North GA — The North Georgia Health District office and all county public health facilities and programs — including Health Departments, Environmental Health offices, and WIC services in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties, as well as The Living Bridge Center clinics in Canton, Dalton, and Gainesville — will be closed on Friday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day.

All public health services will resume on Monday, July 7th.

We wish everyone a safe, healthy, and happy Fourth of July!

🎆 Stay Safe While Celebrating the 4th of July

The Fourth of July is a time for family fun—cookouts 🌭, swimming 🏊‍♀️, fireworks 🎇, and more. But these holiday traditions also come with serious safety risks, especially for children... see our safety tips below: 

Read more …

 

 

Great news! WIC is HERE for you!

✅ WIC clinics will continue providing food benefits, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referral services to families.
✅ If you receive #WICBenefits, keep attending appointments and accessing services as usual.

We'll continue to keep you updated—WIC is here for you! In North Georgia, call (706) 370-4700.
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¡Buenas noticias! ¡WIC está aquí para ayudarlo!!

✅ Las clínicas de WIC seguirán brindando beneficios alimentarios, educación nutricional, apoyo a la lactancia materna y servicios de derivación a las familias.
✅ Si recibe beneficios de WIC, siga asistiendo a las citas y accediendo a los servicios como de costumbre.

Continuaremos manteniéndolo informado: ¡WIC está aquí para ayudarlo! En el Norte de Georgia, llame al (706) 370-4700.

 

MPOX VACCINE AND TESTING ARE AVAILABLE IN NORTH GEORGIA

Ver opción en Español en la parte superior de esta página

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 …

Para la traducción al Español de esta información, haga clic en la opción en Español en la parte superior de esta página.

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

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.