MPOX VACCINE AND TESTING ARE AVAILABLE IN NORTH GEORGIA

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MPOX (MONKEYPOX) VACCINE

DPH Mpox Updates

Mpox vaccination appointment registration is now ONLINE!

Mpox vaccine appointment registration has now gone online in Georgia! The mpox vaccines are available through public health at no cost to the individual. However, due to a limited number of doses, the vaccines are only available by appointment, depending on supply, and only for people who are currently eligible for the vaccine.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Eligibility for vaccination is prioritized for people aged 18 and older who are at high risk of infection, including people who are:

• A contact to a mpox case identified in the last 14 days by public health via case investigation
• HIV positive and have multiple sex partners
• A man who has sex with men (MSM) and having multiple sex partners
• A PrEP patient and having multiple sex partners

ONLINE APPOINTMENT REGISTRATION

If you meet the eligibility criteria for m-pox vaccination, you can now click on the red button below to register ONLINE for an available appointment at one of two locations in the North Georgia Health District or at other public health monkeypox vaccination sites in Georgia.

The North Georgia Health District m-pox vaccination sites are:

• Cherokee County Health Department Woodstock Health Center, 7545 North Main Street, Suite 100, Woodstock, GA 30188
• Whitfield County Health Department, 800 Professional Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30720

Appointments for Mpox Vaccination

You may also call the Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line at (888) 457-0186.

Feel free to click on our Attestation for Administration of a Jynneos^TM Mpox Vaccine form to download and complete the form prior to your appointment.

Please note that "Walk-ins" will NOT be vaccinated upon arrival at the Cherokee and Whitfield County Health Departments. You must have an appointment to receive an mpox vaccination at these locations.

WHEN APPOINTMENTS ARE FULL

Vaccine supply is extremely limited across the U.S. Currently, states are awaiting additional allocations from our federal partners. At this time, the Woodstock Health Center and the Whitfield County Health Department are the only m-pox vaccination locations in our health district, and they do not have general vaccine availability. As these and other m-pox vaccination sites in Georgia receive vaccines, more appointments will be available as vaccine supply increases.

Read more ...

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GEORGIA SENATE BILL 375 - TOBACCO 21 LAW: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Retail Signage in English & Spanish: Click to download and print to clearly display at tobacco products point(s) of sale.The North Georgia Health District wants you to be aware of the Tobacco 21 Law and what we all must do to comply with that law. Here, we are providing you with that information and with beneficial resources to assist you.

What is Senate Bill 375 (Tobacco 21 or T21)? As of July 22, 2020, the sell or barter, directly or indirectly, any cigarettes, tobacco products, tobacco related objects, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products to anyone under the age of 21 years is illegal in Georgia.

What are retailers required to do? Retailers are responsible for upholding the law. Compliance checks are conducted and enforced on a continuous basis to ensure retailers are following federal and state Tobacco 21 laws that prohibit the sale of all tobacco products. Failure to comply with the Tobacco 21 law will result in a misdemeanor.

• Retailer must display Tobacco 21 signage in clearly visible locations
• Use a state-issued driver’s license, military ID, and passport to verify individuals’ age
• Train all staff on the following steps for every tobacco sale
  • Ask for valid ID from everyone attempting to purchase tobacco products
  • Check ID to make sure everyone is 21 years and older
  • Refuse to sell tobacco products to everyone under 21

Why public health needs retailers help? There has been an alarming increase in the use of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and flavored delivery systems among youth and young adults in our community. Almost 1 of every 5 high school students in Georgia are current tobacco users of cigarettes, hookah, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or electronic cigarettes (Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2019). As a licensed tobacco retailer, you play an important role ensuring the success of reducing access and use of tobacco products by complying with the Tobacco 21 law.

What are free resources for quitting tobacco? Georgia residents 13 years and older who want to quit smoking, vaping, or using tobacco, can call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line.

• 1-877-270-7867 (English)
• 1-877-266-3863 (Spanish)
• 1-877-777-6534 (Hearing Impaired)
• Youth and young adults can enroll in This is Quitting by texting VAPEFREEGA to 88709 to quit

Let’s work together to keep our youth and young adults tobacco-free!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT GEORGIA'S TOBACCO 21 LAW.

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Note: CDC has updated the Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States to reflect the following changes in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccination schedule: 

• At the time of initial vaccination, depending on vaccine product, children ages 6 months–4 years are recommended to receive 2 or 3 bivalent mRNA vaccine doses; children age 5 years are recommended to receive 1 or 2 bivalent mRNA vaccine doses. 
• People ages 6 years and older who are unvaccinated or previously received only monovalent vaccine doses are recommended to receive 1 bivalent mRNA vaccine dose. 
• People ages 65 years and older may receive 1 additional bivalent mRNA vaccine dose. 

Updated clinical guidance for individuals who are immunocompromised will be shared as soon as possible.

• CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for all eligible children and adults.

  Lost your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card? Click here to learn what to do.

  These vaccines are offered at our Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties, but to be sure the type of COVID-19 vaccine you may want or need is available when you arrive, click on your county's name above to contact your local health department. Otherwise, No Appointment is needed during regular clinic hours. There is No Cost to clients for this vaccine, and No Identification is required.

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  Note: COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for children ages 6 months through 17. Adult consent for minors is required. For more information about COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations for children and teens, please visit the CDC's COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens. (See the COVID-19 Vaccine Consent Form in English and in Spanish).

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• 3rd Shots for people with certain immunocompromised conditions are available at our health departments, and so are...

• Booster Shots: Available for residents who are eligible and have reached the recommended time period for a booster shot since receiving their primary series of shots, including eligible immunocompromised people whose primary series included a 3rd shot. The latest information on all recommended COVID-19 booster vaccine is available on the CDC website.

Again, no appointment is needed for COVID-19 vaccination during regular clinic hours at Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties... be sure to look for your County Health Department's CLINIC HOURS and Location by clicking on the name of your county above.

North GA – No Appointment is needed for COVID-19 Vaccination in the North Georgia Health District during regular clinic hours at Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties. There is NO Cost to clients, regardless of healthcare coverage. No Identification is required.

Nearly 250,000 residents in the North Georgia Health District are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and our state, district and county public health officials continue to urge anyone who has not yet gotten fully vaccinated to do so right away, especially as variants of the virus spread in our communities.

Conveniently located in North Georgia! Register HERE.

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Anyone who has COVID-19 type symptoms or has been in close contact recently with a person infected with the virus needs to be tested for COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated.

Free COVID-19 Testing is offered at a MAKO Medical Drive-Thru Testing Site in North Georgia through a partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health. There are no eligibility requirements other than having a Georgia address and registering online at https://mako.exchange/splash/GAmakotesting/. 

**Please do not call the facility where testing is operated or the county health departments for information. The facility and health departments DO NOT operate testing. MAKO Medical is in charge. Therefore, please direct all testing-related questions to MAKO Medical via their website at https://mako.exchange/splash/GAmakotesting/.**

The location, address and hours for FREE COVID-19 Drive-thru testing at the MAKO Medical site in North Georgia is: