabies.

The dogs were not vaccinated, therefore, the decision is being made as to whether or not they will be euthanized.

There was no known human exposure to the raccoon.rabid raccoonStock photo

According to Environmental Health Specialist Shannon Bradburn, Fannin County Environmental Health received a call on Thursday, September 13 from a friend of the dogs' owner who said the dogs had fought the raccoon that day at the owner's residence on Jasper Road in Mineral Bluff. The friend said the raccoon was dead and they were making arrangements to have it taken to a local veterinarian who prepared the remains for shipping to the state lab.

On the next business day, Monday, September 17, environmental health picked up the specimen and shipped it to the Georgia State Laboratory for rabies testing, and the lab confirmed late afternoon on Tuesday, September 18 that the raccoon had tested positive for the rabies virus.

Environmental health officials immediately notified all parties involved of the positive results, and today, they are contacting residents in the area to assess if others had been exposed and to alert them to the possibility of more rabid animals in the area.
Despite rainy conditions that forced Murray County Health Department's Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic indoors today, 135 Murray County residents came to the Murray County Recreation Center for their vaccinations and are now better prepared to face the flu season.
Tom Starnes at Murray County Drive-by Flu Shot ClinicDebbie Chesnutt, County Nurse Manager, gives a flu shot to Tom Starnes, former County Manager and Director of Economic Development, at the Murray County Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic
Debbie Chesnutt, County Nurse Manager, is pleased with the turn out today and is urging all residents to protect themselves by receiving a flu shot at the health department located at 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road in Chatsworth.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is $20 at the health department, and the department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.

Today's flu shot clinic also served as an opportunity for the Murray County Health Department to test their ability to quickly administer medications in a widespread public health crisis such as pandemic influenza. Vaccinations were administered within just a few minutes of participants' arrival at the clinic.

For more information about receiving a flu shot, please contact the Murray County Health Department at (706) 695-4585, or log onto
www.cdc.gov/flu.
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More photos are on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.410695888985181.102397.130708733650566&type=1#!/media/set/?set=a.410695888985181.102397.130708733650566&type=3
This is a reminder that the Fannin County Health Department will conduct a DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 FROM 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M. at The Farmers Market on East First Street in Blue Ridge.
Fannin Drive-by 2012 - Poster
Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic is designed to make getting that shot quick, easy and convenient!

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.

For more information, please contact the Fannin County Health Department at (706) 632-3023.
The Whitfield County MEDBANK office will be closed Monday, September 24 through Friday, September 28, 2012 while the office is being moved to 420 Hamilton Street in Dalton. MEDBANK will re-open for business at its new location on Monday, October 1, 2012.Rx bottle


To learn more about Whitfield County MEDBANK and the services it provides, log onto http://nghd.org/Whitfield-County-Health-Department/medbank.html.
Did you know that safe, cost-effective dental care for Kids is available through the local Public Health Dental Clinic? 

Conveniently located in the Whitfield County and Murray County Health Departments, the Public Health Dental Clinic offers advanced state-of-the-art dental care, hygiene, assessment, health education and treatment to children between the ages of 3 and 19. Services are especially extended to children who have had limited or no access to dental care.

The clinic is currently accepting new patients with NO WAITING PERIOD! So, parents, call the Public Health Dental Clinic at Happy Tooth with Toothbrush 4(706) 281-2206 in Dalton or (706) 695-4585 in Chatsworth to schedule an appointment for your child to receive these preventive and clinical services: 
       - Routine cleanings, exams, x-rays, fillings and extractions
       - Sealants
       -
Space maintainers
       -
Baby root canal
       -
Emergency care
       -
Free language assistance

Clinic hours in Dalton are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 A.M to 5:00 P.M. and on Friday, 8:00 A.M to 2:00 P.M.


Clinic hours in Chatsworth are Wednesday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

The clinic accepts Medicaid, Peach Care, Wellcare, Amerigroup, Peach State and most private insurance plans. They also offer a sliding scale to those who qualify financially.

Call for an appointment today!
Due to forecasted rainy conditions, the Murray County Health Department will conduct its Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic INDOORS tomorrow. Therefore, the clinic will be held on Tuesday, September 18 from 8 A.M. TO 5 P.M. INSIDE the Murray County Recreation Center at 651 Hyden Tyler Road in Chatsworth.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot,
and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic is designed to make getting that shot quick, easy and convenient!
Red Umbrella
The flu vaccine is $20. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.

For more information, please contact the Murray County Health Department at (706) 695-4585.
Woodstock (GA) - The Pass It On - Good Health Celebration will be in Woodstock City Park on Saturday, September 29, 2012 and will be open and FREE to the public from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.

Packed with wholesome activities and nutritious treats, the Pass It On-Good Health Celebration is being coordinated by Allen Temple AME Church of Woodstock and will serve as a festive reminder to families of just how much fun it is to play together!Pass It On - Good Health Poster -small

This event is part of Georgia SHAPE Month, when during September, Georgians from every corner of
the state are invited to participate in a vast array of health and fitness activities.


"Georgia SHAPE is about improving the health of our state's children," Gov. Nathan Deal said as he signed the official September proclamation. "And SHAPE Month is about letting every Georgia family know we support them and we want them to know fitness is fun."

Fitness and fun will certainly be the theme at the Pass It On - Good Health Celebration as LA Fitness gets folks moving and North Georgia Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides free healthy cooking tips along with nutritious recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Plus, locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables will be available at affordable prices, and Kroger will supply healthy snacks.

Additionally, the Cherokee County Health Department will provide activities and screenings that focus on improving healthy behaviors.

Woodstock City Park is located at the corner of Main and West Mill Streets in Woodstock. 

To learn more about the Pass It On-Good Health Celebration or how to participate, contact Dr. Orin Gill of Allen Temple AME at (678) 761-2203 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
_____________________________________________________________________
More about Georgia SHAPE: Georgia SHAPE is an exciting initiative to improve Georgia’s future, beginning with our state’s most vital and important asset — our young people. We know all children can benefit from knowledge of their current health-related fitness levels, along with a capacity to develop and implement strategies for personal improvement. For more information on Georgia SHAPE visit: www.GeorgiaSHAPE.org.
Join us for a World Breastfeeding Week Celebration on Friday, September 21! The celebration event will be held at both the Murray County Recreation Center in Chatsworth from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. and at the Mack Gaston Community Center in Dalton from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M. Come with the whole family for a healthy walk, exciting exhibits and FREE goodies! Get a FREE celebratory baseball cap provided by the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition. The World Breastfeeding Week Celebration will take place rain or shine! For more information, call Kerry Smith at 706-934-4128.WBW
Woodstock (GA) - 152 Cherokee County residents protected themselves against influenza with a flu shot on Tuesday at the Cherokee County Health Department's Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic in Woodstock. 53 of those received the high dose flu shot for people ages 65 and older.wayne-bostick-drive-by-flu-shotWayne Bostick gets a Drive-by Flu Shot in Woodstock

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic on Tuesday was a quick and convenient way to receive the vaccination.

"We are happy with the turn out at the drive-by clinic," said Nancy Stackhouse, Cherokee County Health Immunization Outreach Coordinator and Georgia's 2012 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion. "That's 152 people who are now better prepared to stay healthy this flu season."

Denise Bowman, Cherokee County Health Department Manager, is urging all residents to protect themselves by receiving their flu shot at either of the public health centers in Canton and Woodstock. The centers are located at 1219   Univeter Road in Canton and at 7545 North Main Street in Woodstock.   

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State Cigna and State Healthcare Insurances.
This is a reminder that the Murray County Health Department will conduct a DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 FROM 8 A.M. TO 5 P.M. in the parking lot of the Murray County Recreation Center at 651 Hyden Tyler Road in Chatsworth.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic is designed to make getting that shot quick, easy and convenient!

The flu vaccine is $20. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.
 
For more information, please contact the Murray County Health Department at (706) 695-4585.
This is a reminder that the Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a DRIVE-BY FLU SHOT CLINIC THIS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 FROM 7:30 A.M. TO 6 P.M. in the parking lot of the Woodstock Health Center at 7545 North Main Street.

Having the flu can lead to serious complications and death. The best protection against influenza is a flu shot, and the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic is designed to make getting that shot quick, easy and convenient!

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. The health department is accepting cash, checks, Medicare, Medicaid, State CIGNA and State Healthcare Insurances.
 
For more information, please contact the Cherokee County Health Department at (770) 928-0133 or (770) 345-7371.
hiv-aidsFREE HIV TESTING WILL BE OFFERED AT DALTON STATE COLLEGE ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012, 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.

BECAUSE ALL OF US MATTER, WE SHOULD UPDATE OUR HIV STATUS!  ANYONE AT RISK FOR HIV, OR ANYONE WHO HAS THE DISEASE BUT DOESN'T KNOW IT, HAS POWERFUL REASONS FOR LEARNING THEIR HIV STATUS.

