RECENT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Atlanta – Following the FDA’s authorization of an additional COVID vaccine dose for immunocompromised individuals, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is now recommending that certain patients with weakened immune systems receive an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. The recommendation does not include J&J vaccine recipients at this time.
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is awaiting guidance from the CDC that clearly defines what conditions make an individual eligible for an additional dose of vaccine. Once those conditions are known, DPH will establish statewide protocols for health departments administering additional doses of COVID vaccine. Until then, DPH will hold off on administering third doses.
Patients seeking additional doses of vaccine should contact their healthcare provider for guidance and recommendations.
For information about COVID vaccines or to schedule a vaccination appointment visit dph.ga.gov/covid-vaccine.
For updates on COVID-19, follow @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Twitter and @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Facebook.
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For Murray County Residents 18 years of age and older!
Starts Tuesday, August 10th!
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Chatsworth, GA – Murray County residents ages 18 and older who are still not protected with COVID-19 vaccine now have an extra incentive to Get Vaccinated! Starting Tuesday, August 10th, they will be offered a Walmart $10 Gift Card for each dose of COVID-19 Vaccine received at the Murray County Health Department. For the single dose J&J vaccine, two $10 Gift Cards will be given while supplies last. Murray County Health Department is located at 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road in Chatsworth. NO Appointment is needed. WALK-INs are Welcome! Eligible Murray County residents are urged: Protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community from COVID-19 and the rapidly spreading Delta variant. Get Vaccinated at the Murray County Health Department and receive that extra “Thank You” with Walmart $10 Gift Cards – accepted at all Walmart locations!
Log onto the North Georgia Health District website at www.nghd.org for more information about COVID-19 as well as health department hours and services.
No Cost, No Appointment, No ID Required for COVID-19 Vaccine at County Health Depts in North GA!
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North GA – For the many eligible North Georgians who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, local public health officials urge you more fervently than ever to do so immediately.
COVID-19 cases in the North Georgia Health District were on the decline but have now increased significantly. Our counties, which include Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield, are experiencing moderate to substantial spread as emerging variants, especially the Delta variant, are proving to be more contagious and, in some cases, more serious than previous variants.
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) recently announced that the CDC estimates the Delta variant accounts for 78% of new COVID cases in Georgia as it spreads “more than twice as easily” from person to person, and the highest increases in cases, hospitalizations and deaths are among the unvaccinated.
“This is a disease of the unvaccinated,” said Zachary Taylor, MD, MS, Interim Health Director for the North Georgia Health District. “Getting vaccinated will prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant.”
Your local county health department in the North Georgia Health District offers COVID-19 vaccine to Georgians 12 years of age and older, with Pfizer being the only COVID vaccine authorized for children ages 12 to 17. If receiving Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, you will need to return for a second dose to be fully protected. Full protection is reached in an individual two weeks after the final dose. There is no cost for the vaccine. No appointment is needed at county health departments within the health district and no identification is required. Go to www.nghd.org to find your county health department in North Georgia. Contacts for other COVID-19 vaccine providers in the area are available at www.vaccines.gov.
Vaccination More Urgent Than Ever
COVID-19 Cases Increase and Delta Variant Spreads in Georgia
ATLANTA – If you were waiting for the right time to get vaccinated, that time is now! The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging Georgians to get vaccinated as the number of new COVID-19 cases increases daily and the Delta variant spreads.
The COVID case rate in Georgia has increased 204% over the last 14-day period. Yesterday new cases totaled 4,612 – the highest daily number since mid-February. Hospitalizations have increased by about 50% in the last 14 days, and deaths have increased by about 18% in the same period. Vaccination has stalled statewide and only 40% of Georgians are fully vaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the Delta variant accounts for 78% of new COVID cases in Georgia, making vaccination more urgent than ever. The Delta variant spreads more than twice as easily from one person to another, compared with earlier strains. The highest spread of cases and severe outcomes are happening in places with low vaccination rates, and virtually all hospitalizations and deaths continue to be among the unvaccinated.
“Unfortunately, we can expect COVID numbers to keep growing. People who are unvaccinated or skip their second dose of vaccine are targets for infection,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant. High vaccination coverage will reduce spread of the virus in your community and elsewhere - and help prevent new variants from emerging.”
WIC Services Will Continue Both Days
Canton, GA - Cherokee County Health Department’s Canton Health Center on Univeter Road will be CLOSED Thursday, August 5th and Friday, August 6th while staff completes the move into their newly added building space. WIC services will NOT be affected by this closing and will continue to operate at the facility both days. All public health services at the Canton location will resume as normal on Monday, August 9th at 7:30 AM. To learn about public health services provided in Cherokee County, refer to the North Georgia Health District website at https://nghd.org/nghd-locations-listing/category/cherokee.
TOP 5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT COVID-19 AND DELTA VARIANT
- Getting vaccinated prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death; it also helps reduce the spread of the virus in communities.
- Unvaccinated individuals should get vaccinated and continue masking until they are fully vaccinated.
- With the Delta variant, this is more urgent than ever. The highest spread of cases and severe outcomes is happening in places with low vaccination rates.
- Data show Delta is different than past versions of the virus: it is much more contagious.
- Some vaccinated people can get Delta in a breakthrough infection and may be contagious.
- Even so, vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmission occurring around the country.
- Virtually all hospitalizations and deaths continue to be among the unvaccinated.
- In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends that everyone (including fully vaccinated individuals) wear a mask in public indoor settings to help prevent spread of Delta and protect others.
- CDC recommends that community leaders encourage vaccination and masking to prevent further outbreaks in areas of substantial and high transmission.
- CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place.
Click to link to guidelines
The 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.
Cherokee
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.
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:
Para Español, inicie la encuesta aquí:
