- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Dalton (GA) - The Whitfield County Health Department is encouraging parents to get vaccines and health screenings needed for their children this month to beat the back-to-school rush! These services are offered on a walk-in basis, no appointment necessary, at the Whitfield County Health Department.
Children enrolling in any Georgia school, Pre-K, Kindergarten, or Child Care program must present a Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231). In addition, children enrolling in Pre-K, Kindergarten and any Georgia school must present Form 3300 (Certificate of Eye, Ear, and Dental Exam).
The health department’s Children’s Clinic Supervisor Angie Callaway, RN, BSN, stated, “The vaccine requirements differ depending on the age of the child. It is very important to check now to determine if your child needs vaccines and/or a certificate for school or child care entry.”
For example, children under five (5) who attend child care facilities (including Pre-K) must have two (2) doses of Hepatitis A (Hep A) vaccine or laboratory proof of immunity. All children entering sixth grade must have two doses of Measles vaccine, two doses of Mumps vaccine, and one dose of Rubella vaccine or laboratory proof of immunity against Measles, Mumps and Rubella and have two doses of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine or provider diagnosed documentation of disease or laboratory proof of immunity.
Contact the Whitfield County Health Department at 706-226-2621 or your health care provider to obtain needed vaccinations, health screenings and required certificates.
- Hits: 4505
- Written by Jennifer King, District Public Information Officer and Risk Communicator
- Category: Media Releases
Ellijay (GA) – On June 24, a dog at a Gilmer County farm on Anderson Creek Road, located off Roy Road, fought with a raccoon that has now tested positive for rabies.
The dog was treated for multiple wounds to the face and head sustained during the fight, and the owner was referred to a physician to be evaluated for treatment because he had touched the dog’s wounds where saliva from the raccoon may have been present.
According to Gilmer County Environmental Health Manager Andrea Martin, the dog’s owner had been unable to break up the fight between the animals, so he shot the raccoon and took it to the VCA Appalachian Animal Hospital in East Ellijay. VCA prepared the raccoon for rabies testing and Martin shipped the specimen to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory on June 25. The lab reported the positive results for rabies on June 26.
Martin was pleased to announce that the dog was current on its rabies vaccination, which alleviates concerns about rabies infection in the animal.
“Since the dog's vaccination was current, the only recommendation we had to give was a booster shot and a 45-day observation period,” said Martin. “This is a much better outcome than when we’ve had to recommend either euthanasia or a strict, costly six-month quarantine because a rabies-exposed pet was not vaccinated.”
Stock photo
It is vital that rabies vaccinations are regularly maintained in pets, not only for the safety of pets, but also for the protection of people who may handle them. Health officials recommend that pets receive the first rabies vaccination at 3-months old then another shot one year later. In subsequent years, owners have the option to provide pets with one-year or three-year rabies shots.
For more information about rabies, please contact Gilmer County Environmental Health at (706) 635-6050 or log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov.
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
June is Men’s Health Month and we are reminded of the importance of properly educating men and boys about what they can do to be proactive about their health.
The statistics are troubling. At birth, males outnumber females 105:100. By age 65-74, the ratio shifts to 80:100. Even worse, men often experience a lower quality of life than women.
Some other staggering statistics:
● 1/6 of American men will get prostate cancer.
● 50% of men will develop cancer in their lifetime.
● Testicular cancer is most common in men ages 15-35. It is 100% curable when caught and treated early.
There are, however, simple steps men and boys can take to significantly improve their health. Things like exercising moderately for 30 minutes, five days a week, drinking eight glasses of water every day, and eating a varied diet that includes a lot of fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
The infographic below highlights some of the most important facts related to this issue, with actionable steps that should be taken to address this challenge (resource http://online.nursing.georgetown.edu/).
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- Written by Jennifer King, District Public Information Officer and Risk Communicator
- Category: Media Releases
National HIV Testing Day is June 27, 2013
Download Poster here: Natl HIV Testing Day 2013 poster.pdfIN RECOGNITION OF HIV TESTING DAY, THE NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT WILL PROVIDE FREE RAPID HIV TESTING AT THE WHITFIELD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THURSDAY, JUNE 27 FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.
THE WHITFIELD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS LOCATED AT 800 PROFESSIONAL BOULEVARD IN DALTON.
THE RAPID HIV TEST IS QUICK, CONFIDENTIAL AND REQUIRES ONLY A FINGERSTICK. TEST RESULTS WILL BE PROVIDED DURING THE SAME OFFICE VISIT. COUNSELING, FOLLOW-UP AND REFERRAL WILL BE PROVIDED, AS NEEDED.
THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (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.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL (706) 281-2370.
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