TAKE THE TEST, TAKE CONTROL!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FREE HIV TESTING EVENT AT DALTON STATE COLLEGE, CALL (706) 281-2360. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIV TESTING, COUNSELING AND PREVENTION, GO HERE.
Dalton (GA) August 29, 2012Flu Shots Now AvailableFlu shots are now available at health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties, according to North Georgia Health District officials; and, each county will soon conduct Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics: the quickest, most convenient method for immunization against the flu. 

In addition to doses of the regular seasonal flu vaccine, health departments in five of the six counties within the district are offering high dose flu vaccine for people ages 65 and older. These counties include  Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens and Whitfield. 

The regular seasonal flu vaccine is $20 and the high dose flu shot is $50. At the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics, the health departments are accepting cash, checks, Medicare and Medicaid as well as State Cigna and State United  Healthcare Insurances.

Mosquitoimage courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

21 Confirmed Cases, Including Three Deaths of WNV in Georgia
 
ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is calling on all Georgians to guard against exposure to mosquitoes. DPH has identified 21 confirmed cases of the West Nile Virus (WNV) in the state.  Three cases have been fatal.
 
Confirmed cases are in the following counties: 1 - Bartow, 3 - Cobb, 1 - Columbia, 7 - Dougherty (including 2 deaths), 1 - Fulton, 1 - Forsyth, 1 - Early (including 1 death), 1 - Lee, 1 - Mitchell, 2 - Muscogee, 1 - Richmond, and 1 - Worth.  
 
Mosquitoes from 54 West Nile Virus monitoring sites in metro Atlanta and another 20 in coastal and south Georgia have tested positive for the virus that can lead to brain or spinal cord swelling, or even death. DPH has deemed these areas at high risk for WNV transmission.  
 
“The problem of mosquitoes and West Nile Virus appears to be escalating in Georgia and across the country,” said J. Patrick O’Neal, M.D., DPH’s director of health protection. “More West Nile Virus cases have been confirmed by the third week in August than at any time in the last 10 years."
 
Dr. O’Neal urges residents to prevent water from standing in containers - where mosquitoes thrive - and to observe the “Five D’s of WNV Prevention.”
 

Russ Flynn and Nancy StackhouseCherokee County Board of Health Chairman Russ Flynn and Nancy Stackhouse, Georgia's CDC Childhood Immunization Champion for 2012
Woodstock (GA) August 2, 2012 - Cherokee County Board of Health Chairman Russ Flynn has presented a letter of congratulations to Cherokee County Health Immunization Outreach Coordinator Nancy Stackhouse, LPN, on being named Georgia's CDC Childhood Immunization Champion for 2012.

In the letter given to Stackhouse at the quarterly Cherokee County Board of Health meeting on August 1, Flynn stated, "The Cherokee County Board of Health appreciates your leadership promoting childhood immunization through vaccination, education, and recognition of children in Cherokee County."

Stackhouse is involved in daily community promotion and education of childhood immunizations in her role with the Cherokee County Health Department. During the past twenty-nine years in public health, she has been a community leader in immunization issues while collaborating with schools, churches, businesses, and other agencies to foster childhood immunizations.

The CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award is a new annual award that recognizes one champion from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia who makes a significant contribution toward improving public health through his or her work in childhood immunization.

Awardees for this inaugural year were announced in conjunction with National Infant Immunization Week last April.

For more information about the new CDC Childhood Immunization Award, log onto http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/champions/childhood.html.

Back To School 2012 - CherokeeClick image to view FlyerThe Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a Back To School Health Clinic from 1 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at both public health centers in Canton and Woodstock. Hearing, Dental and Vision Screenings will be offered for $30.00, and Immunizations will be provided for School-aged Children (there is a charge for vaccines). Medicaid is accepted. The Canton public health center is located at 1219 Univeter Road, and the Woodstock public health center is at 7545 N. Main Street. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton, or call (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.
WCHD-Business-Flu-Shot-Clinic-FlyerClick Image to View FlyerThe Whitfield County Health Department is currently arranging to conduct Workplace Flu Vaccination Clinics at local businesses.  A team of registered nurses and support staff will assure a smooth, seamless process of vaccinating employees at a time that is most convenient for each workplace. Several employer insurance carriers cover the cost of flu vaccine. The health department provides an affordable option. Managers are urged to help keep their workforce working this upcoming flu season by calling (706) 281-2212 for more details.

Lucy Branson [left] of the North Georgia Health District's Living Bridge Center administers an Orasure, or oral swab, HIV testLucy Branson [left] of the North Georgia Health District's Living Bridge Center administers an Orasure, or oral swab, HIV testTHE LIVING BRIDGE CENTER IN DALTON WILL OFFER FREE HIV TESTING ON NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2012. THE FREE TESTING WILL BE CONDUCTED FROM 9 A.M. UNTIL 1 P.M. AT THE WHITFIELD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LOCATED AT 800 PROFESSIONAL BOULEVARD IN DALTON, GEORGIA.

THE ORASURE (ORAL SWAB) TESTING METHOD WILL BE USED.

WHO SHOULD BE TESTED?

THE CDC RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13 AND 64 BE TESTED FOR HIV AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME, AND THOSE AT INCREASED RISK -- SUCH AS GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, INJECTION DRUG USERS, OR PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE SEXUAL PARTNERS -- SHOULD BE TESTED AT LEAST ANNUALLY.

FREE T-SHIRTS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, GOODY BAGS, AND INCENTIVE CARDS FOR RETURNING FOR TEST RESULTS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FREE HIV TESTING EVENT, CALL THE LIVING BRIDGE CENTER AT 706-281-2360.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY, LOG ONTO WWW.NAPWA.ORG.

DALTON (GA) JUNE 20, 2012 - According to Raymond King, Director of Environmental Health for the North Georgia Health District, a horse located in a pasture immediately adjacent to the Dalton Municipal Airport in Whitfield County, Georgia has been diagnosed with rabies by the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and now a total of six local persons who had recent contact with the saliva or mucus of the horse are receiving post-exposure rabies treatments through area hospitals.
 
The horse started to show possible symptoms on June 9th and was examined by a number of persons and veterinarians that week before being taken to the University of Georgia Veterinary College for further examination and testing.
 

Brooke Walker of North Georgia WIC and Tom Pinson of the Gaston Community CenterBrooke Walker of North Georgia WIC and Tom Pinson of the Gaston Community CenterThe public is invited to attend the Farmers' Market presented by North Georgia Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Dalton’s Gaston Community Center.

The Farmers' Market will be held at the new Gaston Community Center at 214 Fredrick Street in Dalton from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20 and Thursday, June 21, 2012.

Come purchase affordably priced, locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables, and receive free recipes for preparing healthy, nutritious meals. Participants will also be offered food storage guidelines.

Families on the WIC program in attendance will be provided $30 worth of produce.

Participating farmers are from Brown’s Produce of Tunnel Hill and R & A Orchards of Ellijay.

For more information about the WIC-Community Center Farmers' Market, call 706-272-2991, extension 1 or 706-529-8202.
The case of Necrotizing fasciitis, or "flesh-eating bacteria", that recently occurred to a young Georgia victim is a tragedy and it reminds us that there are always microbes in our environments to infect us. But some proportion and perspective are appropriate here.

Odds that you will be struck by lightning during your life are one in 10,000. The CDC estimates that only one of 400,000 people get necrotizing fasciitis in any one year in the U.S.

Most cases of necrotizing fasciitis occur in persons with health risk factors such as diabetes or compromised immune systems. The most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis is Group A Streptococcus (strep), about 725 cases a year in the U.S. Treatment consists of antibiotics and surgical removal of dead tissues. Around 20% of patients with necrotizing fasciitis caused by Group A strep will die.

Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by at least six completely different bacteria.
Dalton (GA) May 8, 2012 - Red fox.  image courtesy of: U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceRed fox image courtesy of: U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceFannin County Environmental Health officials announced today that a fox which attacked a Morganton woman on May 4 has tested positive for rabies.

Environmental Health Specialist Shannon Bradburn reported that the fox attacked the woman last Friday morning as she walked her dog on Dennis Drive.

"She was suddenly hit from behind by the fox, which bit her leg before running away," said Bradburn.
Dalton (GA) May 8, 2012 - WIC Nutritionist Addie Crum instructs a mother and child on good nutritionWIC Nutritionist Addie Crum instructs a mother and child on good nutritionGraduates of local schools are now giving back to their community with essential services that are available to thousands in Whitfield County, many of whom take advantage of these services. . . many more are eligible.

Addie Crum, 2005 graduate of Christian Heritage School, Maria Pimentel, 2006 graduate of Dalton High School, and 2007 Dalton High School graduate, Hannah Michaels, are all working through the local Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program to assist in supplementing the nutritional needs of young mothers and children.

