- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
North Georgia – Get your flu shot to go at one of six public health Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics coming soon to North Georgia. Just roll in, roll up a sleeve and arm against the flu this season while helping prepare communities for disaster!
Since 2008, public health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties have conducted the annual Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics, serving residents safely, quickly and efficiently as they remain in their vehicles.
The four-in-one quadrivalent flu vaccine and the Fluzone High Dose vaccine for people sixty-five and older will be available at the clinics.
Quadrivalent flu vaccine protects people against four different strains of flu, including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.
The Fluzone High-Dose flu vaccine is for people 65 years of age and older because it has four times the amount of protective antigen for immune systems that tend to weaken with age.
The cost of the quadrivalent flu shot is $25 and the Fluzone High-Dose flu shot is $65. Cash, Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield Health and United Healthcare Insurance will be accepted along with other forms of payment and insurance, depending on the county.
The Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics are for people ages 18 and over.
While arming residents against the flu at the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics, public health staff and community partners test their plans for standing up a temporary Point of Dispensing (POD) to rapidly administer medication during a public health crisis. Participating community partners include local law enforcement, volunteers, businesses and first responders such as the county Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Department.
This year, the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics are scheduled in each county, as follows:
Cherokee: Tuesday, September 26th, 9 A.M. – 2 P.M., *Woodstock City Church: 150 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock, GA. Call (770) 928-0133 or (770) 345-7371 for more details.
*Please note this NEW Location for the Drive-By Flu Shot Clinic in Woodstock!
Pickens: Wednesday, September 27th, 8:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M., Mt. Zion Baptist Church: 1036 North Main Street, Jasper, GA. Call (706) 253-2821 for more details.
Fannin: Thursday, September 28th, 9 A.M. – 3 P.M., The Farmers Market: East First Street, Blue Ridge, GA. Call (706) 632-3023 for more details.
Whitfield: Tuesday, October 3rd, 9 A.M. – 5 P.M., Dalton Convention Center: 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road, Dalton, GA. Call (706) 226-2621 for more details.
Gilmer: Thursday, October 5th, 8 A.M. – 3 P.M., Pleasant Grove Baptist Church: 115 Pleasant Grove Road, Ellijay, GA. Call (706) 635-4363 for more details.
Murray: Tuesday, October 10th, 8 A.M. – 6 P.M., Murray County Parks and Recreation Department: 651 Hyden Tyler Road, Chatsworth, GA. Call (706) 695-4585 for more details.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. The more people who get vaccinated, the more people will be protected from flu, including older people, very young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications.
The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination. The most convenient way to get that vaccination in North Georgia is at the nearest public health Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic.
For additional details about the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics, call the local county health department or log onto www.nghd.org. To learn more about influenza and flu protection, log onto the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/flu/.
- Hits: 3258
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PICKENS COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH
PROPOSED RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING LOCATIONS AND TYPES OF MOBILE FACILITIES THAT MAY BE SERVED BY ON-SITE SEWAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Chapters 31-40-1 through 31-40-9, 31-5-1 and 31-3-5, the Pickens County Board of Health proposes to adopt rules and regulations governing locations and types of mobile facilities that may be served by on-site sewage management systems. The Official Code of Georgia Annotated 31-3-5 grants the power to Georgia County Boards of Health to specify the types of residences, facilities and buildings that may be served by onsite sewage management systems.
For the purposes of these proposed rules and regulations, “mobile facilities” means a wheeled vehicle designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable and designed not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use by the transient public. This definition includes recreational vehicles, motor homes, truck campers, pop-up campers, dependent trailers, travel trailers and similar units by whatever named called.
On-site sewage management systems may not be installed for or serve mobile facilities unless such mobile facilities are in properly zoned and approved locations such as recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds constructed on a common piece of property and intended only for temporary use by their owners, tourists, travelers and guests. Mobile facilities are not permitted in mobile home parks and may not use mobile home park septic systems; existing mobile facilities in mobile home parks may remain but once moved cannot be replaced with another mobile facility.
Existing mobile facilities served by properly operating on-site sewage management systems are granted grandfather rights (acquired rights) but may not be replaced by a mobile facility once moved.
Nothing in this proposed ordinance shall be interpreted to prevent property owners from storing their own recreational vehicles and similar mobile facilities on their residential or commercial properties and dumping accumulated wastewater from travel trips into their own septic systems; however, such mobile facilities shall not be used for permanent residential occupation nor permanently connected to a residential septic system.
Exceptions include temporary occupancy for visitors to a residential property, temporary occupancy by owner on undeveloped properties, emergency housing following a disaster, construction of a single-family dwelling by property owner, and temporary construction workers on major projects.
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PICKENS COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH
Proposed Minimum Lot Size Requirements for On-Site Sewage Management Systems
Pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Chapters 31-40-1 through 31-40-9 and 31-5-1, the Pickens County Board of Health proposes to adopt minimum lot sizes for on-site sewage management systems based upon the current Pickens County lot size requirements with some modifications. The Pickens County Board of Health has never adopted minimum lot sizes and lot sizes are subject to state regulations if not locally adopted. On-site sewage management system means a sewage management system other than public or community sewage treatment system and generally referred to as a septic system.
A copy of these regulations may be obtained via email by calling the Pickens County Environmental Health office at 706-253-0900 or viewed at this office located at 1266 East Church Street, Jasper, GA 30143 during regular business hours. Email copies may also be obtained by writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Questions may be answered at the hearing or by calling Ray King at 706-529-5757, extension 11161.
The Pickens County Board of Health solicits your comments for this proposed action. Comments can be made in writing by mail to the Pickens County Environmental Health Office at the above address if received by the public hearing date or orally at the hearing before the Hearing Officer from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on August 25, 2017 in the Pickens Room located at 1266 East Church Street, Jasper, GA 30143.
All comments received will be presented to the Pickens County Board of Health at its next regular meeting. This notice is issued pursuant to the Pickens County Board of Health By-Laws.
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
North Ga. – On Monday, Aug. 21, Georgia will be among 14 states to experience a total eclipse of the sun. The Georgia Department of Public Health reminds those who will watch the solar eclipse that it’s never safe to look directly at the sun, or eye damage may occur.
Viewing the solar eclipse should be done through “eclipse glasses” that meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. See the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers for a list of dealers of eclipse glasses. To find out which libraries near you are distributing free eclipse glasses, see the library map on the STAR_Net website.
Retinal damage to eyes may occur while attempting to stare at the sun. Solar retinopathy is a result of too much ultraviolet light flooding the retina. Never look directly at the sun without proper protection – using ISO 12312-2 lenses. If you damage your eyes trying to view the solar eclipse, please contact your healthcare provider.
NASA’s additional recommendations for safe eclipse viewing are:
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Stand still, and put on your eclipse glasses before looking up at the eclipse. Turn away to remove your eclipse glasses — do not remove them while looking at the sun.
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Do not look at the eclipse through a camera, a telescope or binoculars while using your eclipse glasses — the sun will damage the filter and your eyes.
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Always inspect your eclipse glasses before use; if scratched or damaged, do not use.
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Supervise children viewing the eclipse.
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Remove your eclipse glasses only when the moon completely covers the sun and it gets dark. Then, as soon as the sun begins to reappear, put your eclipse glasses back on.
The last time the U.S. saw a total eclipse was 1979. During this year’s eclipse, the moon will fully block the sun for two minutes and 40 seconds. Only the northeast corner of Georgia will experience this; the rest of the state will see a partial eclipse. The moon will pass between the Earth and the sun, blocking all or part of the sun, for up to three hours.
Learn more about safely viewing the solar eclipse at: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety.
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