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North GA — Update: As of May 11, 2021, the FDA authorized Pfizer vaccine for children 12 through 17 - Health departments in North Georgia continue to make it easier for Georgians 12 and older to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at public health clinics in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties. As some of these county clinics move from their current off-site COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics back to the health departments and undergo some operational time changes, all the clinics will continue offering COVID-19 vaccinations on a walk-in, no-appointment-needed basis, and yet residents will still have the option to register ahead for a dose at gta-vras.powerappsportals.us or by calling 1-888-457-0186.

As of Monday, May 3rd, public health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic locations and operations will be as follows in North Georgia until further notice:

Cherokee County:  Canton First Baptist Church, 1 Mission Point, Canton, GA 30114. Monday–Thursday, 8 AM–3 PM. Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines will be available, based on supply. 

Fannin County:  Fannin County Health Department, 95 Ouida St., Blue Ridge, GA 30213. Monday, 9 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–3 PM, and Tuesday, 9 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–6 PM. Moderna will be available.

Gilmer County:  Gilmer County Health Department, 28 Southside Church St., Ellijay, GA, 30540. Tuesday, 9 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–6 PM, and Wednesday, 9 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–3 PM. Moderna will be available.

Murray County:  Murray County Health Department, 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Rd., Chatsworth, GA 30705. Monday, 9 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–3 PM, and Tuesday, 9 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–6 PM. Moderna will be available.

Pickens County: Pickens County Recreation Department, 1329 Camp Road, Jasper, GA 30143 (The clinic will remain at this location through May 28th, then will move back to the health department on Tuesday, June 1st).  Monday–Thursday, 8 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–3 PM, and Friday, 8 AM–12 PM. Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccine will be available, based on supply. 

Whitfield County:  Whitfield County Health Department, 800 Professional Blvd, Dalton, GA 30720. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 AM–3 PM, Tuesday, 8 AM–5:30 PM, and Friday, 8 AM–12 PM. Pfizer and J&J vaccine will be available, based on supply.

People who have received their first dose at one of these county health department COVID-19 vaccine clinics and have yet to receive their scheduled second dose will need to go to where the clinic is located as of May 3rd.

From 10 AM to 2 PM

FREE – NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED – NO ID REQUIRED!

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Dalton (GA) – Walk in to the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at the Mack Gaston Community Center in Dalton this Saturday, May 1^st from 10 AM to 2 PM. Georgians 16 and older are welcome! NO Appointment is needed. No ID required. COVID-19 Vaccine will be FREE! Whitfield County Health Department staff will be there administering Pfizer and J&J COVID-19 vaccine, as available. Teens ages 16 to 18 are only permitted Pfizer vaccine and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The Mack Gaston Community Center is located at 218 North Frederick Street, Dalton, GA 30721. Come protect yourself, your family, and your community from COVID-19!

Timeline to be Determined

Atlanta – Following a thorough safety review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the CDC and ACIP have determined that the recommended pause regarding the use of the J&J COVID vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted.

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) will again offer J&J vaccine to Georgians aged 18 and older. Details on when administration of the vaccine will begin again in Georgia will be forthcoming, pending communication with providers.

The federal agencies advised that a warning should be added to the vaccine about the potential for very rare, but severe blood clots associated with the J&J vaccine. In particular, women under the age of 50 should be made of aware of the increased risk of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome and may choose to receive another vaccine.

At the time J&J vaccine administration was paused, more than 124,000 doses of J&J vaccine had been safely administered in Georgia. Approximately 211,000 doses are currently in inventory statewide.

Vaccination remains one of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19, along with basic prevention measures – wearing a mask, distancing from others, avoiding large gatherings, and washing your hands frequently.

For information about COVID vaccines or to schedule a vaccination appointment, visit dph.ga.gov/covid-vaccine.

For updates on COVID-19, follow @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Twitter and @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Facebook.

It's that time of year again to guard against mosquitoes, and the Asian Tiger Mosquito is the most common mosquito in our area. It is the most pestiferous daytime biter, and it is easy to recognize by its jet-black body and white markings. If you have been pursued and bitten by one, you know why they are called tiger mosquitoes. They will follow you inside your home in search of human blood. 

This mosquito species is not native to North America but was introduced in the mid-1980s through the import of used automobile tires from Hong Kong. Since then, it has spread throughout much of the eastern United States. It can transmit diseases of public health concern like Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya and Dengue Fever. 

The Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is what we call a “container-breeder”, using almost any kind of small water container for its larvae such as bottle caps, tires, buckets, drink cans, bird baths, house gutters, yard toys, and especially plates under outside plants. It takes very little water to support many of its larvae. The easiest way to control Asian Tiger Mosquitoes and other mosquito species is to dump out the water in these containers. Their larvae can also sometimes be found in natural habitats such as puddles, tree holes, and around the edges of small ponds. 