WIC serves 7,000 young mothers and children in Whitfield County, and funds are available to provide services to many others.

Dalton (GA) April 27, 2012 - raccoonWhitfield County Environmental Health officials announced today that a raccoon found last week in Dalton has tested positive for rabies.

Odin Stephens of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services said he had retrieved the dead raccoon from the garage of a LaVista Road residence on April 16 and tested it for rabies. Stephens reported to county environmental health yesterday that the results were positive.

This testing was part of wildlife vaccination and surveillance in this area that is being done under the USDA/APHIS Wildlife Services and the National Rabies Management Program.

Dalton (GA) April 27, 2012 - Dr. J. Sherwood Jones with patient Elizabeth ReidMedical Access Clinic physician volunteer Dr. J. Sherwood Jones with patient Elizabeth Reid. Dr. Jones has volunteered with the clinic for over 10 years. Ms. Reid said, "Dr. Jones has been a wonderful friend who has coached me through to a much healthier weight and lifestyle. I couldn't have done it without him."A primary care clinic that is unique in Whitfield County is the Medical Access Clinic located in the Whitfield County Health Department.

The Medical Access Clinic, also known as MAC, is an Adult Primary Care clinic that focuses on low-cost, high-quality medical care and overall wellness for patients. The staff consists of Dr. Mark Elam, medical director, Debbie York, APRN, clinic manager, and advanced practice registered nurses, registered nurses, clinical and administrative support staff and community physician volunteers that are specialists in the areas of family medicine, internal medicine, urology, nephrology, pulmonology and general surgery.

"Due to the strong support of our community partners, including our medical volunteers, we are able to offer adult primary care and specialty care through public health," said Gayle Brannon, health department manager.

STD Awareness PosterClick image to download poster (pdf)Dalton (GA) April 13, 2012 – Approximately 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur every year in the United States – and almost half of these are among young people aged 15 to 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) pose a serious public health threat to Americans – particularly young women, African Americans, men who have sex with men (MSM), and individuals living in poverty or who have limited access to healthcare. STDs cost the United States’ health care system as much as $17.0 billion annually.

Mayor Gene Hobgood with Cherokee County Health Department Manager Denise Bowman at left and Cherokee County Immunization Outreach Coordinator Nancy Stackhouse on the rightCanton Mayor Gene Hobgood with Cherokee County Health Department Manager Denise Bowman at left and Cherokee County Immunization Outreach Coordinator Nancy Stackhouse on rightDalton (GA) April 11, 2012 - Each year, thousands of children become ill from diseases that could have been prevented by basic childhood immunizations. Countless more miss time from day care and school because they are under-immunized or inappropriately immunized.

During the week of April 21-28, 2012 the North Georgia Health District and health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will observe National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW). NIIW is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative designed to raise awareness about the importance of childhood immunizations. Each year during NIIW, state, regional and local public health officials highlight the importance of vaccinations for children under the age of two.

Nancy StackhouseCherokee County (GA) April 11, 2012 - Cherokee County Health Immunization Outreach Coordinator Nancy Stackhouse, LPN, is the 2012 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion for the state of Georgia.

The CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award is a new annual award that recognizes individuals who make a significant contribution toward improving public health through their work in childhood immunization.
Gayle BrannonGayle Brannon is the new Manager of the Whitfield County Health Department; however, she is certainly no stranger to this area or to public health.

Mrs. Brannon most recently served the North Georgia Health District in Dalton as Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing and Clinical services and as Director of Public Health Nursing and Clinical services for the Northwest Georgia Health District based in Rome. In both positions she had oversight of the programmatic and financial operations of clinical programs key to public health services such as child health, adult health, immunizations, HIV services, cardiovascular disease prevention, WIC, tuberculosis, epidemiology, and pharmacy.
Breastfeeding: Protecting Mothers’ Life Long Health
by Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center


The Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition presents Breastfeeding: Protecting Mothers' Life Long Health by guest speaker Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m., and the all-day session includes breakfast and lunch.
School Registration Event in Cherokee
The Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a School Registration Health Clinic on Tuesday, March 27 from 1 to 6 p.m.! The clinic will be held at both the public health center in Canton, located at 1219 Univeter Road, and in Woodstock at 7545 North Main Street, Suite 100.

Join us for this special afternoon as we help get children ready for school registration! We will provide hearing, dental and vision screenings as well as immunizations for school age children. For more information, call either the Cherokee County public health center in Canton at 770-345-7371 or in Woodstock at 770-928-0133.

The Pickens County Health Department in Jasper, GA will remain closed on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, for continued work on repairs to a broken water line. The health department is scheduled to reopen on Thursday, February 16.

The Pickens County Environmental Health Office WILL be OPEN on Wednesday.


An unvaccinated Boxer belonging to a family on Damascus Road in Pickens County, GA tested positive for rabies on December 6. As a result, environmental health officials had to recommend post rabies exposure treatment to people who most recently handled the dog before it was euthanized on December 5.

Almost thirty people were evaluated for rabies exposure in this case because the dog had been present during a Thanksgiving family gathering. There was no indication of exposure to those persons; however, six other people, including two veterinary technicians and four family members, were considered potentially exposed. Five have begun post-exposure rabies treatments, but one family member has declined to undergo post-exposure preventive treatments.

WITH THE PEAK OF THE FLU SEASON FAST APPROACHING, FLU SHOTS ARE NOW REDUCED TO $10 AT PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN CHEROKEE, FANNIN, GILMER, MURRAY, PICKENS AND WHITFIELD COUNTIES!

DON'T LET THE FLU GET THE BEST OF YOU THIS SEASON. COME RIGHT AWAY TO ONE OF THESE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO GET YOUR LOW-COST $10 FLU SHOT! YOU MAY PAY WITH CASH, CHECK, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, STATE CIGNA OR STATE UNITED HEALTH CARE INSURANCES - AND NOW, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE ACCEPTING BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD BLUECHOICE PPO INSURANCE!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL YOUR LOCAL COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT:
CHEROKEE: CANTON (770) 345-7371/WOODSTOCK (770) 928-0133 GILMER (706) 635-4363 / PICKENS (706) 253-2821 FANNIN (706) 632-3023 / MURRAY (706) 695-4585 WHITFIELD (706) 226-2621

During this year’s National Influenza Vaccination Week, December 4-10, North Georgia Health District officials remind residents how important it is that they receive an annual flu shot.

Since flu viruses are constantly changing and immunity can decline over time, annual vaccination is needed for optimal protection, even during years when the particular flu viruses the vaccine protects against remain the same as in the previous season.

Getting vaccinated is the single best way for people to protect not only themselves against flu, but their loved ones as well; and an annual flu shot is the most effective tool to continuously prevent the flu and flu-related complications that could become quite serious.

On Thursday, Governor Deal will renew Georgia's commitment to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, developing and delivering more effective treatment, and finding a cure, by proclaiming December 1, 2011 to be World AIDS Day in Georgia. Georgia will join countries around the world to recognize World AIDS Day. The first ever global health day, World AIDS Day unites people in the fight against HIV, shows their support for people living with HIV, and commemorates those who have died.

The North Georgia Health District's Living Bridge Center is observing World AIDS Day this year by providing free HIV Testing and Counseling on December 1st from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lower level of the Pope Student Center at Dalton State College. This particular testing will involve no needles. Instead, the Orasure, or oral test method, will be used. In addition to free HIV testing and counseling, the Living Bridge Center staff will provide participants with goody bags in recognition of World AIDS Day.

raccoonTwo Woodstock residents are undergoing post-exposure rabies treatment after each may have come into contact with rabies during separate incidents last week.

Glen Gordy of Cherokee County Environmental Health stated that in the first incident, a person was feeding bread to geese in Dupree Park on October 30 at about 3 p.m. when two stray dogs approached and started fighting over the bread. The person tried to stop the fight and was bitten on the hand. The dogs then ran off and have not been seen since.

Healthy Family Fall Festivalclick image for full-size poster

Saturday November 12, 2011 from 11am to 3pm

at the Creative Arts Guild in Dalton, GA

This event will be fun for the whole family! 

Among the events will be an inflatable bounce house and healthy snacks will be served!

North Georgia WIC

Cherokee County Flu ClinicCherokee County Flu Shot Clinic - October 19, 2011
(click image for full size poster)
Booster Seat Safety FairGive Kid a Boost Safety Fair - October 18, 2011
(click image for full size poster)

Drive By Flu Shot ClinicHealth departments within the North Georgia Health District will soon conduct Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics. There is no easier way to protect against the flu because the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics are specially designed to process people quickly and conveniently as they remain in their vehicles.

The drive-by clinics will also be an opportunity for North Georgia Health District health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties to test their ability to quickly administer medications to the public in a widespread public health crisis, such as pandemic influenza. Therefore, residents who receive a flu shot at their local drive-by clinic will not only find the experience to be fast and efficient, but they also will be assisting in a mass emergency preparedness drill for their county.

raccoonCherokee County Environmental Health officials announced today that yet another raccoon in the county has tested positive for rabies. This makes a total of seven confirmed cases of rabies for the county this year, including four other raccoons, a dog and a fox.

