Health Department offers free Nicotine Replacement Therapy
for Great American Smokeout

Do you smoke?  Does someone you care about smoke?

Would you like to quit, or support someone while they quit?

Join millions of Americans on Thursday, November 21, as they participate in the Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society.  Quitting – even for just a day – can help smokers take an important step toward improving their health.

Effective treatments and helpful resources exist. Smokers can and do quit smoking!  The Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments are teaming up with the CDC, the Georgia Department of Public Health and the American Cancer Society to encourage smokers to quit – and we’re providing resources to help.

Call the Georgia Quit Line at 1-877-270-STOP (7867).  Trained counselors will work with you to create a personalized plan to help you stop smoking – at no cost to you.  And – while supplies last – you can receive a four-week supply of free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (available to Georgia tobacco users aged 18 and older).

Tobacco use can lead to tobacco/nicotine dependence and serious health problems. If you stop using tobacco, it can significantly reduce the risk of suffering from smoking-related diseases.

So what are you waiting for?  Make the choice to quit.  Make the call today.

Click here for more information.

Join the Newton County School System and other community partners for an Education Summit focusing on the future of Newton County. Each summit is scheduled so guests can attend the continental breakfast after registration; the superintendent’s address; and four breakout sessions.

Parents, business and community leaders, and all other NCSS stakeholders are encouraged to attend. Admission is free.

The next two Summits are:

Saturday, November 2 at Newton High

Saturday, November 9 at Alcovy High

The Summits are from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Representatives from the Health Department will be presenting “Building a Healthy Community.”  The session will give parents an overview of the community health needs identified by Newton Medical Center in a needs assessment.  Participants will be invited to be a part of determining next steps to improve community health.

Other summit topics include:

• Support and Resources for Students with Disabilities
• Support for ELL/ESOL Students and Parents
• Understanding Curriculum
• Planning Together for Newton’s Future
• Workforce Development—Planning for Your Child’s Future
• Recreational Activities for Youth and Families
• Arts and Cultural Activities for Youth and Families
• Keeping Our Schools Safe

More information is available in the brochure.

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The virus is secreted in saliva and is generally transmitted by the bite of an infected animal. Less commonly, rabies can be transmitted when saliva from a rabid animal comes in contact with an open cut on the skin or the eyes, nose or mouth of a person or animal. Prompt post exposure treatment is essential because once symptoms become apparent, rabies is nearly 100% fatal.

Animals infected with rabies may show a variety of signs, including fearfulness, aggression, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering and seizures. Rabid wild animals may only display unusual behaviors: for example an animal that is usually only seen at night may be seen wandering at daytime. Only mammals can get rabies; birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians cannot. Skunks, bats, foxes, raccoons, dogs, cats, and some farm animals are most likely to contract rabies. Rabbits, squirrels, rat, mice, and rodent pets seldom get rabies.

In recent years cats have become the most common domestic animal infected with rabies. Bats still are the most problematic of the carriers because their teeth are so tiny that bites often go undetected by the victim. If bats are discovered inside the living quarters, for example when the residents are sleeping, post exposure prophlaxis is always recommended if the bat cannot be captured for testing.

Rabies vaccinations and animal control programs, along with prompt evaluation and treatment for people who have been bitten by a potentially rabid animal, have dramatically reduced the number of human rabies cases in the United States.

What can I do to help control rabies and protect my family?

• Please remind your children to NEVER pet stray animals
• Make sure to have your family pets vaccinated yearly
• Keep your pets on a leash and not roaming free
• Do not leave exposed garbage or pet food outside, as it may attract wild or stray animals
• Do not feed feral cats or stray animals
• Observe all animals in the wild from a distance
• Report any stray animal acting strangely to your local animal control
• Bat proof your home and other living structures
• If you think you have come into contact with a rabid animal or have any questions regarding rabies, please contact the Health Department at 770-339-4260

For more information check out World Rabies Day on the web!

Are you ready to take care of yourself and your family in an emergency situation?  Whether an ice storm that has been forecast days in advance or a tornado that occurs suddenly – the need to be prepared is the same.

In this interview, Greg Swanson, Gwinnett County Emergency Management, and Mark Reiswig, Health Department Emergency Preparedness, talk about being ready for any event.

For more emergency preparedness information – including how to start building your emergency supply kit – check out what our Health Department Office of Emergency Preparedness staff have to say about being prepared.

The Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments will be offering flu shots at six area Walmart stores.  Days and times vary by location.