Perform a survey around the outside of your home and carefully inspect for anything that could hold water for a week or more. Adult Asian Tiger Mosquitoes do not fly far from where they hatch, so there is a good chance their larvae are on your own property. 

If you cannot empty containers, gutters or puddles, then treat these with a biological control product called Mosquito Dunks^®, which is available at any hardware store. They look like donuts and you can break them up into small pieces for small containers. Treatments last for thirty days. Mosquito Dunks^® contain bacteria that are only fatal to mosquitoes and have no effects on humans, pets, birds or wildlife. Most mosquito larvae die within a few hours of placing dunks in the water and dunks are effective against all species of mosquito larvae.

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Happening at ALL Health Dept COVID-19 Clinic Sites in North GA: April 26 – 29!

North (GA) - Georgians 16 and older still have the opportunity to walk in to one of our COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics with NO Appointment! Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties will take clients with no appointment at their current COVID-19 vaccine clinic sites April 26th thru 29th from 9 am to 3 pm. There is NO Cost to clients.*  Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be offered, as available. Teens ages 16 to 18 are only permitted Pfizer vaccine and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Pfizer is most reliably available in Whitfield County. Addresses for the county public health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics are as follows:

Cherokee County:  Canton First Baptist Church, 1 Mission Point, Canton, GA 30114

Fannin County:  Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge, 124 Jones Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30213

Gilmer County:  Piedmont Community Center, 824 Industrial Blvd., Ellijay, GA 30540

Murray County:  Murray County Parks & Recreation Dept, 651 Hyden Tyler Rd, Chatsworth, GA 30705                                   

Pickens County:  Pickens County Recreation Department, 1329 Camp Road, Jasper, GA 30143           

Whitfield County:  Whitfield County Health Department, 800 Professional Blvd, Dalton, GA 30720

*Health insurance accepted IF presented, but there is NO out-of-pocket expense to clients!

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Please see the dates and information on how to register for the upcoming virtual Health Care Transition workshops facilitated by Parent 2 Parent in partnership with public health. Both workshops, May 13^th and May 19^th from 6pm-7pm. Both workshops are for our Spanish speaking parents.

For a Limited Time in North Georgia: April 19 – 22!

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North (GA) - Are you a Georgian aged 16 or older? Then come on down to a limited Walk-Up COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic where NO Appointment is Needed! These limited no-appointment walk-up clinics will be conducted by Public Health Departments at their current COVID-19 vaccine clinic sites in Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties, April 19 – 22 from 9 AM to 3 PM. There is NO Cost to clients.* Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be offered, as available (Pfizer is most reliably available in Whitfield County). Teens ages 16 to 18 are only permitted Pfizer vaccine and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Get safely vaccinated against COVID-19 and protect yourself, your family and your community! See locations for participating county public health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic sites below:

Fannin County:            Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge, 124 Jones Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30213

Gilmer County:            Piedmont Community Center, 824 Industrial Blvd., Ellijay, GA 30540

Murray County:           Murray County Parks & Recreation Dept, 651 Hyden Tyler Rd, Chatsworth, GA 30705                                   

Pickens County:          Pickens County Recreation Department, 1329 Camp Road, Jasper, GA 30143           

Whitfield County:        Whitfield County Health Department, 800 Professional Blvd, Dalton, GA 30720

*Health insurance accepted IF presented, but there is NO out-of-pocket expense to clients!

Questions about COVID-19 Vaccine? Click HERE!

Following the guidance of the FDA and CDC, Georgia is pausing ALL J&J vaccinations until further notice. Additional information is below.

NEWS RELEASE: April 13, 2021                                                                         

DPH Follows FDA and CDC Guidance Pausing J&J Vaccinations in Georgia 

Atlanta – Following the guidance and recommendations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is pausing J&J (Janssen) vaccinations in Georgia until further notice. The FDA and CDC are reviewing data involving six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot occurring in women aged 18-48 about a week after vaccination. None of the six cases are in individuals vaccinated in Georgia and are unrelated to the reactions reported last week at the Cumming Fairgrounds site. 

DPH and District Health Departments are working to provide Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for individuals with previously scheduled appointments for the J&J vaccine. In some cases, this may require rescheduling, and we ask for patience while scheduling arrangements and adjustments are made.

Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare, but out of an abundance of caution DPH will temporarily stop the administration of the J&J vaccine while scientists review the data around these cases. More than 124,000 doses of J&J vaccine have been safely administered in Georgia.

Individuals who have received the J&J vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care providers. DPH urges all health care providers to be aware of the potential for these adverse events and plan for appropriate treatment required with these types of blood clots.

Vaccination remains one of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19, along with basic prevention measures – wearing a mask, distancing from others, avoiding large gatherings and frequent hand washing.

DPH will continue to monitor the situation with J&J vaccines and provide additional information as it becomes available.

For updates on COVID-19, follow @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Twitter and @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Facebook.

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