NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT

Healthy people, families, and communities.
  • NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

    NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Click to link to guidelinesCDC 2021 STI Guidelines graphicThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021. This document provides current evidence-based diagnostic, management, and treatment recommendations, and serves as a source of clinical guidance for managing sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The new guidelines include notable updates from the previous 2015 guidance, including:

  • Updated treatment recommendations for chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and pelvic inflammatory disease.
  • Updated treatment recommendations for uncomplicated gonorrhea in neonates, children, and other specific clinical situations (e.g., proctitis, epididymitis, sexual assault), which builds on broader treatment changes published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report late last year.
  • Information on FDA-cleared diagnostic tests for Mycoplasma genitalium and rectal and pharyngeal chlamydia and gonorrhea.
  • Expanded risk factors for syphilis testing among pregnant patients.
  • Recommended two-step serologic testing for diagnosing genital herpes simplex virus.
  • Harmonized recommendations for human papillomavirus vaccination with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
  • Recommended universal hepatitis C testing in alignment with CDC’s 2020 hepatitis C testing recommendations.

STIs are common and costly to the nation’s health and economy. With 26 million new STIs occurring each year, totaling nearly $16 billion in medical costs, evidence-based prevention, diagnostic, and treatment recommendations are critical to halting continued increases.

The new recommendations come at a pivotal moment in our field’s history. As many of you know all too well, the COVID-19 pandemic caused decreased clinic capacity, as well as drug and diagnostic test kit shortages. Along the way, CDC provided guidance for the disruption of STD clinical services, focusing on syndromic management and STI screening approaches to maximize the number of people with STIs identified and treated, while prioritizing those most likely to experience complications. However, most drug and testing kit shortages have since resolved and many health care providers are returning to normal clinical practices, which includes conducting STI evaluation and management in accordance with CDC Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.

 

WIC Services Will Continue. All Services Resume Thursday.

CherokeeCanton HD Closed July 21 Web County Health Department’s Canton Health Center on Univeter Road will CLOSE at 1 PM on Wednesday, July 21st for building maintenance. WIC services will NOT be affected by this closing and will continue to operate at the facility all day. Public health services at the Canton location will resume as normal on Thursday, July 22nd from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. To learn about all public health services provided in Cherokee County, go here on the North Georgia Health District website at  https://nghd.org/nghd-locations-listing/category/cherokee.

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We are seeking employees to join our dedicated teams across North Georgia Health District 1-2, which is comprised of six counties, including Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield!

Have you ever considered a career in Public Health?

Want to make a difference in your community?

Did you know that our mission is to promote and protect the health of the people in the North Georgia Health District, wherever they live, work and play, through population-based preventive programs?

Administrative, Child Health, Dental, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental, Infectious Disease, WIC Nutritional Services and Nurse Positions may be available in your area!

Click here to our Career Center to apply for open positions today!

Benefits offered to employees include:

  • Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
  • State retirement plans
  • 12 Paid Holidays
  • Vacation & Sick Leave

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Since early 2020, each of us, our families and our communities have faced harrowing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, we have been deeply impacted in many ways that include everything from deprivation and financial loss to dire illnesses and even the death of loved ones. Fortunately, we are beginning to see signs of recovery from this pandemic; however, we still have a long way to go. Please take this survey to help us know how we, your local public health partners, can better support this recovery and help everyone get back to life-as-usual more quickly here in North Georgia. Thank you!

For English, please start the survey here:

English Version of COVID 19 Survey

Para Español, inicie la encuesta aquí:

Latino version of COVID 19 Survey