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🎆 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:
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North GA - It is essential for parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are up to date on vaccinations and health screenings before the new school year begins. Georgia state law mandates that children enrolling in nursery, childcare, pre-kindergarten, Head Start programs, or private or public schools (kindergarten-12th grade) must have three key documents on file:
1. Georgia Immunization Certificate (Form 3231): Parents can obtain this form from their local health department or physician's office after ensuring that their child has received all necessary immunizations. If the child has been vaccinated in another state, proper documentation from that state may be required.
2. Georgia Certificate of Vision, Hearing, Dental, and Nutrition Screening (Form 3300): This certificate must be completed by a healthcare professional and submitted to the school for all children enrolled in pre-kindergarten or public school.
3. Certified Birth Certificate: Parents must provide a certified copy of their child's birth certificate to the school. Vital records offices in North Georgia Health District facilities are located in the Cherokee County Health Department‘s Woodstock Health Center and in the Whitfield County Health Department in Dalton.
For rising seventh- and eleventh-graders, certain vaccines are required to be submitted to the school along with the updated Form 3231:
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North GA -- In honor of the officially proclaimed Juneteenth National Independence Day, also known as Black Independence Day, all our public health facilities will be closed on Thursday, June 19th. This includes our Health Departments, WIC services, and Environmental Health offices in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties, and The Living Bridge Center clinics in Canton, Dalton, and Gainesville.
All locations will resume regular Friday business hours the following day (see hours at www.nghd.org).
Juneteenth has always been more than a holiday. It stands as a testament to and celebration of the unyielding spirit of a people.
Learn more and join in the celebration with the National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC): nmaach.si.edu/Juneteenth.
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Syphilis Cases are on the Rise: Health Officials Urge Testing and Treatment
Rising Syphilis Cases in GA, 2019-24 (*CDC Data) Click to view graphDALTON, GA – Public health officials across North Georgia are urging residents to take action as syphilis cases continue to rise.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause severe and even life-threatening health problems if left untreated.
“Symptoms of syphilis may disappear on their own, but the infection does not,” said health officials with the North Georgia Health District. “If not treated, syphilis can lead to blindness, paralysis, pregnancy complications, and even death—for the individual, their partner, or their unborn baby.”
The infection spreads easily through sexual contact and can also pass from a pregnant person to their baby. Untreated syphilis during pregnancy can result in birth defects, stillbirth, or lifelong health problems for the infant.
Testing and treatment are available at low cost through local health departments in the North Georgia Health District, which includes Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties.
“Testing is quick and treatment is effective,” health officials emphasized. “Knowing your status and seeking care if needed are critical steps to protect yourself and others.”
Health experts recommend that pregnant individuals get tested for syphilis three times:
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At the first prenatal visit
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Again, between 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy
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And at delivery
Syphilis is both treatable and preventable, and stopping its spread begins with individual action.
To find the nearest health department and learn more about syphilis prevention, testing, and treatment services, visit NGHD.org.
* Chart based on CDC Data, Nov. 12, 2024: https://www.cdc.gov/sti-statistics/data-vis/table-syph-total-state-abc.html
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