RECENT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Cherokee County Environmental Health Officials announced that they have received confirmation of rabies in a local raccoon.
Glen Gordy of the county environmental health office stated, “We had a positive raccoon notification from the state lab on December 10.”
Glen Gordy of the county environmental health office stated, “We had a positive raccoon notification from the state lab on December 10.”
The North Georgia Health District has now opened provision of H1N1 vaccine to the general public.
Health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will now provide the vaccine at no charge to the general population. However, an administrative fee may be charged through Medicare, Medicaid, and all third party insurance including State Health Benefit plans for United Health Care and CIGNA. Residents are asked to bring their insurance cards at the time of service. Service will be on a first-come, first-served basis until the current vaccine supply is depleted.
Health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties will now provide the vaccine at no charge to the general population. However, an administrative fee may be charged through Medicare, Medicaid, and all third party insurance including State Health Benefit plans for United Health Care and CIGNA. Residents are asked to bring their insurance cards at the time of service. Service will be on a first-come, first-served basis until the current vaccine supply is depleted.
A second Pickens County cat has been confirmed by the State Public Health Laboratory as having rabies. Earlier in the year, a rabid raccoon attacked several unvaccinated cats belonging to a family living on Paradise Lane in Jasper, Georgia. On September 16, the first cat tested positive for rabies. The remaining cats were either destroyed or placed in a double enclosure pen for a quarantine period of six months. Two family members received a series of post-exposure rabies treatments at a local hospital.
North Georgia Health District officials announced today the arrival of their first shipment of H1N1 influenza injectable vaccine, which totaled 4,100 doses. H1N1 vaccine will be administered to the priority groups through the health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties beginning Tuesday, November 3. The health departments will provide the vaccine during their normal operating hours, which are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays except on Fridays when the clinics close at 11:30 a.m.
The Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a special H1N1 Flu Shot Clinic on Tuesday, November 3 at the Cherokee County Recreation Center from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The recreation center is located at 7545 Main Street in Woodstock. (Google Map Driving Directions)
The Cherokee County Health Department will conduct a special H1N1 Flu Shot Clinic on Tuesday, November 3 at the Cherokee County Recreation Center from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The recreation center is located at 7545 Main Street in Woodstock. (Google Map Driving Directions)
Gilmer County Environmental Health officials reported that two dogs recently fought with a raccoon that later tested positive for rabies in the Lake Paul area.
On Tuesday September 15, Matt Williams of the Pickens County Environmental Health Office was notified by the State Public Health Laboratory that a cat specimen submitted the previous day had tested positive for rabies. Mr. Williams’ investigation of the case found that the cat had been attacked by a raccoon on either July 19 or 20, along with at least two others on Paradise Lane in Jasper. 
September 18 marks the second annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day. The day is designed to highlight challenges such as the need for prevention, research, data, and medical understanding of the aging process and the impact of HIV/AIDS.