An information sheet explaining the disease, describing its symptoms, advising what to do if someone has symptoms, detailing who is at high risk of hepatitis A, and providing preventive information is available for viewing and download/printing on the Northwest Health District website at https://nwgapublichealth.org or at your local county health department.
Atlanta, GA: Receiving the flu vaccine does not cause the flu. Vaccinations are available at a variety of locations including doctors’ offices, grocery stores, neighborhood clinics, health departments, pharmacies, college health centers, places of employment and schools, to name a few.
Atlanta, GA: Warning: Trendy “nitro” treats may cause injury. It looks like candy with a vapor emitting from it. It is sometimes sold in shopping malls. When you eat it, it may appear as if you’re blowing smoke. It’s commonly called, “Dragon breath,” “Heaven’s breath,” or “nitro puff.” What is it?
Atlanta, GA: Georgians are urged to protect themselves from mosquito bites, particularly when they are outside this Labor Day weekend. Mosquito season in Georgia typically lasts through October, sometimes longer depending on the weather.
Rome, GA: August is National Immunization Awareness Month and serves as a reminder that Northwest Georgians of all ages require timely vaccinations to protect their health. “Vaccinations are our best defense against vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Janet Eberhart, immunizations coordinator for the ten-county public health district.
Rome, GA: Effective July 1, anyone performing eyebrow microblading, and facilities where the cosmetic procedure is performed, will be regulated under the rules of local county boards of health that the Georgia Department of Public Health uses to regulate body art studios and artists
“We encourage our residents to get outside and be active,” says Dr. Unini Odama, health director for the Northwest Health District, “but we don’t want the fun to end with a disease that could have been prevented. With warm weather and summer travel rapidly approaching, we are vulnerable to diseases from both ticks and mosquitos. Protecting ourselves from these threats is important.”
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and the Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District urges people to assess their risk of having viral hepatitis and find out if they should get tested or vaccinated. District Health Director Dr. Unini Odama encourages people to visit https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/RiskAssessment for a free online assessment developed by the CDC.
Don’t take chances; if you are not sure what romaine lettuce is or what it looks like, do not eat it. If you don’t know where it was grown, do not eat it.
Dr. Unini Odama, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Northwest Health District headquartered in Rome, acknowledges “what we see in Northwest Georgia is very similar to what we see nationally. That’s especially true with chlamydia and gonorrhea, the two STDs we see the most.”
