Appointments are available online for individuals in Phase 1A.

On December 30, Governor Brian Kemp and Commissioner Kathleen Toomey announced that Georgia would expand COVID-19 Vaccination Phase 1A to include a larger priority group, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders and individuals 65 and older. The expanded administration of vaccine is dependent on vaccine supply and capacity. We ask for everyone’s continued patience.

Because of the high demand for vaccinations, we recommend checking availability with your local healthcare provider as vaccines become more available in our communities.

The Georgia Department of Public Health and Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments are following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for prioritizing vaccination.

More information will be available on our website regarding how to make an appointment when we expand vaccine availability. If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, please call the Georgia COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline: (888) 357-0169.

On Wednesday, December 16, 2020, Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments received our first allocation of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine – just under 2,000 doses. This is an exciting time for the Health Department because we’ve been planning for this stage of the response all along, and we are hopeful this will help us get back to normal quickly. Front-line health department employees were the first to receive their vaccines upon arrival Wednesday.

We have been planning for weeks as to how we will distribute these initial doses. Those plans are now in motion. We are also sharing our initial doses with local hospitals, so doctors and nurses on the front lines will be first to get the vaccine while the hospitals await their first shipments.

Phase 1A also includes our EMS providers, which the Health Department has already made plans to start immunizing this week. We’re also working with a couple of large primary care physician offices with locations across our counties. Because we’re helping provide these healthcare workers their first doses of vaccine, once they receive their vaccine allotments, they will be ready to immunize individuals in Phase 1.

Long-term care and assisted living facilities, which are also included in this phase, have a contract through CVS and Walgreens for their vaccines.

We understand the concerns of those who are cautious about the vaccine. We believe vaccination is the safest way to introduce immunity into our community. Being a member of our immunization team, district health director Dr. Audrey Arona, was immunized Wednesday. As the phases continue to roll out, when you get an opportunity to get vaccinated, we hope you choose to do so.

District Health Director Dr. Audrey Arona is vaccinated against COVID-19 at the district health office.

The holidays can be stressful for everyone, but you CAN balance the hustle and bustle of the season while staying healthy. We’ll show you how.

Join us on Zoom, from the comfort of your home or office, December 9 11:30 a.m. or December 16 5:30 p.m. (or both!) to learn healthy recipes, ways to stay active and tips for reducing holiday stress.

Register online today to receive Zoom event information.

If you have questions, contact Adriana Scurry in Community Health. Call 678-442-6891 or email her at adriana.scurry@gnrhealth.com.

Due to COVID-19, getting an influenza (flu) vaccine is more important than ever this year!

Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that can lead to serious illness, hospitalization or even death in some cases. CDC recommends everyone six months and older receive an annual influenza vaccine because getting a flu vaccine every year is the best way to protect yourself and loved ones against getting the flu.

By getting a flu shot, you’ll be doing your part help protect essential workers and save medical resources for the care and treatment of patients with COVID-19.

Three simple steps can help prevent the spread of flu in your community:

Mask up.
Wear a mask when you are around others that do not live in your household.

Lather up.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Sleeve up and get your flu vaccine!
The Health Department offers flu vaccine. Find a location today.

If you’d like to read more about seasonal flu, including prevention, symptoms and treatment options, please visit CDC.

Our administrative office and health centers as well as our COVID-19 test sites and call center will be closed Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 in observance Thanksgiving.

COVID-19 testing will resume Saturday, November 28. We will resume normal business hours Monday, November 30.

If you need to make an appointment for COVID-19 testing, you can do so online on our COVID-19 information page or check with our partners at CORE.

We wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and, remember to celebrate safely:

Wear a mask.

Practice social distancing.

Wash your hands.

Join us December 1 at Rhodes Jordan Park

This World AIDS Day, we’ll be at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville on December 1 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to educate the community about HIV prevention and to offer free testing and give-a-ways. If you can’t make it, HIV testing is always free at our health centers.

Individuals can learn how to protect themselves and others from HIV/AIDS if they know the facts.

In 2019, there were 38 million people living with HIV – 36.2 million adults and 1.8 million children 14 years and younger. Only 81% of all people living with HIV know they have it, which means about 7.1 million people do not know they have it.

Youth aged 13 to 24 made up 21% of the 37,832 new HIV diagnoses in the United States (US) and dependent areas in 2018!

There is a lot everyone can do to help prevent HIV infections and help those living with HIV in our community:

Get correct information on HIV/AIDS

Get tested

Take PrEP for HIV Prevention

Talk openly about HIV to help end HIV stigma

We work to help end the HIV/AIDS epidemic year round by offering community education, free HIV testing, PrEP for HIV Prevention and condom subscription services to residents of our three counties who are 16 years old or older.

If you’d like more information about our HIV program or would like to get tested or start PrEP, give our HIV program manager a call today at 678-442-6897 Ext. 135.

Doing It — Reasons Why You Should Get Tested for HIV

The Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments are closing early on Friday, November 20, 2020 for a staff meeting. We will resume normal business hours Monday, November 23.

COVID-19 testing is available after 1 p.m. at CORE locations and other locations throughout the counties. To make a testing appointment or to locate other testing sites, visit www.gnrhealth.com/covid-19-info.

Gwinnett Cares is hosting a must-see online healthcare summit designed to help the Gwinnett community coexist with COVID-19 on November 18 at 8 a.m. Get fact-based information from top healthcare experts and connect to real-time resources available across Gwinnett.

Learn what we know about the virus to date, top concerns and what to expect when a vaccine becomes available from Dr. Clifford McDonald, the Center for Disease Control’s Senior Advisor for Science & Integrity.

Dr. Audrey Arona, District Health Director for Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments, will give a community based update and provide the latest prevention and mitigation efforts and testing information. She will also discuss preparations for a potential surge in COVID-19 cases, vaccination planning and the health department’s healthcare concerns for the months ahead.

You will learn about COVID fatigue and how to stay mentally and emotionally healthy during these difficult times from Jennifer Hibbard, View Point Health CEO. You will also be briefed on the state of mental healthcare in Gwinnett and receive helpful tips on how to coexist with COVID responsibly and advice on what to do if you or someone in your family is in crisis.

Experts from Navigate Recovery will provide helpful tips and resources specifically for those in our community coping with addition. You will hear a powerful personal testimony from a family that has been directly impacted by COVID -19 to help remind us all why it is so important to remain vigilant in our prevention efforts.

This healthcare summit will occur online via Zoom and Facebook Live. The Zoom link will be shared with registered participants a few days before the event. Event can be viewed on Facebook @GwinnettCares.org.

Register today at https://bit.ly/3okC8Y8. It’s free and open to everyone to attend.

Our offices and health centers will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 in observance of Veterans Day. We will resume regular business hours Thursday, November 12.

Our COVID-19 test sites will also be closed. If you need COVID-19 testing on Wednesday, please check the availability testing with our partners at CORE locations.

Buford, Lawrenceville and Norcross health centers, Gwinnett environmental health and the Health Department district offices are closing early Friday, October 30 for staff development:

Buford health center
Closing at 10:30 a.m.

Lawrenceville health center
Closing at 11:00 a.m.

Norcross health center
Closing at 11:00 a.m.

Gwinnett environmental health
Closing at 11:00 a.m.

District offices
Closing at 11:00 a.m.

These facilities will reopen for all services Monday, November 2 at 8:00 a.m.

Newton and Rockdale health center and services remain open regular hours Friday.