From the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition:

Due to restrictions on large gatherings as urged by the CDC to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the decision has been made to change the date of the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition’s 15th Annual Conference to Wednesday, August 26, 2020. The speaker, venue, and CERPs will remain the same.

If you are able to attend and have a confirmed registration, you do not need to do anything else. If you are unable to attend at the new time, two options are available:

• You may request a full refund. The deadline to request a refund is April 30, 2020.  If you paid by PayPal or personal check, your refund will be issued the same way.  If your employer paid, they must request the refund. They may also send a substitution in your place for no additional fee.
• You may request your payment be used to fully pay for our March 31, 2021 conference.  The speaker will be Dr. Jen Thomas: http://www.drjen4kids.com.

Let us know if you need to make changes to your registration as soon as reasonably possible, and we will work to accommodate all reasonable requests.Communicate all requests to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience as we all work toward creating a healthier world for all families.

All the best, Your Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition Conference Team

Presents the 15th Annual Breastfeeding Conference!

The date has been postponed from March 25, 2020 to

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

20/20 Vision: The Dynamics of Breastfeeding

with Melissa Cole MS, IBCLC, RLC

Conference Speaker Information

Conference Schedule 

Early registration before August 1st: $115

Late registration August 1st to August 14th: $135

Scholarships available

Register here!

Online Registration ONLY

6.5 contact hours, CPEUs and CERPS applied for.

 Location: Dalton Convention Center 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road, Dalton, GA 30720

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

North GA - Is your school-aged child vaccinated against the flu?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza transmission is now widespread in Georgia. While anyone is susceptible to the flu virus, it is especially easy for flu to spread among school children, and children are more susceptible to getting infected and becoming seriously ill with flu.

The best way to prevent flu is with a flu vaccine. Flu vaccine offers children the best defense against flu and its potentially serious consequences. It can also reduce the spread of flu to others. Getting vaccinated has been shown to reduce flu illnesses, doctor’s visits and missed school days.

Most importantly, flu vaccine significantly reduces a child's risk of severe influenza and death. The CDC reported 143 influenza-associated deaths among U.S. children occurred during the 2018-2019 flu season. During the 2017-18 season, an estimated 80 percent of the 187 children in the U.S. who died from flu-associated complications had not been vaccinated against influenza.

The CDC recommendation is that everyone 6 months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine each year by the end of October. However, as long as flu viruses are circulating, vaccination should continue throughout flu season, even in January or later. Keep in mind that vaccination is especially important for certain people who are high risk or who are in close contact with high risk persons. This includes children at high risk of developing complications from flu illness, and adults who are close contacts of those children. Click here to see who is at high risk.

The types of flu vaccines for children are:

• Injectable influenza vaccine (IIV) is given as an injection (with a needle) and is approved for use in people 6 months and older.
• Live inactivated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is given as a nasal spray and is approved for use in people 2 through 49 years old. However, there is a precaution against the use of nasal spray flu vaccine (LAIV) in people with certain underlying medical conditions. More information about the nasal spray flu vaccine can be found here.

Flu vaccine is available at many healthcare offices and at all county health departments in the North Georgia Health District, which includes Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties. To contact the nearest county health department in North Georgia, log onto www.nghd.org and click the LOCATIONS tab.

Don’t wait, vaccinate! Arm your child against the flu right away. For more information about influenza, flu symptoms and prevention of the spread of flu among children, log onto the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/children and also view the CDC’s The Flu – A Guide for Parents in English or in Spanish.

The Living Bridge Center South in Canton

Canton, GA - The North Georgia Health District is proud to announce that our newest full-service HIV medical clinic is now celebrating a successful first year since opening last December. To date, The Living Bridge Center South in Canton has increased its overall HIV patient population by 30 percent, with roughly 80 new patients establishing services in the clinic.

In addition to increasing care and services for the general HIV population in the North Georgia Health District, comprised of Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties, The Living Bridge Center South has also opened a PrEP clinic, the clinic that can prevent people from being infected with HIV. Over 13 people have enrolled in the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) clinic in Canton. In the PrEP clinic, patients can get a pill for no cost/low cost that if taken daily, can stop them from getting HIV, the virus that can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

The clinic staff in Canton has also been busy opening an STD clinic, which offers no cost/low cost exams and treatment of most major sexually transmitted diseases.