In this most recent case, Cherokee County Environmental Health Specialist Glendon Gordy reported that on August 10, two dogs attacked and killed a raccoon at a Sardis Circle residence in Canton. The head of the raccoon was sent to the Georgia State Laboratory for rabies testing, and the positive result was received by county health officials on August 12.

To help keep our local communities safe, the North Georgia Health District is proudly joining the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during August to participate in National Immunization Awareness Month.

National Immunization Awareness Month is the perfect time to catch up on our immunizations and to remind family, friends and coworkers to catch up on theirs.

raccoonCherokee County Environmental Health officials announced today that the fourth raccoon in Cherokee County since May has tested positive for rabies, and an unvaccinated horse must undergo a six-month quarantine.

Environmental Health Specialist Glendon Gordy stated that on Saturday, July 23, a raccoon was found with a horse in the horse's stall at a residence on North Lake Drive in Canton. The raccoon was alive but not moving, and the resident's son shot it.

North Georgia Health District officials announced today that public health departments in Gilmer, Murray and Pickens Counties will be closed on certain days each month as part of planned furlough days when the agencies close and staff take leave without pay. The furlough days are due to budget shortfalls.

The first of these health department furlough days will take place in Murray County on Wednesday, July 27.

2011 Furlough Dates include:

Gilmer County Health Department

-Monday, August 22
-Monday, September 12
-Monday, September 26
-Monday, October 3
-Monday, October 24
-Monday, November 14
-Monday, November 28
-Monday, December 12
-Monday, December 19

*The Gilmer County WIC clinic WILL be OPEN on each of these dates

Murray County Health Department

-Wednesday, July 27
-Wednesday, August 24
-Wednesday, September 28
-Wednesday, October 26
-Wednesday, November 23
-Wednesday, December 28

Pickens County Health Department

-Monday, August 22
-Monday, September 12
-Monday, September 26
-Monday. October 3
-Monday, October 24
-Monday, November 14
-Monday, November 28
-Monday, December 12
-Monday, December 19

Health department furlough days in these counties are necessary to minimize the impact of declining funding and increased healthcare costs.

raccoonCherokee County Environmental Health officials reported that a second raccoon this year has tested positive for rabies after coming into contact with dogs. Unfortunately, unlike the first incident, these dogs were not protected against the disease.
SunWith temperatures already soaring into the 90s – much earlier than normal – the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) is urging Georgians to exercise caution. Every year, thousands of Americans are hospitalized from heat-related illnesses. The elderly and those working in excessive heat are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat exhaustion and heat illness.

“We’re sounding the alarm early,” said Division of Public Health (DPH) Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., noting that temperatures are generally 10 degrees higher than normal for this first week of June. “I’m asking everyone to ensure their own safety and also the safety of their neighbors and loved ones.”

It’s important to take the proper steps to avoid common summer-related injuries and illnesses.
  • Do not leave children in hot cars. Even with outside temperatures in the low to mid-70s, a car’s inside temperature can jump as much as 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. Last year, a record 49 children nationwide died from heatstroke after being left in cars, including three children in Georgia.
  • Avoid sun exposure. Melanoma is the third most common skin cancer. Every year, an estimated 1,709 new melanoma cases are diagnosed in Georgia. Wear light, loose fitting clothing and use a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Avoid the outdoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest. Infants and children are especially susceptible to sunburn.
  • Stay hydrated. Drink more fluids than unusual if you’re outside in hot weather for prolonged periods of time or doing vigorous physical activity. Avoid alcoholic beverages or those containing caffeine as they cause dehydration.
  • Check on the elderly. Check on elderly neighbors and relatives often to watch for signs of heat-related stress. The elderly population and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to suffer from extreme and prolonged exposure to heat.
  • Locate the coolest room in your home. Finding a place to cool down, at least temporarily, can provide some relief and allow a person’s body to recover from higher temperatures.
  • Bathe to cool down. Taking a cold shower or bath can reduce body temperature.

Learn to recognize the symptoms of Heatstroke:
• An extremely high body temperature
• Red, hot and dry skin (no sweating)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

Learn to recognize the symptoms of Heat Exhaustion:
• Heavy sweating
• Paleness
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting


What to do if you or someone near you exhibits these symptoms:
  • Help victim cool off and seek medical attention if condition worsens or lasts for more than 1 hour.
  • Get out of the sun.
  • Take a cool shower, bath or sponge bath.
  • Drink cool, non-alcoholic or non-caffeinated beverages.


About the Georgia Department of Community Health


DCH was created in 1999 to serve as the lead agency for health care planning and purchasing issues in Georgia. DCH is designated as the single state agency for Medicaid and the State Health Benefit Plan, the health insurance program for Georgia’s teachers, state employees, retirees and their dependents. In 2009, Healthcare Facility Regulation was created at DCH from sections transferred from the former Department of Human Resources, Office of Regulatory Services. At that same time, the Division of Public Health and the Section of Emergency Preparedness and Response transitioned to the Department. To learn more about DCH, visit www.dch.georgia.gov.
Cartoon-Missionary-CookingFrom United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Cooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends. Now more than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year round. So whether the snow is blowing or the sun is shining brightly, it's important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying and causing foodborne illness.

Use these simple guidelines for grilling food safely.
May is National Hepatitis Awareness Month, and even as the month ends, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health partners continue to emphasize the importance of viral hepatitis prevention.

The word "hepatitis" means inflammation of the liver, and it is most often caused by a virus. In the US, the most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications and certain medical conditions can also cause hepatitis.
Teen-Pregnancy-Awareness-Day-Flyer
Click to View Flyer
3 in 10 Girls in the US get pregnant at least once before age 20.  - STAYteen.org

Join us for a Watch Party May 4, 2011! 

Teens, Pre-Teens, and Parents:  view MTV's '16 and Pregnant'

Time:  4:30pm - 5:30pm

Location: Dalton Parks & Recreation Center

Presented by North Georgia Health District Teen Health Program

For more information view the flyer or call 706-281-2327
Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011
Its-A-Party
Click to View Flyer


Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location:  Boys & Girls Club of Dalton

for Teens ages 13 and up and their parents

For more Information view the flyer or call 706-281-2327

Presented by North Georgia Health District Teen Health Program and Vision of Hope

The North Georgia Health District joins the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) in reminding residents of Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties that National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is April 23 - 30, 2011. NIIW emphasizes the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Infant Immunization Schedule Parents and caregivers will have a chance to become better educated on the importance of vaccination and protecting their newborns against diseases during NIIW.

“Infants are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases, and it is critical that we as caregivers and parents make sure they receive their immunizations,” says Dr. Anil T. Mangla, Program Director of Infectious Disease and Immunization, Georgia Department of Community Health.


Each day, approximately 12,000 babies are born in the United States who will need to be immunized before age 2 against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases. Some of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases are pertussis (whooping cough), influenza and chicken pox.

Take proper precaution and immunize your child. Review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and discuss an immunization schedule with your infant’s pediatrician. Protect, love and immunize your child.

For more information on immunization, contact your local health department (phone numbers for the North Georgia Health District county health departments are listed below) or visit http://health.state.ga.us/programs/immunization.
Approximately 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur every year in the United States – and almost half of these are among young people aged 15 to 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) pose a serious public health threat to Americans – particularly young women, African Americans, men who have sex with men (MSM), and individuals who live in poverty or have limited access to healthcare. STDs cost the United States’ health care system as much as $17 billion annually.

STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are major causes of infertility among women. These and other common STDs can increase the risk of HIV transmission for both women and men.

There are many effective ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat STDs. STD screening and early diagnoses are vital to prevent serious health consequences and increased transmission.
WCHD-Employees-of-the-Year-2010
The Whitfield County Health Department recently announced their Employees of the Year 2010 These employees were selected for this honor by their peers, and Whitfield County Health Department Manager, Cheryl Wheeler, presented their awards.

Pictured from left to right are  Mandy Kranz - WIC Nutritionist, Melissa Nelson - RN in the Women's Clinic, Karen Penland - RN in Children's Clinic, Cheryl Wheeler, Nurse Manager, Amanda Heafner - RN in Medical Access Clinic
The Babies Can't Wait (BCW) Program is Georgia’s statewide early intervention system for infants and toddlers with special needs, aged birth to three, and their families. The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) Division of Public Health (DPH) is the lead agency for administration of the BCW system.
As required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C section 34 CFR §§303.110-303.113, “the State must publish its Part C application or policy in a manner that will ensure circulation throughout the State at least 60-days prior to the date on which the application or policy is submitted and allow an opportunity for public comments on the application or policy for at least 30 days during that 60-day publication period. In order to meet this requirement, BCW invites interested persons to participate in a 60-day public comment period for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2011 Annual State Application under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Data Policy, Transition Policy, Service Coordination Policy, Individualized Family Service Plan Policy, Evaluation & Assessment Policy and Hearing Loss Eligibility Memo from March 10, 2011 to May 10, 2011.

