RECENT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jasper (GA) – A Pickens County dog has been euthanized because it was not vaccinated against rabies and came into contact with a rabies-infected animal.
Jan Stephens of Pickens County Environmental Health reported there was a fight between the dog and a raccoon in the Henderson Mountain Road area of Pickens County on Tuesday, July 1. The raccoon was shot and environmental health sent the head to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for testing. Test results came back the following day that the raccoon was positive for rabies, and since the dog was not vaccinated against rabies, it was euthanized.
The other household animals at the residence were current on their vaccinations so the only requirement for them was a rabies booster shot.
Georgia state law requires that ALL dogs and cats receive rabies shots on a regular basis for the protection of other animals and their owners. An unvaccinated animal that is exposed to a rabid bat or other rabid animal may also become rabid and expose family members and pets to the disease before it is discovered.
Rabies that goes untreated is fatal almost 100 percent of the time.
A vaccinated pet is the best protection for everyone.
Additionally, anytime a person or domestic animal in this area receives an animal bite, it must be reported to Pickens County Environmental Health at (706) 253-0900.
For more information about rabies and rabies protection, log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at http://www.cdc.gov/features/rabiessafefamily/.
Is your child ready for the upcoming school year? The Pickens County Health Department will conduct a Back-to-School Bash Health Clinic on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The health department is located at 60 Health Way in Jasper, GA. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and BMI/Nutrition Screenings will be available: Total cost for screenings is forty dollars. Also, immunizations will be provided for school-age children. There is a charge for vaccines. Medicaid is accepted as well as Amerigroup, Peach State, PeachCare and WellCare. Participating community partners will include Georgia State Patrol, Pickens Emergency Medical Services and the Pickens County Fire Department. For more information, please call (706) 253-2821.
Make sure your child is prepared for the upcoming school year! The Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a Back-to-School Health Clinic on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 from 2 to 6 p.m. at public health centers in both Canton and Woodstock. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and BMI/Nutrition Screenings will be available: Total cost for screenings is forty dollars. Also, immunizations will be provided for school-age children. There is a charge for vaccines. Medicaid is accepted as well as Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, PeachCare, WellCare, Amerigroup, Peach State and Aetna Insurance. The Canton Health Center is located at 1219 Univeter Road in Canton, and the Woodstock Health Center is at 7545 North Main Street in Woodstock. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton or (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.
New School Immunization Requirements in Georgia
Let’s face it – nobody likes getting shots. But a shot lasts a second; diseases last much longer.
In an effort to protect every adult and child, the Georgia Department of Public Health established this year – Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week, June 23-27 to serve as a reminder for parents to talk with their preteens and teens about getting immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Preteens are becoming increasingly social. They go to overnight camps, attend parties and play team sports – they’re beginning to interact with a larger social circle. While these are all fun parts of being a teenager, they could also increase their risk for contracting potentially life-threatening diseases,” said Steven Mitchell, director for the Georgia Department of Public Health Immunization Office. “Couple this with the new school immunization requirements and it’s the ideal time to make sure your preteen is up-to-date on their vaccinations and protected for their future.”
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health Rule (511-2-2), all students born on or after January 1, 2002 entering or transferring into seventh grade and any “new entrant” into 8th-12th grades in Georgia need proof of an adolescent pertussis (whooping cough) booster vaccination (called “Tdap”) AND an adolescent meningococcal vaccination (MCV4). This law affects all public and private schools including, but not limited to charter schools, community schools, juvenile court schools and other alternative school settings (excluding homeschool).
National HIV Testing Day is Friday, June 27, and North Georgia Health District 1-2 of the Georgia Department of Public Health is continuing to remind people of all ages to "Take the Test, Take Control".
The health district will provide free rapid HIV testing on June 27 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the Whitfield County Health Department at 800 Professional Boulevard in Dalton. Free prevention supplies will be available along with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) related information. Any additional testing day events in the health district will be posted here on the district website.
Too many people don't know they have HIV. In the United States, nearly 1.1 million people are living with HIV, and almost one in six don't know they are infected. Getting tested is the first step to finding out if you have HIV. If you have HIV, getting medical care and taking medicines regularly helps you live a longer, healthier life and also lowers the chances of passing HIV on to others.
More information is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at hivtest.cdc.gov/press_files.
