

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website
The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate Uncle Sam, enjoy the summer weather, and spend time with family and friends. Keep these five things in mind as you plan your Fourth of July celebration.
Fireworks can cause death and injury, including burns, cuts, bruises, and foreign objects in your eyes.
In hot temperatures your body may be unable to properly cool itself. This could lead to serious health problems.
The summer months typically see a spike in reports of foodborne illness. Keep the food safe at your 4th of July picnic or BBQ.
Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children 1 to 4 years old than any other cause except birth defects.
Bugs, including mosquitoes, ticks, and some flies can spread diseases like Zika, dengue, and Lyme disease.
One-Stop Spot for School State Health Requirements!
Is your child ready for the upcoming school year? The Cherokee County Health Department is conducting a Back To School Rush Health Clinic on Tuesday, July 24th from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at public health department locations in both Canton and Woodstock. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and BMI/Nutrition Screenings will be available: Total cost for screenings is $50. Also, immunizations will be provided for school-age children for $21.90 each (for uninsured or underinsured). Medicaid (including Amerigroup, Caresource, Peachstate and Wellcare), Peachcare for Kids, HUMANA, AETNA, United Health Care, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Ambetter, CIGNA and Coventry are accepted. The health department location in Canton is 1219 Univeter Road and the address in Woodstock is 7545 North Main Street. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton or (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.
Gov. Nathan Deal Proclaims June 25 - 29 , 2018 as Environmental Health Week in Georgia
What does local Environmental Health do for you?
Let us COUNT the ways!
Exactly what is Environmental Health? Most people are surprised to learn about all the different things we do to protect the health of people in the North Georgia Health District. We enforce regulations but we also provide many services to the public. We are part of public health but overlap with areas of environmental protection. At any time, you just might find us:
1. Inspecting a restaurant (click HERE for latest Restaurant Scores in North Georgia)
2. Giving advice to a homeowner on asbestos or lead paint
3. Investigating a complaint
4. Issuing a septic system permit
5. Interviewing a victim of West Nile
6. Reviewing a subdivision
7. Sending off the head of a raccoon for rabies testing
... and many more activities. We’ve come a long way from the days when most of environmental health concerned simple sanitation. For more information, you can click on the page of your local Environmental Health office in North Georgia in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County.
Many thanks to Gov. Nathan Deal for proclaiming June 25 - 29, 2018 as Environmental Health Week in Georgia!
1. Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets on the water.
2. Put on sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your skin from the sun.
3. Drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.
4. Put on insect repellent.
5. Wash your hands often.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
It's also important to visit your local county health department to make sure you are keeping up with all the immunizations, health screenings and testing that are essential for your health and the health of the ones you love. The public health departments within the North Georgia Health District are located in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties. Just click on the name of your county for access to health department information, including all available public health services and the health department's address and phone number.
YOU could be HIV positive. Get FREE Testing!
North GA - Why should you get an HIV test?
Because, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials, about one in seven people in the United States is HIV positive and they don’t know it. If you are age 13 to 64, you should get tested for HIV at least once. *People at higher risk should get tested more often.
National HIV Testing Day on Wednesday, June 27th is your opportunity in North Georgia to get HIV tested for FREE at your local public health department in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties or at The Living Bridge Center in Dalton. Just click on the above LOCATIONS tab to find your health department or The Living Bridge Center hours of operation, phone number and location, or call the North Georgia Health District at (706) 529-5757.
Our HIV testing is fast, safe and confidential.
National HIV Testing Day is an annual occasion to encourage people to get an HIV test. CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. *People with certain risk factors should get tested more often. People who test HIV positive can take medicines to stay healthy and greatly reduce their chance of transmitting the virus. People who test negative can continue to take steps to prevent HIV infection, such as always using a condom during sex.
this Summer in North Georgia!
Come get your delicious fresh fruits and vegetables this summer at several Farmers Markets presented by North Georgia's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services.
Affordably priced and locally grown, these fresh fruits and vegetables come with free recipes for preparing healthy, nutritious and scrumptious meals!
Families on the WIC program who attend will be provided $30 worth of produce one time this year.
Participating farmers are from Brown’s Produce of Tunnel Hill and R & A Orchards of Ellijay.
The Farmers Markets will be held this summer on these dates at these locations:
For more information, call (706) 370-4700.
All the latest guidance and recommendations from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the CDC can be found on the North Georgia Health District website at http://bit.ly/COVID19-Updates-NorthGA.
See these WIC APPROVED FOOD CHANGES due to COVID-19 until September 30, 2020
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program is a federally-funded health and nutrition program© for:
Generally, WIC is available to:
You can take the WIC Eligibility Assessment to see if you qualify* or contact your local WIC office to make an appointment and find out which documents you will need to bring with you. (To find your local WIC agency use the clinic listing) At your appointment, WIC staff will check to see if you and your family qualify).
*This online tool is only a preliminary assessment – only Local WIC Agency staff can determine if you qualify for WIC services.
WIC has offices in all our North Georgia public health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties - click on the name of the county nearest you for your North Georgia WIC contact information or dial 1-866-942-9675.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
2 Peachtree Street, NW
10th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303
Participants should call: 1-800-228-9173
Vendors should call: 1-866-814-5468
Office of the Inspector General
Email Reports of Fraud, Waste & Abuse
/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/DistrictMap.pdf
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
For CDC WIC Info visit the CDC page.
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Time to take steps to be healthier, but you're NOT alone!
National Men’s Health Week is observed each year leading up to Father’s Day. This week is a reminder for men to take steps to be healthier, but they don’t have to do it alone! Whether it’s your husband, partner, dad, brother, son, or friend you can help support the health and safety of the men in your life.