Read Full Notification 25.32 Kb
Join us for Teen Health Awareness Day - *Thursday, April 7, 2011 from 11 - 3pm at the Whitfield County Health Department.  This fun-filled event is for all teens and preteens ... and PARENTS too!

The Event Will Include:
Teen Health Awareness Day
click for pdf format

- Health Education - STD Testing - HIV Testing
- Access to all Whitfield County Health Centers
- Local Healthcare Provider Information
- Info on what's available for teens in Dalton!
You Dont' Want to Miss:
- Refreshments - Popcorn, Hotdogs, Drinks
- Fun Inflatables
- DJ!
- Chance to WIN a GUITAR HERO!!
Sponsored by the North Georgia Health District Teen Health Program

Participating Agencies: Dalton Parks and Recreation Department, United Way of Northwest Georgia, Murray County DFACS, Looper Speech and Hearing Center, G-YUPP Teen Advocates, DARE & PACE Unit, Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, and the Dalton Police Department.

*RAIN DATE IS APRIL 14TH, 3 - 6PM
Go Red for Women
"One challenge for women is that their heart disease symptoms can be different from symptoms in men.  Fortunately, women can take steps to understand their unique symptoms of heart disease and to begin to reduce their risk," said Dr. Kimberly Redding, Director of DCH's Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Programs.  "Women and men can decrease their chances of heart disease by adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes a diet of lean meats and poultry, low-fat dairy products, lower salt, sugar and alcohol intake and incorporating physical activity into their daily routine."  Read More...
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Youth Summit - March 5th
Public health departments within the North Georgia Health District will soon begin distributing influenza vaccine to residents in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties.

With over 160 million doses of flu vaccine expected to be available nationwide for the 2010-2011 Flu Season, health officials are encouraging everyone over six months of age to get a flu shot as early as possible to be well protected. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to become effective, and even if a flu shot is taken as early as September, it will continue to provide protection until the end of the flu season next spring.
GA Tobacco Quit LineNorth Georgia Health District takes aim at lowering tobacco usage rates and health-related problems here in North Georgia. Watch the local news story below to learn how you can access resources that will help you or a loved one quit for good!

http://www.wdnntv.com/?p=1807
International Travel ClinicThe summer is over but travel plans continue as many North Georgians busily arrange for holiday vacations, business trips, family visits, response to international disaster or mission trips. Traveling any distance requires much preparation; however, traveling internationally can become quite complicated when it comes to health issues, and assistance is needed. That assistance is readily available for all North Georgians at the new Gilmer County International Travel Clinic.

Travel Clinic StaffSince international travel continues to grow significantly, including travel to developing areas of the world where visits were once rare, it is important that the traveler be prepared for possible exposure to various diseases. Generally, the risk of becoming ill during international travel depends on the region visited, but also, it depends on other factors such as age, health condition, length of stay and the activities planned. New or reemerging infectious diseases rarely seen currently in this part of the world may put the traveler at risk if exposed.

Walk Georgia 2010

September 5 – October 30, 2010
registration open August 22 - September 8, 2010

Free, online 8-week fitness program sponsored by UGA Cooperative Extension. Visit www.walkgeorgia.org to register for the fall session by September 8. Fall dates are September 5 - October 30, 2010. Individuals or teams of four people may participate.

breastfeedingAre you considering having a baby or are between the childbearing ages of 14‐50? Did you know that half of all pregnancies are unplanned? Whether you’re planning a new addition to your family or simply the age at which you could potentially become pregnant, think about adding a folic acid supplement to your daily routine.

Adult-Dental-Clinic
click image for pdf poster
The Adult Dental Clinic located at the Whitfield County Health Department in Dalton, GA provides WHITFIELD COUNTY RESIDENTS basic adult dental care such as dental extractions at REDUCED FEES

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 706-281-2369. 

The Whitfield County Health Department is located at 800 Professional Blvd, Dalton, GA.




Adult-Dental-Clinic-spanish
click image for pdf poster in spanish


En Español

Clinica Dental para Adultos en el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Whitfield en Dalton, GA ofrece a los residentes de Condado de Whitfield Cuidado Dental Basico para Adultos asi como Extracciones Dentales a Precios Rebajados!  Llame 706-281-2369 para una cita.
luauAll middle and high school students are invited to our FREE Back to School Luau Bash.  Everyone will enjoy great food, fun, dancing, friends and even a live DJ taking your requests!  The Luau will be held on August 13, 2010 at the Boys and Girls Club from 7:00pm - 10:00pm. 

If you have any questions please call 706-281-2326 or 706-226-2582.  We look forward to seeing you there!

This event is sponsored by the North Georgia Health District Teen Health Program and the Boys & Girls Club
Cherokee County Environmental Health officials announced today that another raccoon in the county has tested positive for rabies. This is the third confirmed case of rabies among raccoons in the county so far this year. Rabies was also confirmed recently in a stray kitten found in Cherokee County near the Cobb County line.
Whitfield County Environmental Health Manager Chad Mulkey announced today that Georgia State Laboratory results have confirmed rabies in a raccoon that bit a young boy at Al Rollins Park yesterday. Officials believe other children may have been scratched by the raccoon and are urging parents to contact them if they believe their child could have been exposed.

According to Mr. Mulkey, “On Tuesday, June 29, a large male raccoon attacked a little boy playing in the water near a culvert at Al Rollins Park off of Threadmill Road. The little boy's dad beat the raccoon off with a rock and killed it.”

Diane Franklin, Whitfield County Animal Control Officer, was called immediately and took the raccoon’s head for rabies testing at the state lab. The positive test results were returned late today.

Diane Franklin, Whitfield County Animal Control Officer, was called immediately and took the raccoon’s head for rabies testing at the state lab. The positive test results were returned late today.

Ms. Franklin and local health officials have reason to believe other children may have come into contact with the raccoon; therefore, Whitfield County Environmental Health staff are posting flyers in the Al Rollins Park area asking residents to call if they believe they or their children were exposed. Those individuals are urged to contact Diane Franklin at the Whitfield County Animal Shelter at (706) 278-2018 or by dialing (706) 463-0463, or they may call Chad Mulkey at the Whitfield County Environmental Health office at (706) 272-2005.
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Cherokee County Environmental Health officials announced that state lab results recently confirmed two cases of rabies in the county.

Both cases involved separate incidents in which animals were exposed to infected raccoons. No human exposures were reported.
For Youths Kindergarten thru 12th grade!
We-Can-Summer-Camp
click for larger view


July 5 - 16, 2010 8am - 1pm @ Dalton Recreation Center

1st 50 to register may participate, so call NOW at (706)281-2326 to hold your spot!

FREE Nutrition and Physical Activity Camp for Youth!

FREE Breakfast and Lunch provided by Seamless Summer Nutrition Program!

FREE T-Shirt for all 50 participants!

FREE Swim from 1pm - 2pm each day of camp!
Health department clinics in the North Georgia Health District will change hours of operation on July 5, 2010. The North Georgia Health District is comprised of Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties.
Gilmer County environmental health officials announced today that a raccoon in the county recently tested positive for rabies.

Andrea Wheeler of the Gilmer County Environmental Health Department stated, “On May 25, 2010, a Golden Retriever Mix came into contact with a raccoon that tested positive for rabies on May 26, 2010. The dog has a life-long history of rabies vaccinations and received a rabies booster vaccination and will be observed at home for 45 days.”
mosquito cartoonExperts are predicting a higher than normal incidence of diseases carried by mosquitoes. A case of West Nile has already been confirmed in the Atlanta area.

The type of mosquitoes and their impact on your daily activities will vary, depending on where you live. In heavily urbanized areas residents will more likely be affected by pesky container-breeders while rural residents may be affected by mosquitoes that breed in natural environments such as tree holes, puddles, and other stagnant shallow water. Mosquitoes never breed in running water and are usually kept in check by small fish in ponds and lakes.
Did you know that a food service establishment could score a 91 with one critical violation? If you don’t read the inspection report, your initial thoughts might be “Wow, they scored great!” What you don’t know is that they could have violated critical categories such as temperatures, food-handling, and personal hygiene. These critical violations can count as much as 9 points and are the “guts” of the food service program. Critical violations can certainly lead to food-borne illness! It is very important that you read the inspection report upon entering the facility. Once you know what the violations were, you can make a better decision on whether or not to dine at that particular establishment.
Please join the Pickens County Health Department and Community Partners to help celebrate National Infant Immunization Week on Thursday, April 29, 2010 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Parents,
NIIW 2010 Pickens
(click image for larger view)

Bring the kids and join us for a fun filled day at the health department.
It is a great opportunity to take advantage of:
  • Free 3231’s (immunization forms for school/daycare)
  • Free H1N1 Vaccinations
  • Free Tdap Vaccines for Post-Partum Mothers on WIC
  • Community Resources
  • Fun and Games for the Kids
-RABIES SHOTS REQUIRED-  It’s a Georgia Law! ALL DOGS AND CATS (3 months and older) MUST BE VACCINATED.

