- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Press Room
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website
The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate Uncle Sam, enjoy the summer weather, and spend time with family and friends. Keep these five things in mind as you plan your Fourth of July celebration.
Prevent fireworks injuries
Fireworks can cause death and injury, including burns, cuts, bruises, and foreign objects in your eyes.
- Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities.
- Avoid buying fireworks packaged in brown paper, which often means they were made for professional displays and could be dangerous for consumers.
- Make sure you and your family watch fireworks displays from a safe distance.
- Call 911 immediately if someone is injured from fireworks.
Beat the heat
In hot temperatures your body may be unable to properly cool itself. This could lead to serious health problems.
- Drink plenty of fluids, regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
- Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
- Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
- Put on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher – the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels.
- Stay in the shade!
Don’t let a stomach bug slow you down
The summer months typically see a spike in reports of foodborne illness. Keep the food safe at your 4th of July picnic or BBQ.
- Use separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry and ready to eat foods, like raw fruits and vegetables.
- Use a food thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are cooked hot enough to kill harmful germs.
- Don’t leave food at room temperature for longer than two hours – one hour if the outside temperature is over 90 degrees. Keep perishable food in an insulated cooler packed with ice or ice packs.
Prepare to take the plunge
Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children 1 to 4 years old than any other cause except birth defects.
- Designate a responsible adult to watch all children swimming or playing in or around water. Drowning occurs quickly and quietly, so adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity while supervising children.
- Teach kids to swim. Formal swimming lessons can protect young children from drowning.
- Always swim with a buddy. Whenever possible choose swimming sites that have lifeguards.
- Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming, boating, or water skiing. Do not drink alcohol while supervising children.
- Know the local weather conditions and forecast before swimming or boating. Strong winds and thunderstorms with lightning strikes are dangerous.
Fight the bite
Bugs, including mosquitoes, ticks, and some flies can spread diseases like Zika, dengue, and Lyme disease.
- Use EPA-registered insect repellents that contain at least 20% DEET for protection against mosquitoes, ticks, and other bugs.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and a hat. Tuck your shirt into your pants, and tuck your pants into your socks for maximum protection.
- Check yourself and your children for ticks. Ticks are easy to remove.
You can find more tips for a safe and healthy summer by contacting your local health department in the North Georgia Health District: Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County -- or log onto the CDC website. Happy 4th of July!
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
One-Stop Spot for School State Health Requirements!
Is your child ready for the upcoming school year? The Cherokee County Health Department is conducting a Back To School Rush Health Clinic on Tuesday, July 24th from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at public health department locations in both Canton and Woodstock. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and BMI/Nutrition Screenings will be available: Total cost for screenings is $50. Also, immunizations will be provided for school-age children for $21.90 each (for uninsured or underinsured). Medicaid (including Amerigroup, Caresource, Peachstate and Wellcare), Peachcare for Kids, HUMANA, AETNA, United Health Care, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Ambetter, CIGNA and Coventry are accepted. The health department location in Canton is 1219 Univeter Road and the address in Woodstock is 7545 North Main Street. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton or (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Gov. Nathan Deal Proclaims June 25 - 29 , 2018 as Environmental Health Week in Georgia
What does local Environmental Health do for you?
Let us COUNT the ways!
Exactly what is Environmental Health? Most people are surprised to learn about all the different things we do to protect the health of people in the North Georgia Health District. We enforce regulations but we also provide many services to the public. We are part of public health but overlap with areas of environmental protection. At any time, you just might find us:
1. Inspecting a restaurant (click HERE for latest Restaurant Scores in North Georgia)
2. Giving advice to a homeowner on asbestos or lead paint
3. Investigating a complaint
4. Issuing a septic system permit
5. Interviewing a victim of West Nile
6. Reviewing a subdivision
7. Sending off the head of a raccoon for rabies testing
... and many more activities. We’ve come a long way from the days when most of environmental health concerned simple sanitation. For more information, you can click on the page of your local Environmental Health office in North Georgia in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County.
Many thanks to Gov. Nathan Deal for proclaiming June 25 - 29, 2018 as Environmental Health Week in Georgia!
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Be Summer-Savvy
Summer brings a lot of fun and a lot of health and safety challenges. Take a few minutes to be safe and healthy.
1. Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets on the water.
2. Put on sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your skin from the sun.
3. Drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.
4. Put on insect repellent.
5. Wash your hands often.
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It's also important to visit your local county health department to make sure you are keeping up with all the immunizations, health screenings and testing that are essential for your health and the health of the ones you love. The public health departments within the North Georgia Health District are located in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties. Just click on the name of your county for access to health department information, including all available public health services and the health department's address and phone number.
Learn More
- Make Summer Safe for Kids(https://www.cdc.gov/family/kids/summer/index.htm)
- Prevent Food Poisoning(https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/prevention.html)
- Skin Cancer Awareness: Protect Your Skin(https://www.cdc.gov/Features/SkinCancer)
- Emergency Preparedness and Response: Extreme Heat
- Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives(https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing)
- Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather(https://www.cdc.gov/Features/ExtremeHeat)
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