For more information, contact your local North Georgia public health department in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County (click on county name to link to health department page and contact information).
You can support the men in your life by having healthy habits yourself and by making healthy choices.
Although Zika is primarily spread through mosquitoes, it can also be spread through sex by a person with Zika to his or her sex partner(s). If you’ve traveled to an area with Zika, use a condom to protect against infection every time you have sex (vaginal, anal, and oral sex). This is especially important if your partner is pregnant because Zika can cause serious birth defects. Learn more about Zika and Sex, including how to use a condom and how long you should use condoms after travel. Condoms can also protect against HIV and other STDs.
Encourage men to see a doctor or health professional for regular checkups and to learn about their family health history.
Every 43 seconds someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. Know the signs of a heart attack and if you think you or someone you know is having a heart attack call 911 immediately. Major signs of a heart attack include:
Depression is one of the leading causes of disease or injury worldwide for both men and women. Learn to recognize the signs and how to help the men in your life.
We are joining organizations across the country to team up for Men’s Health!
To celebrate Men’s Health Month, North Georgia Health District joins Men’s Health Network, the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus, and hundreds of other local and national organizations to educate the public about the many preventable health problems that affect men and boys, and empower them and their loved ones to move towards a healthier, happier life.
Men die five years younger than women, on average, and die at higher rates for nine of the Top Ten causes of death. Men are the majority of workplace injuries, less likely to be insured, and far less likely to see a doctor for preventive care. All of this impacts their ability to be an involved father, supportive husband, and engaged member of their community.
“This year continues to be a pivotal one for men’s health—new guidance on prostate cancer screenings and the declining mortality rates for large groups of men means awareness and education is paramount,” says Ana Fadich, Vice President at Men’s Health Network.
More information is at our health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties. Click on the above LOCATIONS tab to find the one nearest you.
June is also National Men’s Health Week (NMHW), passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. It starts Monday, June 11, and ends on Father’s Day, June 17, 2018. Additional support comes from governors and mayors who issue proclamations for Men’s Health Week in their jurisdictions. You can find the proclamations here: http://www.menshealthmonth.org/week/proclamation.html You can also find more information on a variety of health issues at the Men’s Health Resource Center: www.MensHealthResourceCenter.com and health profiles of men and boys in each state can be found at www.stateofmenshealth.com
-Story by Raymond King, Director of Environmental Health, North Georgia Health District 1-2
Once flood waters in an area have receded and the most immediate safety hazards have passed, it's time to address the secondary health issues that can develop as a result of floodwater pollutants.
Be sure to protect your home, family and business by following these environmental health guidelines.
Keep Away from Flood Waters
Avoid any contact with flood waters, such as swimming, after a flood. Flood waters can contain large amounts of contaminants of all kinds, which can be hazardous. Fishing and other non-contact activities would not be affected.
Sanitize Flooded Areas
Floors, walls, equipment and furniture that have been covered with flood waters should be cleaned and sanitized to kill any bacteria or viruses. Wear gloves, eye protection and boots when working with contaminated areas and items. Items should be cleaned with soap and water, rinsed and then sanitized with a solution of a quarter cup of household bleach and one gallon of water. Do not mix bleach with any ammonia product and work in well-ventilated areas.
Mold
Mold is the most long-lasting effect of flooding. Unless a home's structural materials are completely dried, mold will grow behind the walls and under the floors. Do not replace sheet rock and other materials until the wood is dry, or mold will grow. If mold is already growing, spray the area with a household bleach solution. Keep the area vented and wear eye protection, gloves and boots. Contact your local county environmental health staff for more information about mold.
Well and Spring Contamination
If a well or spring was covered with flood waters, it must be considered contaminated. Do not drink or prepare foods with water from a well until it is disinfected and tested. Buy bottled water to drink and use for cooking.
The first recovery step is to pump out the well thoroughly, letting it run for at least 24 hours or until the water has no obvious color or smell. An outside faucet may be left on to run slowly for long periods of time so no damage will occur to the well pump.
Disinfect well water systems with two gallons of plain household bleach. Remember to not drink, bathe or cook with the water while bleach is in the system. Pour the bleach into the well or spring. Run all faucets until the bleach smell comes through in the water, then shut them off. Let the bleach stay in the water system for at least eight hours. To rid the system of bleach, turn on an outside faucet and let it run until all the bleach is gone, which may take 24 hours or longer. Only use an outside faucet to discharge the bleach water. Once the bleach is gone, make sure that the well or springhouse is sealed.
It may take two or more bleach disinfection procedures to rid the well or spring of contamination. For more information, contact the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office in your county.
Septic System Failures
In most cases of septic system failure, the only thing that can be done is to wait for the water levels in the soil to fall. If sewage comes to the top of the ground, the tank could be pumped for temporary relief. Usually, it does not take long for the system to function properly again. If flooding washed away the soil around the system, the system may need to be repaired or replaced. Call the local environmental health office with questions about a septic system.
Spoiled Food and Food Poisoning
If any flood waters have touched foods, throw them out. If the temperature in a refrigerator was at 60 degrees or higher for more than two hours, do not eat the food inside. There's no reliable way to tell if food will make you sick by looking at it or smelling it. When in doubt, throw it out.
Mosquitoes
Flooding leaves pools of water that are ideal for breeding mosquitoes, which can carry diseases like West Nile virus. Dump any water-filled containers around your home to discourage mosquitoes. Water that cannot be drained can be treated with certain insecticides and biological control agents. Always follow the label instructions for pesticides.
For more information about preventing health hazards after a flood, please call your local environmental health office (see contact info by clicking on above LOCATIONS tab) or visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.