The Living Bridge Center South is the second HIV clinic to open in the North Georgia Health District, with the first established in Dalton. Both clinics offer full-service
HIV care and treatment, HIV and STD testing, a PrEP clinic, and education and support to help people remain negative.

The clinics are accepting new patients and scheduling appointments.

The Living Bridge Center South is located at 130 Riverstone Terrace, Suite 102, Canton, Georgia 30114, and the phone number is (470) 863-5700.

The Living Bridge Center in Dalton is at 1200 W. Waugh Street, Dalton, Georgia 30720. The phone number is (706) 281-2360.

Go to bit.ly/HIV-Clinics-In-North-GA for more information about the HIV Prevention Program in the North Georgia Health District and all services provided.

The Living Bridge Center in Dalton

Photo by Eric Jens, Risk Communicator, Division of Communications, Georgia Department of Public Health

North GA – The North Georgia Health District received the 2019 Darrell Enfinger Golden Bulldog Award at this year’s Georgia Department of Public Health Emergency Coordination Meeting held in mid-November in Savannah.

Named after emergency preparedness manager, Darrell Enfinger, who accepted the inaugural Golden Bulldog honor in 2017 on behalf of the West Central Health District based in Columbus, this award recognizes the public health district that excels in supporting other health districts and emergency partners in times of disaster.

Over the years, North Georgia Health District deployed nursing strike teams to shelters and provided emergency preparedness staff and other resources, as needed, in response to disasters in Georgia.

Public health nursing strike team members who have been deployed from the district to hurricane relief shelters include Angela Blevins, Holli Collier, Cheri Holden, Sherry Gregory, Debbie York, Doreen Andrews, Pamela Graham, Denise Bowman, Leslie Abreu, Ellie Purdy, Sigrid Thomason and Jamie Henley.

District emergency preparedness team members who have provided incident command assistance to public health staff manning hurricane response emergency operation centers include David Huskey, Larry Staton, Darryl Camp and Lana Duff.

The health district has also provided cots, trailers and other items that were needed to supply emergency shelters throughout the state.

The North Georgia Health District is proud to be the recipient of the 2019 Darrell Enfinger Golden Bulldog Award and of the dedicated public health employees who made it possible.

For more information about how the North Georgia Health District responds to disaster and assists in preparing individuals, families and our communities for emergencies, log onto nghd.org/district-programs/ep.

 Spread Good Cheer for the Holidays, NOT the Flu! 

Don’t fall victim to the flu this year, North Georgians – vaccinate before it’s too late! This holiday season, the North Georgia Health District encourages all residents 6 months of age and older to get a yearly flu vaccine.

Take time this season to schedule an appointment with your public health department in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County to get your flu vaccine or contact your health care provider. Flu shots are NO or LOW cost at our health departments, depending on your healthcare plan. If paying out of pocket, the regular flu shot at our county health departments is $25 and protects against four separate strains of flu. The high dose flu shot for people 65 and over is $65. Call your local county health department for details - just click above for contact information.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to protect against influenza is to receive an annual flu vaccine for yourself and for your family.

What is new this flu season?  

• Flu vaccines have been updated to better match circulating flu viruses
• Any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine is recommended
• Ask your health department (above) or health care provider about what vaccine is right for you Influenza can be a serious disease that leads to hospitalization and sometimes death.

Regardless of race, age, gender or ethnicity, anyone can get sick from the flu. Those especially at risk are adults 65 years of age and older, children younger than 5, pregnant women, and people with certain chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or other long-term medical conditions. A flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu. With flu season beginning as early as August and sometimes lasting until May, it is never too late to vaccinate.

The recent National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 1-7) emphasized the importance of receiving an annual flu vaccination. Even healthy children and adults can get very sick from the flu. This winter, make it a top priority to call your county health department or health care provider and make an appointment to get vaccinated. For more information on immunization, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health website at dph.georgia.gov/influenza-what-you-need-know.