- Written by Logan Boss, Public Information Officer/Risk Communicator, Northwest Georgia Health District 1-1, Rome
- Category: Media Releases
Public Health reminds pet owners to vaccinate pets against rabies
Baits laced with an oral rabies vaccine designed to help stem the spread of a raccoon strain of the deadly disease through Georgia and into other states will be dropped from the air and scattered by hand in six north/northwest Georgia counties -- Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Murray, Walker and Whitfield -- beginning in early October. Ground baiting by hand in urban/suburban areas will begin October 6. Aerial baiting in rural areas by specially equipped fixed-wing aircraft is scheduled to begin October 7.
Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the baits, but area residents are asked to leave them undisturbed should they encounter them. Dogs that consume large numbers of baits may experience an upset stomach, but there are no long-term health risks. If contact with baits occurs, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap.
Most of the 626,000 baits to be distributed will be gone from the environment within 10 to 14 days after being dropped. A toll-free number is imprinted on each bait allowing anyone who comes in contact with the bait to call for advice, assistance or with any questions.
- Hits: 3927
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
J
asper, GA – Don’t forget to drive by and arm yourself against the flu quickly and conveniently at Pickens County Health Department’s Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic!
The clinic will be held on Tuesday, September 30th from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, located at 1036 North Main Street in Jasper.
This year, the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic will protect you with the 4-in-1 quadrivalent flu vaccine that guards against four strains of flu in one shot. Also, the Fluzone High-Dose Flu shot will be offered to people ages 65 and older. Cost of the 4-in-1 flu shot is $25 and the high-dose shot is $50. Cash, checks, Medicare and Medicaid plus Aetna and BlueCross BlueShield Health Insurance will be accepted.
The best way to arm against the flu is with a flu shot -- the most convenient way to get that shot is at the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic in Jasper!
For more information, call (706) 253-2821 or click here.
- Hits: 3267
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Local World Breastfeeding Week Celebration, October 3rd
Dalton (GA) – World Breastfeeding Week will be celebrated worldwide October 1-7, 2014. The 2014 World Breastfeeding Week theme Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life! acknowledges that when mothers and babies succeed in their breastfeeding plans, they can enjoy a lifetime of benefits.
North Georgia Health District Women, Infants and Children (WIC) invites everyone who is willing to support breastfeeding families to a World Breastfeeding Week Celebration on Friday, October 3 from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M. Come with the whole family to the Mack Gaston Community Center at 214 Fredrick Street in Dalton to enjoy a walk, exhibitors and free goodies. Celebratory breastfeeding support bags will also be provided. For more details, please call Kerry Smith at (706) 934-4128.
- Hits: 3512
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Gilmer County Events Raise Awareness for
World Rabies Day
Ellijay (GA) – Rabies is 100% preventable. Yet rabies remains a major concern worldwide, killing more than 55,000 people every year. In the United States, one to two people die annually and there were more than 6,000 reported cases of animal rabies in the U.S. in 2012.
World Rabies Day is on September 28. Officially launched in 2007, this day aims to raise awareness about the public health impact of human and animal rabies.
Andrea Martin, Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager, stated, “World Rabies Day is another great opportunity to educate residents on rabies prevention. As part of this focus, I will be providing rabies information to over eighty kids attending afterschool care at the Gilmer County Boys and Girls Club on September 29th. Additionally, a local low-cost rabies vaccine clinic will be held on September 27th and I encourage residents to call my office for more details at (706) 635-6050. Also, our office will be represented at this year’s Senior Health Fair at Gilmer County High School on September 27th from 7:30 to 11 A.M. We’ll place a special emphasis on rabies there.”
What can YOU do to prevent rabies?
Vaccinate your animals and keep them away from wildlife that can spread the disease.
For more information on rabies and rabies prevention, log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/worldrabiesday.
- Hits: 3428