CHEROKEE COUNTY 4-H RABIES CLINIC APRIL 17, 2010 RAIN OR SHINE- ONE DAY ONLY- NO MAKE UP DATES
Teen Health Awareness Day is on Thursday, April 15, 2010 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Whitfield County Health Department on Professional Blvd. in Dalton, GA!

This event is for Teens, Pre-Teens AND Parents! This FUN Event will Include:
Teen Health Awareness Day
(click image for larger view)

  • Health Education
  • STD Testing
  • HIV Testing
  • Access to All Whitfield County Health Dept. Clinics
  • Local Healthcare Provider Information
  • Information on what is available for Teens in Dalton!
There will be games, give-aways, fun inflatables, free water bottles for the first 200 attendees, and attendees can register to WIN a GUITAR HERO!

Participating agencies will be Amerigroup, North Georgia Health District, Boys and Girls Club, Visions of Hope Youth Advocates, Family Support Council and Dare. For more information call 706-281-2326.
Several dogs at an Ellijay, GA home were exposed to a raccoon that has now tested positive for rabies.

On Sunday, March 14, 2010, a dog brought a live raccoon into a residential yard located on Henry Evans Road off Clear Creek Road in Ellijay. The property owner's Pomeranian-mix adult female dog began to attack the raccoon and suffered minor injuries. During the attack, another Pomeranian-mix puppy female was bitten above the right eye. The owner of these two dogs killed the raccoon on-site.
Breastfeeding Coalition logo The Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition's Annual Breastfeeding Conference
March 24, 2010

featuring
Teresa Pitman, LLLL


Online Registration Now Open!

Register NOW at www.nwgabfcoalition.com
Approved for 6.75 L CERPs
Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
February is the peak of the flu season, and it is not too late to get your H1N1 flu shot.  H1N1 flu vaccine is available at your local county health department.  Also, children under age 10 who received a first dose of H1N1 vaccine need a second dose.  H1N1 vaccine is free to individuals, so get your H1N1 flu shot from your county health department right away.

Together, we can fight the flu. Call 1-888-H1N1-INFO (
1-888-4161-4636) for more information.

Influenza is unpredictable and officials do not know the likelihood of a future wave of H1N1 flu. However, vaccination is the most important step in protecting against influenza.

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skunkFannin County Environmental Health officials announced today that a skunk from the area has tested positive for rabies.

According to Shannon Bradburn of Fannin County Environmental Health, a resident on Daves Road off Highway 60 in Morganton heard his dogs yelping on the night of December 25 and he went outside to investigate. The resident saw a skunk attacking his female dog and her two puppies, so he retrieved his gun and killed the skunk.
Cherokee County Environmental Health Officials announced that they have received confirmation of rabies in a local raccoon.

Glen Gordy of the county environmental health office stated, “We had a positive raccoon notification from the state lab on December 10.”
The North Georgia Health District has now opened provision of H1N1 vaccine to the general public.

Health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will now provide the vaccine at no charge to the general population. However, an administrative fee may be charged through Medicare, Medicaid, and all third party insurance including State Health Benefit plans for United Health Care and CIGNA. Residents are asked to bring their insurance cards at the time of service. Service will be on a first-come, first-served basis until the current vaccine supply is depleted.
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A second Pickens County cat has been confirmed by the State Public Health Laboratory as having rabies. Earlier in the year, a rabid raccoon attacked several unvaccinated cats belonging to a family living on Paradise Lane in Jasper, Georgia. On September 16, the first cat tested positive for rabies. The remaining cats were either destroyed or placed in a double enclosure pen for a quarantine period of six months. Two family members received a series of post-exposure rabies treatments at a local hospital.

North Georgia Health District officials announced today the arrival of their first shipment of H1N1 influenza injectable vaccine, which totaled 4,100 doses. H1N1 vaccine will be administered to the priority groups through the health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties beginning Tuesday, November 3. The health departments will provide the vaccine during their normal operating hours, which are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays except on Fridays when the clinics close at 11:30 a.m.

The Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a special H1N1 Flu Shot Clinic on Tuesday, November 3 at the Cherokee County Recreation Center from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The recreation center is located at 7545 Main Street in Woodstock. (Google Map Driving Directions)
Gilmer County Environmental Health officials reported that two dogs recently fought with a raccoon that later tested positive for rabies in the Lake Paul area.raccoon
raccoonOn Tuesday September 15, Matt Williams of the Pickens County Environmental Health Office was notified by the State Public Health Laboratory that a cat specimen submitted the previous day had tested positive for rabies. Mr. Williams’ investigation of the case found that the cat had been attacked by a raccoon on either July 19 or 20, along with at least two others on Paradise Lane in Jasper.
NHAAAD-Logo September 18 marks the second annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day. The day is designed to highlight challenges such as the need for prevention, research, data, and medical understanding of the aging process and the impact of HIV/AIDS.
World Breastfeeding Week logoEmergencies can happen anywhere in the world, including North Georgia. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, illness, and death in these situations. Whatever the emergency – from earthquake to terrorism, from floods to the flu pandemic – the story is the same: breastfeeding is a lifeline and a shield that protects infants in emergencies.
Arm Yourself Against the Flu!

The North Georgia Health District and Georgia's Department of Community Health encourage Georgians to use this month's emphasis of National Preparedness to prepare for the fall flu season.
A female pit bull dog was potentially exposed to rabies in a raccoon found dead at a home on Rockingham Way in the Coosawattee River Resort Subdivision near Ellijay.raccoon

On the morning of August 18, the homeowner awoke to find her female dog in close proximity to the dead raccoon. Gilmer County Environmental Health officials later found puncture marks on the raccoon, which they believe were made by the dog in a confrontation with the animal. The raccoon tested positive for rabies on August 20, and since the pit bull was not current on its rabies vaccination, the owner was supposed to have decided whether to have the dog euthanized or placed in a state-mandated quarantine for six months. However, the dog has now been killed by lightning, so no further action is required.
THE NEW GILMER COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER WILL CELEBRATE ITS GRAND OPENING BY OFFERING $10 RABIES SHOTS FOR CATS AND DOGS ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 FROM 12 TO 3 PM!

THE NEW GILMER COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER IS LOCATED AT 4152 HWY 52 EAST (FIRST ROAD ON THE RIGHT JUST PAST THE JAIL).

RABIES IS A DEADLY DISEASE. IT IS CRITICAL THAT PET OWNERS VACCINATE AND KEEP THEIR PETS VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES.

THE APPALACHIAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL IS SPONSORING THIS REDUCED-COST RABIES SHOT CLINIC AND WILL BE ASSISTED BY GILMER COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

FOR MORE DETAILS, PLEASE CALL THE ANIMAL SHELTER AT (706) 635-2166.
Little Brown Bat
Little Brown Bat
credits: www.nhptv.org
A three year old male cat in Gilmer County was recently exposed to a bat that later tested positive for rabies, according to Gilmer County Environmental Health officials.

“The cat’s owner found it playing with the bat in their yard in the Craigtown Road/52 West area on July 30,” said Andrea Wheeler, Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager. “The owner contacted our department where the bat was shipped for rabies testing and it was found to be positive for rabies on August 5.”
raccoon
raccoon
One person was exposed to rabies and another was potentially rabies exposed in Gilmer County this week in connection with two separate raccoon attacks to dogs.

According to Andrea Wheeler, Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager, both raccoons tested positive for rabies on July 28 after they each attacked domestic dogs in two separate incidents in which a woman was exposed to rabies and a man was potentially exposed to the deadly disease.
Red Fox
Red Fox
credits: Wikipedia
A man was exposed to a fox that later tested positive for rabies on February Lane off Old Highway 5 North in Ellijay, according to Andrea Wheeler of Gilmer County Environmental Health. The resident encountered the fox on July 16, 2009 and the fox tested positive for rabies on July 23, 2009.

AN 8-HOUR GEORGIA SEPTIC CONTRACTOR CEU COURSE WILL BE PRESENTED ON FRIDAY, JULY 10th AT THE AMERICAN LEGION POST LOCATED AT 118 NORTH GLENWOOD AVENUE IN DALTON, GA.

THIS COURSE IS PROVIDED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ONSITE SEWAGE PROGRAM AND IS INTENDED FOR CONTRACTORS NEEDING CEU CREDITS TO MAINTAIN THEIR CERTIFICATION TO INSTALL SEPTIC SYSTEMS IN GEORGIA.

