- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Blue Ridge (GA) – When is a child's car safety seat not safe? It is never safe when it is improperly used, according to Debra Thomas of the Fannin County Health Department.
She is ensuring car safety seats for children are installed and used correctly.
Thomas has been trained as a certified child safety seat technician through the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Child Passenger Safety Mini-Grant, funded by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.1
Since 2007, at least 283 children in Georgia who were involved in crashes were saved from serious injury or death by car seats, booster seats, and education provided through the Mini-Grant.
“Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children and it’s up to all of us to do everything we can to protect our children on the road,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Buckling up our children is the best way to save lives and reduce injuries.”
Thomas has been working with community partners such as the Fannin County Fire Department to educate parents and caregivers on how to properly install and use child car safety seats, offer child car seat inspections and provide car seats and booster seats to financially eligible families. Through the Child Passenger Safety Mini-Grant, the Fannin County Health Department is one of more than 135 counties working with community partners to keep Georgia’s children safely buckled up right, every trip, every time.
Thomas said, “When correctly installed and used, child car safety seats reduce the risk of death by 71 percent in infants and 54 percent in toddlers, according to CDC’s Injury and Prevention and Control division.”2
As part of her job, Thomas provides child car safety seat checks at the health department as well as at partner-sponsored safety events in Fannin County and surrounding areas.“Most people think they use their child car seats correctly,” said Thomas. “But actual car seat inspections show that 80 to 90 percent are installed or used incorrectly.”
She said reasons for this confusion range from unclear car seat instructions and vehicle owner manuals to the fact there is such a wide variety of car seat designs, automobile seat belt systems and vehicle seat shapes and sizes.
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- Written by Georgia Dept of Public Health - Customized for North Georgia Health Dist by Jennifer King, district PIO
- Category: Media Releases
VACCINATION MAINTENANCE IS IMPORTANT FOR US ALL
North Georgia – August is a busy month: planning the last family vacation, back-to-school shopping, registering for classes, moving off to college and looking forward to family reunions and the holiday season. Recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), North Georgia Health District 1-2 of the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) reminds Georgians to stay up-to-date and get a head start on vaccinations required for school.“August is a great time of year to engage the community regarding vaccinations”, said Sheila Lovett, director of the Georgia Department of Public Health Immunization Office. “There is a lot of publicity about preparing kids for school. It’s the perfect reminder to make vaccinations a priority for both adults and students.”
In fact, county health departments throughout the North Georgia Health District have conducted back-to-school health clinics offering screenings and vaccinations to prepare children for school, and health departments in Cherokee (refer to clinic announcements under our NEWS tab), Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties continue to provide these services during normal business hours.
However, as important as it is for children to remain current on their vaccinations, adults should also maintain a vaccination schedule.
Every adult in Georgia (19 years and older) should follow the recommended immunization schedule by age and medical condition. Vaccinations protect you and they protect others around you; especially infants and those individuals who are unable to be immunized or who have weakened immune systems. It is always a good idea to have the adult vaccine schedule nearby as a reference and to make sure you are current on your own immunizations. Link here to the recommended adult immunization schedule.
Students born on or after January 1, 2002 and entering the seventh-grade need proof of an adolescent pertussis (whooping cough) booster and adolescent meningococcal vaccinations. Every child in a Georgia school system (kindergarten – 12th grade), attending a child care facility, or a student of any age entering a Georgia school for the first time is required by law to have a Georgia Immunization Certificate, Form 3231. Below are the immunizations required for child care and school attendance:
- Diptheria
- Tetanus
- Pertussis
- Polio
- Measles
- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (or, PCV13 – up to age 5 years)
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Hepatitis A and B
- Hib disease (up to age 5 years)
- Varicella
- Meningococcal Conjugate
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Ellijay (GA) – A fox that has now tested positive for rabies attempted to attack two hikers in Gilmer County on Sunday, July 19.
Gilmer County Environmental Health officials reported that a man and woman were walking along a road in the Eagle Mountain section of Coosawattee River Resort when a fox started coming towards them in a menacing manner. The man kicked the fox twice in the head and it landed in a ditch. The stunned fox got up and was approaching them again when a local woman saw what was happening and drove over the fox with her car.County environmental health was notified of the incident on Monday, July 20, and they prepared the specimen for shipment to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory. The lab confirmed on Tuesday, July 21 that the fox had tested positive for rabies.
It appeared the man who kicked the fox incurred no scratches or bites in the incident; however, as a precaution, environmental health officials have encouraged him to seek medical advice from his physician to determine his level of exposure.
Ray King, director of environmental health for North Georgia Health District 1-2 of the Georgia Department of Public Health, said, “Rabies exists in wildlife populations, so, naturally, rabid animals periodically come into contact with humans.”
King advises the public to be cautious when encountering either wild or domestic animals that are exhibiting unusual behavior and report them to animal control or their county environmental health office.
It is critical to also report any attacks or bites by a stray or wild animal.
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
Waleska (GA) – A Waleska couple was recently attacked by a fox that has now tested positive for rabies.
Cherokee County Environmental Health officials said the fox attacked the couple on Sunday, July 12 as they were in the yard of their home located off Chickasaw Drive in the Lake Arrowhead area. The woman was scratched on her leg and the man was bitten.
The fox was shot and animal control collected the body, which was picked up by environmental health staff on the following Monday and shipped to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for testing.
The laboratory reported on Wednesday, July 15 that the fox was positive for rabies.
Meanwhile, following health officials’ recommendations, the couple has begun post-exposure rabies treatment.
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