RECENT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
The CDC's new COVID-19 Community Levels is a tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data for each area. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Take precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 Community Level in your area.
Click flyer to print and share!Parents and caregivers, is your child’s car seat safely installed? Is it time for a change? The Cherokee County Health Department is joining Safe Kids Cherokee County to invite you to a Car Seat Checkup Event on Friday, March 11th from 2 PM to 4 PM.
The Car Seat Checkup Event will take place at the Cherokee County Health Department at 7545 North Main Street in Woodstock. Nationally certified technicians will teach how to fit and install child car seats and booster seats so children will be buckled up right, every trip, every time.
Not able to obtain a suitable car seat for your child? Car seats and booster seats will be provided to financially eligible families on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
Local partnering agencies supporting the Car Seat Checkup Event include Cherokee Recreation & Parks, the Cherokee Fire Department, and the North Georgia Health District.
Social distancing and proper PPE will be utilized at the event.
For more information, contact (678) 493-4343 or
Will help ensure children are buckled up right, every trip, every time!North GA – The 2022 Car Seat Mini-Grant by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Injury Prevention Program was awarded in all six counties of North Georgia Health District 1-2. These mini grant awards will help health departments, law enforcement and community partners in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties work together to provide car seats and education to financially eligible families. This program is funded by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to help ensure Georgia’s children are safe while riding in motor vehicles.
Since 2007, the education, car seats and booster seats provided through the mini grant prevented serious injury or death and saved 425 of Georgia’s children who were involved in crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent among infants and by 54 percent among children ages 1 to 4 years in passenger cars. Car seats offer the best protection for children in the event of a crash, and they are most effective when installed and used correctly. Nearly three out of every four car seats are not used properly, placing children at unnecessary risk.
Through the Car Seat Mini-Grant, agencies supporting more than 120 counties are working to keep Georgia’s children safe. These programs help families get their children buckled up right, every trip, every time.
For more information about the local county car seat safety program and to arrange an appointment for car seat inspection or distribution, contact the health department in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County.
For information regarding other counties involved in the program, please contact the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Child Occupant Safety Project via email at
Atlanta – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging parents and caregivers of infants to check their powdered infant formula before using it due to a recall of some products. The recall includes select lots of Similac®, Alimentum®, and EleCare® formulas manufactured by Abbott Nutrition in its Sturgis, Michigan, facility. The products are sold throughout the U.S.
- the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37and
- the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2, and
- the expiration date is 4-1-2022(APR 2022) or later.
Finding time to sit down, have a meal, and share stories about the day can be a difficult task for today’s families. Often, meals are eaten on the go, in the car, in separate rooms, at sporting events, or not at all. If mealtime is shared among family members, the focus is often on the television instead of each other.
Family meals, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner can positively benefit children in a variety of ways.
Family meals, prepared at home, are more nutritious. Meals prepared at home typically contain fewer processed foods and calories than meals prepared in restaurants. According to a Harvard study, families who eat together are twice as likely to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables as families who do not share mealtimes. Family meals can influence food intakes and behaviors, and as a result will impact a child’s eating habits, diets, and overall health.
Family meals provide an opportunity for parents to be role models. This is a chance to model healthy eating habits and build better relationships by spending quality time together. This often results in better self-esteem and a sense of belonging for children. Frequent family meals can foster a more open environment for kids to talk to their family about their day.
Anytime is the perfect time of year to play outdoors together. According to a 2010 study, children aged 8-18 spend more than 7.5 hours per day using entertainment media. This amount of time differs greatly from the 25 minutes per day children typically spend reading books or the 4 to 7 minutes a day playing outside without structure. Children are carrying this sedentary lifestyle and disconnect with nature into adulthood; as a result, this is altering the future health and wellness of our communities.
Generation Alpha, children born after 2010, have more alternatives to playing outside than any previous generation. From iPads to video games to smart phones, or even the television, this generation seems to have it all at their fingertips.
Screens can entertain, teach, and keep children occupied, however, too much time can have negative effects on children. Too much screen time can lead to inadequate sleep, lower grades in school, reading fewer books, spending less time with friends and family, not enough outdoor or physical activity, elevated BMI, or even mood problems. Too much occupancy with a screen leaves little time for the growth, brain development, and responsibility that is gained from being in nature.
4 Ways to decrease screen time and increase active time outdoors1. Set limits. Sounds simple, right? It’s easy to set limits, but often the limits are unrealistic and quickly disregarded. See chart for screen time recommendations by age.
2. Plan ahead. Sit down with your family and create realistic goals that are displayed in the home. Make certain that your child has a safe and convenient place to play outdoors.
3. Be an example. Be active outdoors with your children. Do activities such as hiking, scavenger hunts, exercise, play games, crafts, or take bike ride.
4. Focus on fun. Keep the activities or time you spend with your children outdoors fun. Don’t overdo it. Do things with your kids they enjoy.
Cherokee County, GA - The Cherokee County Health Department’s Canton and Woodstock Health Centers will close at 10:30 AM on Friday, February 4th, for a joint staff meeting. The health centers normally close on Fridays at 1 PM in Canton and at 1:30 PM in Woodstock to allow for longer hours of service on Tuesdays; however, we apologize for any inconvenience caused by the early closing of these facilities this Friday. Please find all public health services provided in Cherokee County, along with clinic hours, contact information and locations, at https://nghd.org/nghd-locations-listing/category/cherokee.
Dalton, GA - Due to the potential for icy road conditions, the MAKO Medical COVID-19 Drive-thru Testing site in Dalton will DELAY OPENING to 10 AM tomorrow, Saturday, January 29th and will remain open until 1 PM. The location is Pleasant Grove Park, 1732 Pleasant Grove Drive, N.E., Dalton, GA, 30721.
For information about how to register for COVID-19 testing at the MAKO Medical site in Dalton or at their other locations in North Georgia, log onto the North Georgia Health District website at https://www.nghd.org/news/media-releases/free-covid-19-testing-available-in-north-georgia.
North GA - Due to the potential for residual icy road conditions, the Fannin, Gilmer, and Pickens County Health Departments and the Jasper MAKO Medical COVID-19 Drive-thru Testing site will DELAY OPENING to 10 AM on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.
All updates are posted to the North Georgia Health District website at www.NGHD.org and on our social media pages at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.