INTERESTED PARTIES MAY CALL 770-229-3477, REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.UGAONSITE.COM, OR SIMPLY REGISTER AT THE CLASS BEFORE 8 AM ON JULY 10TH.

FEE FOR REGISTERING THE DAY OF THE CONFERENCE IS $145.


Officials warn of several stray animals in Rose Ridge Dr. /Hwy. 382 arearaccoon


Two dogs on Rose Ridge Drive near Highway 382 in Ellijay were exposed on June 6 to a raccoon that was later confirmed as positive for rabies, according to Andrea Wheeler of Gilmer County Environmental Health. Neither dog was currently vaccinated against rabies, so both dogs were subsequently euthanized.
North Georgia Medical Reserve Corps presents Volunteer Orientation
Emergency Preparedness training in Dalton

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 6 p.m.MRC poster
Downstairs Conference Room,
North Georgia Health District
Bryman’s Plaza North, 100 W. Walnut Ave., Dalton, GA

• WHERE do folks go during a disease outbreak when they need medication. . . fast?
• WHO is responsible for getting needed medications to you and your community?
• WHAT is the best way to prepare your family for an emergency?
• HOW can you can help in the event of a Public Health Emergency?

To RSVP or to learn more details, please contact Jennifer Moorer, Public Information Officer, at 706-272-2125, x346, or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC—Refreshments provided!
Cherokee County Environmental Health Officials announced today that they recently received confirmation of rabies in both a raccoon and a fox. Additionally, a local woman is being treated for possible rabies exposure.

Glendon Gordy of county environmental health said the incident involving the raccoon occurred on May 31 when the animal entered a residential yard on Cherrydale Lane in Woodstock and attacked two puppies.
A raccoon that attacked two dogs last week at a Fannin County residence located off Skeenah Gap Road has now tested positive for rabies, according to Monica Hodskins of the Fannin County Environmental Health Department.

Ms Hodskins said, “The dogs killed the raccoon during the attack on May 13, and the raccoon head was sent to the state lab that same afternoon for testing. We received the positive rabies results late in the day last Friday, May 15.”
Roberts Ridge area residents urged to be on look out for stray dog

Gilmer County Environmental Health officials announced today that a fox, which attacked a man at his Roberts Ridge Road home on May 8, has now tested positive for rabies.

“The man was attacked by the fox after he had seen it in his yard earlier that day,” according to Andrea Wheeler, Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager. “He was able to kill the fox during the attack, but the man did suffer some wounds to his hands and arms for which he was immediately treated at the hospital. The fox was shipped off to the state lab for testing on May 12, and the positive rabies results were delivered on May 13.”
Jan Stephens of the Pickens County Environmental Health Department has reported the first case of confirmed rabies in Pickens County this year.

"A fox came out of the woods off Old Jones Mountain Road in Talking Rock last Thursday [May 7] morning at about 9:30 and tried to attack two small dogs in the presence of their owner," Ms. Stephens said. "The dogs killed the fox and the owner reported the incident right away. We immediately shipped off the fox's head to the state lab for rabies testing and received the positive results late on Friday. Fortunately, both dogs involved were current on their rabies vaccinations."Since the dogs were up to date on their shots, they pose no threat to the public and will only need a booster rabies vaccination.

American Stroke MonthWhat is a Stroke?
  • A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blocked or burst blood vessel.
What is the Impact of Stroke?
  • Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States
    • On average someone suffers a stroke every 53 seconds
    • About 600,000 Americans suffer strokes each year
    • Every 3.3 minutes, someone dies of a stroke
    • Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability
    • About 4 million Americans are stroke survivors
    • Stroke costs the U.S. $30 to $40 billion a year
More Facts about Stroke flash

Related Links:
National Stroke Association
American Stroke Association
American Stroke Association - Power to End Stroke
Six Ways to STOP Stroke Through Risk Factor Management
Symptoms of swine flu
Symptoms of H1N1 flu
Beginning Monday, October 19, North Georgia Health District county health departments will expand the provision of their limited supply of H1N1 nasal-spray vaccine to include healthy people ages 2 to 24 years old.

The health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will provide the vaccine at no charge. However, an administrative fee may be charged through Medicare, Medicaid, and all third party insurance including State Health Benefit plans for United Healthcare and Cigna. Persons are asked to bring their insurance cards with them at the time of service.

Service is based on a first-come, first-served basis until the current vaccine supply is depleted. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine will not protect you from the seasonal flu. People should get both kinds of flu vaccine to protect themselves from getting sick. You cannot get the flu by taking this vaccine.

However, the nasal spray (live, attenuated influenza vaccine, or LAIV) sometimes produces mild side effects. The most common side effects are runny nose, wheezing, sore throat, nasal congestion, and fever. These are rare and less severe than any problems created by actually having the flu.

    The nasal spray also should not be given to the following:
  • Children that are younger than 2 years old,
  • Children and adults with asthma or recurrent wheezing problems,
  • Children receiving treatments containing aspirin or steroids,
  • Children and adults with sensitivity to eggs, egg proteins, gentamicin, gelatin or arginine,
  • Children and adults who have a muscle, nerve, or seizure disorder that could lead to breathing or swallowing problems,
  • Children and adults who have a weakened immune system or any other chronic conditions.
  • Persons who have received an injectable live virus vaccine (e.g., MMR, varicella) in the past 4 weeks – they should wait 28 days before receiving live nasal spray vaccine, and
  • Live nasal spray vaccine for seasonal flu and live nasal spray vaccine for 2009 H1N1 flu should be separated by a minimum of four weeks.
Residents are asked to contact their local county health department for specific information about seasonal and novel H1N1 vaccinations (phone numbers are listed below.)
Georgia H1N1 Vaccine Provider Locator now available
Novel H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) Facts and Recommendations (English & Spanish)

Seasonal Flu Shots are still available at local health departments for $20.

Contact numbers and regular hours of operation for local health departments are:

Cherokee County Health Department
Canton Office - 770-345-7371
Woodstock Office - 770-928-0133
Clinic Hours:
Protect Yourself from the Flu....Cover & Wash
click image to view flyer

Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm

Fannin County Health Department

706-632-3023
Clinic Hours:
Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm
closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm

Gilmer County Health Department
706-635-4363
Clinic Hours:

Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm

Murray County Health Department
706-695-4585
Clinic Hours:

Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm

Pickens County Health Departments
GA DCH H1N1(Swine Flu) Information
706-253-2821
Clinic Hours:

Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm
Closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm

Whitfield County Health Department
706-279-9600
Clinic Hours:
Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm
Become Tobacco FreeThe Murray County Health Department is pleased to present:

THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION
FREEDOM FROM SMOKING ® STOP SMOKING CLINIC

Start Date: April 28th, 2009 at 12:00 p.m
Location: Murray County Health Department

National Infant Immunization Week

More information to come...
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Prevention best “cure” for many health problemsApples 
Dalton (GA) April 6, 2009 —Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – and the best cure for many of the most prevalent health problems in the United States is to prevent them in the first place through healthy lifestyle choices.

FDA Alerts Consumers to Recall of Certain Pistachios
FDA and California Inspectors Identify Salmonella
(updates @ http://www.fda.gov/pistachios/)

The FDA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc, Calif. The company has stopped all distribution of processed pistachios and will issue a voluntary recall involving approximately 1 million pounds of its products. Because the pistachios were used as ingredients in a variety of foods, it is likely this recall will impact many products. In addition, the investigation at the company is ongoing and may lead to additional pistachio product recalls.

The Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Public Health (DPH) invites the public to participate in a 60-day review period of Babies Can't Wait (BCW), a statewide early intervention system for infants and toddlers with special needs and their families. DHR has developed a new federal grant application for Babies Can't Wait that will be effective July 1, pending approval. The review period is scheduled to run from March 20 to May 20. Those who are interested may view the grant application online (http://health.state.ga.us) or at Babies Can't Wait offices throughout the state. 

raccoon Environmental health officials stated that a raccoon that appeared to have been killed by dogs in Fannin County has tested positive for rabies.
Shannon Bradburn of the Fannin County Environmental Health Department said the state laboratory reported the positive rabies test results to their office late on Friday, March 20, 2009.
skunk Gilmer County Environmental Health officials reported another case of confirmed rabies in a skunk. This is the second case of rabies in a skunk reported from Gilmer County within the past several days.  
Late in the day on March 16, 2009, a skunk entered a property near the Seth Hyatt-Pleasant Hill Road area off Chatsworth Highway in Gilmer County. This site is approximately ten miles northwest of the Nine Mile Methodist Church location where a penned horse killed a rabid skunk early last week.
Striped skunkGilmer County Environmental Health officials announced today that the state laboratoryconfirmed rabies in a skunk that was picked up near Chatsworth Highway/52 West on Tuesday, March 10, 2009.