Prevent ALL Mosquito-borne diseases! Remember the 5 Ds:
1-Dusk/dawn - Avoid being outdoors at those times
2-Dress - Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
3-Drain - Dump any water-filled containers around your home
4-Doors - Doors, windows & screens need to fit well
5-DEET - Wear insect repellant containing DEET
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Read more tips on how to avoid bug bites from the CDC: http://bit.ly/avoidbitesCDC
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Dalton (GA) – If there were a vaccine against cancer, it is likely that most parents would get it for their children.
HPV vaccine is protection against most of the cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV is a very common virus that spreads between people when they have sexual contact with another person. About 14 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. HPV infection can cause cervical cancer in women and penile cancer in men. HPV can also cause anal cancer, throat cancer and genital warts in both men and women.
M
arie Smith, Immunization and Child Health Coordinator for the North Georgia Health District, said, “The HPV vaccine is recommended for preteen boys and girls at age 11 or 12 so they are protected before ever being exposed to the virus. If your teen has not yet gotten the vaccine, talk to their doctor or contact your county public health department about getting it for them as soon as possible.”
The HPV vaccine is given in 3 shots. The second shot is given 1 or 2 months after the first shot. Then a third shot is given 6 months after the first shot. It is important that children get all 3 shots for full protection.
For more information about HPV and HPV vaccine, contact your local county health department (find the phone numbers for county health departments in the North Georgia Health District by clicking on the Locations tab above) or log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-Vac/hpv/.
Hurricanes
Even here in North Georgia, Hurricanes can have an impact that may include flooding, tornadoes, wind damage and a possible surge of evacuees.
Are YOU prepared for Hurricane Season?
Inspire others to act by being an example yourself, Pledge to Prepare & tell others about it! A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm that forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A typical cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms, and in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth’s surface.
All Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas are subject to hurricanes. Parts of the Southwest United States and the Pacific Coast also experience heavy rains and floods each year from hurricanes spawned off Mexico. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, with the peak season from mid-August to late October. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15 and ends November 30.
Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Hurricanes can produce winds exceeding 155 miles per hour as well as tornadoes and mircrobursts. Additionally, hurricanes can create storm surges along the coast and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall. Floods and flying debris from the excessive winds are often the deadly and destructive results of these weather events. Slow moving hurricanes traveling into mountainous regions tend to produce especially heavy rain. Excessive rain can trigger landslides or mud slides. Flash flooding can occur due to intense rainfall.
To learn what to do Before, During and After a Hurricane, go to FEMA's website at www.ready.gov/hurricanes.
Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can become chronic, life-long infections which can lead to liver cancer. Millions of Americans are living with chronic viral hepatitis, and many do not know they are infected.
CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis is leading a national campaign called Know More Hepatitis. The initiative aims to increase awareness about this hidden epidemic and encouraging people born from 1945-1965 to get tested for Hepatitis C. The division is also coordinating with community partners to promote testing among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through the multilingual Know Hepatitis B campaign.
The online Hepatitis Risk Assessment is designed to determine an individual’s risk for viral hepatitis and asks questions based upon CDC’s recommendations for testing and vaccination. The Hepatitis Risk Assessment allows individuals to answer questions privately, either in their home or in a health care setting, and print their recommendations to discuss with their doctor.
Dalton (GA) – Girl Scout Brownie Troop 12617 of Whitfield County, Georgia and their leaders were recently recognized for the outstanding tobacco-free accomplishments they achieved as part of their healthy living community service project for this year.
Jennifer King of the North Georgia Health District presented trophies and merit badges to the group at New Hope Elementary School in Dalton on Tuesday, May 13 for their successful appeal to the Whitfield County Schools Board of Education in adopting the Georgia Model 100 Percent Tobacco-Free Schools Policy.*
The board voted to adopt the policy following a presentation by the troop at the board of education meeting on April 14. The board began to consider changing the policy several weeks prior to the vote 
after the troop had sent petition letters and tobacco-free pledges to Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Judy Gilreath.
"Although Whitfield County Schools has been a tobacco free system since 2001, the revised policy will bring us more in line with the state criteria required in order to be officially designated by the state as tobacco free,” Dr. Gilreath said after the policy was passed. She said of the scouts, “It is so encouraging to see this young troop of girls actively involved in making our community healthier for all of us. Troop 12617 and their adult leaders are to be commended for leading this effort."