Cherokee County Board of Health Chairman Russ Flynn and Nancy Stackhouse, Georgia's CDC Childhood Immunization Champion for 2012
Woodstock (GA) August 2, 2012 - Cherokee County Board of Health Chairman Russ Flynn has presented a letter of congratulations to Cherokee County Health Immunization Outreach Coordinator Nancy Stackhouse, LPN, on being named Georgia's CDC Childhood Immunization Champion for 2012.

In the letter given to Stackhouse at the quarterly Cherokee County Board of Health meeting on August 1, Flynn stated, "The Cherokee County Board of Health appreciates your leadership promoting childhood immunization through vaccination, education, and recognition of children in Cherokee County."

Stackhouse is involved in daily community promotion and education of childhood immunizations in her role with the Cherokee County Health Department. During the past twenty-nine years in public health, she has been a community leader in immunization issues while collaborating with schools, churches, businesses, and other agencies to foster childhood immunizations.

The CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award is a new annual award that recognizes one champion from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia who makes a significant contribution toward improving public health through his or her work in childhood immunization.

Awardees for this inaugural year were announced in conjunction with National Infant Immunization Week last April.

For more information about the new CDC Childhood Immunization Award, log onto http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/champions/childhood.html.

Click image to view FlyerThe Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a Back To School Health Clinic from 1 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at both public health centers in Canton and Woodstock. Hearing, Dental and Vision Screenings will be offered for $30.00, and Immunizations will be provided for School-aged Children (there is a charge for vaccines). Medicaid is accepted. The Canton public health center is located at 1219 Univeter Road, and the Woodstock public health center is at 7545 N. Main Street. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton, or call (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.

Click Image to View FlyerThe Whitfield County Health Department is currently arranging to conduct Workplace Flu Vaccination Clinics at local businesses.  A team of registered nurses and support staff will assure a smooth, seamless process of vaccinating employees at a time that is most convenient for each workplace. Several employer insurance carriers cover the cost of flu vaccine. The health department provides an affordable option. Managers are urged to help keep their workforce working this upcoming flu season by calling (706) 281-2212 for more details.

Lucy Branson [left] of the North Georgia Health District's Living Bridge Center administers an Orasure, or oral swab, HIV testTHE LIVING BRIDGE CENTER IN DALTON WILL OFFER FREE HIV TESTING ON NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2012. THE FREE TESTING WILL BE CONDUCTED FROM 9 A.M. UNTIL 1 P.M. AT THE WHITFIELD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LOCATED AT 800 PROFESSIONAL BOULEVARD IN DALTON, GEORGIA.

THE ORASURE (ORAL SWAB) TESTING METHOD WILL BE USED.

WHO SHOULD BE TESTED?

THE CDC RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13 AND 64 BE TESTED FOR HIV AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME, AND THOSE AT INCREASED RISK -- SUCH AS GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, INJECTION DRUG USERS, OR PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE SEXUAL PARTNERS -- SHOULD BE TESTED AT LEAST ANNUALLY.

FREE T-SHIRTS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, GOODY BAGS, AND INCENTIVE CARDS FOR RETURNING FOR TEST RESULTS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FREE HIV TESTING EVENT, CALL THE LIVING BRIDGE CENTER AT 706-281-2360.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY, LOG ONTO WWW.NAPWA.ORG.

DALTON (GA) JUNE 20, 2012 - According to Raymond King, Director of Environmental Health for the North Georgia Health District, a horse located in a pasture immediately adjacent to the Dalton Municipal Airport in Whitfield County, Georgia has been diagnosed with rabies by the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and now a total of six local persons who had recent contact with the saliva or mucus of the horse are receiving post-exposure rabies treatments through area hospitals.
 
The horse started to show possible symptoms on June 9th and was examined by a number of persons and veterinarians that week before being taken to the University of Georgia Veterinary College for further examination and testing.
 

Brooke Walker of North Georgia WIC and Tom Pinson of the Gaston Community CenterThe public is invited to attend the Farmers' Market presented by North Georgia Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Dalton’s Gaston Community Center.

The Farmers' Market will be held at the new Gaston Community Center at 214 Fredrick Street in Dalton from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20 and Thursday, June 21, 2012.

Come purchase affordably priced, locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables, and receive free recipes for preparing healthy, nutritious meals. Participants will also be offered food storage guidelines.

Families on the WIC program in attendance will be provided $30 worth of produce.

Participating farmers are from Brown’s Produce of Tunnel Hill and R & A Orchards of Ellijay.

For more information about the WIC-Community Center Farmers' Market, call 706-272-2991, extension 1 or 706-529-8202.

The case of Necrotizing fasciitis, or "flesh-eating bacteria", that recently occurred to a young Georgia victim is a tragedy and it reminds us that there are always microbes in our environments to infect us. But some proportion and perspective are appropriate here.

Odds that you will be struck by lightning during your life are one in 10,000. The CDC estimates that only one of 400,000 people get necrotizing fasciitis in any one year in the U.S.

Most cases of necrotizing fasciitis occur in persons with health risk factors such as diabetes or compromised immune systems. The most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis is Group A Streptococcus (strep), about 725 cases a year in the U.S. Treatment consists of antibiotics and surgical removal of dead tissues. Around 20% of patients with necrotizing fasciitis caused by Group A strep will die.

Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by at least six completely different bacteria.

Dalton (GA) May 8, 2012 - Red fox image courtesy of: U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceFannin County Environmental Health officials announced today that a fox which attacked a Morganton woman on May 4 has tested positive for rabies.

Environmental Health Specialist Shannon Bradburn reported that the fox attacked the woman last Friday morning as she walked her dog on Dennis Drive.

"She was suddenly hit from behind by the fox, which bit her leg before running away," said Bradburn.

Dalton (GA) May 8, 2012 - WIC Nutritionist Addie Crum instructs a mother and child on good nutritionGraduates of local schools are now giving back to their community with essential services that are available to thousands in Whitfield County, many of whom take advantage of these services. . . many more are eligible.

Addie Crum, 2005 graduate of Christian Heritage School, Maria Pimentel, 2006 graduate of Dalton High School, and 2007 Dalton High School graduate, Hannah Michaels, are all working through the local Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program to assist in supplementing the nutritional needs of young mothers and children.

WIC serves 7,000 young mothers and children in Whitfield County, and funds are available to provide services to many others.

Dalton (GA) April 27, 2012 - Whitfield County Environmental Health officials announced today that a raccoon found last week in Dalton has tested positive for rabies.

Odin Stephens of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services said he had retrieved the dead raccoon from the garage of a LaVista Road residence on April 16 and tested it for rabies. Stephens reported to county environmental health yesterday that the results were positive.

This testing was part of wildlife vaccination and surveillance in this area that is being done under the USDA/APHIS Wildlife Services and the National Rabies Management Program.