According to Andrea Wheeler, Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager, "The skunk entered the pen of a single horse in the vicinity of Nine Mile Methodist Church, and the horse killed the skunk. We were notified of the incident that day, and we shipped the skunk for testing the next morning, Wednesday, March 11th. We received the positive rabies results from the state lab this morning."

Stop TB USA logo
World TB Day is March 24. The North Georgia Health District, comprised of Cherokee, Pickens, Gilmer, Fannin, Murray and Whitfield counties, is highlighting this annual event. This date commemorates Dr. Robert Koch announcing his discovery, in 1882, of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) can easily be spread from one person to another. A person with active TB disease of the lungs or larynx can spread the infection to others simply by talking, laughing, singing, sneezing, and/or coughing.
Blue Ridge (GA) March 6, 2009 - Fannin County Environmental Health Officials reported late on Friday, March 6, 2009 that rabies had just been confirmed in a raccoon that was killed in a fight with a local dog last Wednesday.

Shannon Bradburn of the county environmental health department said, "We received a call on Wednesday, March 4 that a raccoon had been in a fight with a dog at a residence off Tipton Trail in Morganton, and the raccoon was killed in the altercation.  The homeowners took the raccoon to a local vet where the head was removed for testing. Our office shipped the raccoon head to the state lab on March 5, and we received the positive rabies results back late today."

breastfeeding_copy
The Northwest GA Breastfeeding Coalition 
presents
Breastfeeding Answers with Nancy Mohrbacher
Wednesday, March 25, 2009. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m.

This seminar is for any healthcare professional who works with breastfeeding moms!
Below are the latest product recalls from the FDA due to the Salmonella outbreak:

salmonella
     Local environmental health officials announced today that a raccoon in Gilmer County tested positive for rabies.
     Andrea Wheeler of the Gilmer County Environmental Health Department reported that on January 24, 2009, a raccoon entered a residential yard on Craigtown Road, which is located about two and a half miles off Highway 52 West in Ellijay. The raccoon displayed aggressive behavior as it chased the homeowner’s dog, and then the raccoon ran to the neighbor’s home where the neighbor shot and killed it.
Winter weather can create a crisis for you and your family, and north Georgia may soon experience some severe winter conditions . . .
 
BE PREPARED!
 
Along with plenty of blankets and warm clothing, make sure you have an emergency kit that includes a battery-operated radio in case the power goes down. Also, have enough food and water to last several days for each family member and pet. Remember to prepare properly for friends and relatives with special needs!  

For more information about preparing your family for emergency and which supplies to include in your emergency kit, please visit the Emergency Preparedness page.

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin is alerting consumers to the recall of more products that may contain peanut ingredients supplied by Peanut Corporation of America which is the subject of an FDA investigation concerning recent Salmonella outbreaks.

Read the document attached to this Media Release for more information. 

Recall -- Firm Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products Recalls Wal-Mart Bakery Brand Peanut Butter Cookies Because Of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Scott Monette
314-877-7113


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Downers Grove, IL, January 18, 2009 -- Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products, Inc. announced that it has taken the precautionary measure of voluntarily recalling all Wal-Mart Bakery brands of PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES, PEANUT BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES and PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE NO-BAKE COOKIES because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The cookies contain peanut butter supplied by Peanut Corporation of America which is the subject of an FDA investigation concerning recent Salmonella outbreaks. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled cookies and no other type of Wal-Mart Bakery brand cookies are being recalled.
According to the the Fannin County Environmental Health Department, another case of rabies has been confirmed in a raccoon in Fannin County, making it the second case of confirmed rabies in the county this year.
 
Shannon Bradburn of the local environmental health office stated, “We received a phone call on the afternoon of January 7th from residents of That Lane off Kelly Ridge Road who stated that their three dogs, which are current on their rabies vaccinations, had fought and killed a raccoon. Our office arranged for Animal Control to pick up the carcass of the raccoon and keep it in cold storage until we could take possession of the raccoon.

On the following day, January 8th, we picked up the raccoon and took it to a veterinarian to be processed and shipped to the state lab for rabies testing. On January 9th, we received the results that the raccoon was positive for rabies. We notified the owners who said that they had already taken their three dogs for booster shots and will restrain and observe for 45 days.”
 
Environmental health officials continue to remind the public that they can help prevent the spread of rabies  by making sure pets and livestock are up to date on their vaccinations, and by avoiding contact with unfamiliar animals.  Officials further recommend that residents have their pets spayed or neutered to help
reduce the number of unwanted animals.
 
If bitten by a potentially rabid animal, individuals are advised to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water, and seek immediate medical attention. If a pet is bitten, the owner should seek veterinary assistance for the animal right away. The health care provider and/or the veterinarian will need to report exposure to local environmental health officials who will use the following criteria to assess the risk of rabies exposure:
  • The geographic location of the incident
  • The type of animal that was involved
  • How the exposure occurred (provoked or unprovoked)
  • The vaccination status of the animal(s)
  • Whether the animal can be safely captured and tested for rabies
For more information about rabies and rabies exposure prevention, please contact the
Fannin County Environmental Health Office at (706) 632-3024, or log onto the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov.
The first confirmed animal rabies case of the new year for Fannin County has been reported by the Fannin County Environmental Health Office.  Residents of Harper Valley Road in Mineral Bluff called county environmental health staff late on December 31 and stated that a neighborhood dog had fought with a raccoon.
 
Some of the neighbors confined the raccoon in a wildlife cage and took it to a veterinarian who euthanized the animal and prepared it for rabies testing.  County environmental health shipped the remains to the state laboratory in Decatur on Monday, January 6, and the results confirming that the raccoon had been positive for rabies came in late on Wednesday, January 7.  

Residents said the dog that had fought with the raccoon was a free roaming animal in the neighborhood and was not owned by any one individual. However, they stated one family living in the area had maintained the dog’s rabies vaccinations. The residents who reported the incident stated that they would be responsible for the costs of the shipping of the remains of the raccoon for testing, and they would also be responsible for the dog’s booster shot and 45-day restraint and observation period.
 
Individuals can help prevent the spread of rabies by making sure pets and livestock are up to date on their vaccinations, and by avoiding contact with unfamiliar animals.  Officials further recommend that residents have their pets spayed or neutered to help reduce the number of unwanted animals.  If bitten by a potentially rabid animal, individuals are advised to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water, and seek immediate medical attention. If a pet is bitten, the owner should seek veterinary assistance for the animal right away. 

The health care provider and/or the veterinarian will need to report exposure to local environmental health officials who will use the following criteria to assess the risk of rabies exposure:
  • The geographic location of the incident
  • The type of animal that was involved
  • How the exposure occurred (provoked or unprovoked)
  • The vaccination status of the animal(s)
  • Whether the animal can be safely captured and tested for rabies
For more information about rabies and rabies exposure prevention, please contact the
Fannin County Environmental Health Office at (706) 632-3024, or log onto the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov.
A Building Partnerships for Better Health forum was held at the Whitfield County Health Department on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 6 p.m.  Community health stakeholders shared with state legislators, Senator Don Thomas, and Representatives Tom Dickson and Roger Williams the Assessment of Disparities with Tobacco Use.  Better Health Forum

The East Tennessee State University (ETSU) College of Public Health and the Building Partnerships for Better Health initiative conducted the assessment. ETSU Research Assistant Rachel Swafford, who provided support in preparation of the assessment, said that this report was part of efforts to gather valuable data for theTennessee Stroke Registry. Ms. Swafford attended the meeting on behalf of Tim Aldrich, Ph.D, MPH and Varaprasaad Ilapogu, MD, MPH, the authors of the study.  

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in Georgia and the nation, and there is a clear connection between tobacco use and chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease - a major cause of stroke. Other chronic diseases related to tobacco use include cancer (lung, cervix, kidney, and bone marrow), respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, and poor pregnancy outcomes.  

Building Partnerships for Better Health is a regional public health initiative established to address tobacco-related disparities in North Georgia. The assessment revealed that the population in this area uses tobacco at higher rates than do other populations in Georgia. It has also been found that tobacco users in North Georgia have utilized the services of the free Georgia Tobacco Quit Line at lower rates than in other parts of the state....

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youth-advocates
L to R: Markette Hambrick, Jessica Headrick,
David Ramos, Kaila White and Karina Garcia.

The Visions of Hope (VOH) Coalition recently announced that Whitfield and Murray County youths who were selectively chosen to participate inGeorgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP) Youth AdvocacyTraining sessions in Washington, D.C. have now returned and are ready to share theirexperiences and newly acquired skills with area youths and adults.



After 22 years of providing area youth health education and leadership opportunities, the Teen Resource Center in Dalton will close on Oct. 31 due to state budget cuts.

The Department of Human Resources chose not to continue funding the center, which is a part of the North Georgia Health District. The Whitfield County Board of Health is part of the health district.

Read the full story from the Dalton Daily Citizen... ...