Buford/Mall of Georgia:   3795 Buford Drive, Buford

September 7 – October 5

Saturdays:              11 am – 5 pm                    Mondays:                 noon – 6 pm
Sundays:                11 am – 5 pm                    Thursdays:               noon – 6 pm

Collins Hill:  630 Collins Hill Road, Lawrenceville

September 6 – October 5

Fridays:                1 pm – 7 pm                     Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm
Saturdays:            11 am – 5 pm

*Health Department Nurses will not be providing flu shots at Collins Hill on Friday, September 20

Conyers:  1436 Dogwood Drive, Conyers

September 7 – October 5

Saturdays:             11 am – 5 pm            Tuesdays:                noon – 6 pm
Sundays:                11 am – 5 pm            Thursdays:              noon – 6 pm

Covington:  10300 Industrial Blvd., Covington

September 7 – October 5

Saturdays:             11 am – 5 pm            Mondays:                noon – 6 pm
Sundays:                11 am – 5 pm            Thursdays:              noon – 6 pm

Hamilton Mill:  3250 Sardis Church Road, Buford

September 6 – October 5

Fridays:                1 pm – 7 pm                     Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm
Saturdays:            11 am – 5 pm

*Health Department Nurses will not be providing flu shots at Hamilton Mill on Friday, September 20

Lawrenceville/Sugarloaf:  1400 Lawrenceville Highway, Lawrenceville

September 7 – October 5

Saturdays:             11 am – 5 pm                    Tuesdays:            noon – 6 pm
Sundays:                11 am – 5 pm                    Wednesdays:      noon – 6 pm

Flu shots are also available at all Health Department Centers – check here for locations.

Payment types accepted:

cash, credit & debit cards

Insurance accepted:

Aetna

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Medicare (part B)

Medicaid (age 19 and above)

Cigna State Health Benefit Plan

United Healthcare State Health Benefit Plan

Make sure your child is ready for school! The Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health
Departments can provide the immunizations and screenings your child needs.

Hearing, Dental and Vision Screenings are available for $40.00, and Immunizations will be provided for School-age Children.

For immunizations we accept cash, credit cards (except American Express), Medicaid, Peachcare, Aetna, Cigna State Health Plan, United Healthcare State Plan and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Click here for more information.

Services are available at the following Health Department locations:

In Gwinnett County:  Buford, Lawrenceville and Norcross

In Newton County: Covington

In Rockdale County:  Conyers

Hours vary by location.  Please arrive one hour prior to closing in order to allow our providers enough time to complete all services.  

More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, but one out of every five of them doesn’t know it.  Thursday, June 27, is National HIV Testing Day. On this day, the Gwinnett County Health Department is offering free HIV testing at the Lawrenceville location. Click here for hours and directions.

HIV testing is a critical part of stopping the spread of the virus and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says testing should be a part of routine health care. A panel of doctors and scientists recently recommended that all Americans between age 15 and 65 get tested for HIV, regardless of their risk of infection. HIV testing would help increase detection and decrease the stigma associated with HIV and being tested, according to the panel. HIV testing during pregnancy also is important because antiviral therapy can improve the mother’s health and greatly lower the chance that an HIV-infected pregnant woman will pass HIV to her infant before, during or after birth.

Proper medical care and treatment help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives and can reduce the chances of passing HIV to others.  People who test negative for HIV can take steps to stay negative by not having unprotected sex or engaging in other risky behavior like needle sharing.

Georgians throughout the state can get free HIV tests at select locations on Thursday, June 27, and in some cases through the weekend. For more information about National HIV Testing Day and a list of free HIV testing locations, visit www.dph.ga.gov or http://greaterthan.org/

As we enter the summer months, many communities in Gwinnett County are holding Farmers Markets to make it easier for residents to purchase locally grown foods. These foods do not travel hundreds of miles to get to the markets – local farmers are growing these foods in Gwinnett or surrounding counties. We are also listing some Gwinnett county farms that allow residents to purchase directly from the farm. Check out this list for healthy eating.

All markets and farms listed were found on the Gwinnett County Convention and Visitors Bureau website. If you know of other markets that we can add to this list, please email us with information at healthpromotiongnr@gmail.com.

National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6-12.  May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

Did you know that nursing is the nation’s most trusted profession?  In 2012, Americans again voted nurses the most trusted profession in America for the 13th time in 14 years in the annual Gallup poll that ranks professions for their honesty and ethical standards. Nurses’ honesty and ethics were rated “very high” or “high” by 85 percent of poll respondents.

To honor the many nurses that work in Public Health, we want to share with you what some of these nurses do every day.

For many of us, the first time we met a public health nurse was when we received a shot or health screening at our local health department.  And while immunizations are an important part of what they do – public health nurses do much more.

At the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments our public health nurses are involved in program areas from children’s health to emergency preparedness.

Clinic Managers

Everything that takes place in our clinics is managed by a public health nurse.  They provide leadership to their staff while overseeing the day-to-day operations of the clinic.  Our Nursing Director and Program Manager are also both nurses.  They work closely with the clinic and program personnel to ensure that patients visiting the Health Department receive the highest quality care.

Child School Screenings

Children entering Georgia Public Schools must receive hearing and vision examinations and be issued certificates of completion.  Our nurses provide age appropriate hearing, vision and dental screenings for children.

Children 1st

Children 1st is a family centered, community-based program that promotes early identification of children with conditions that place them at risk for poor health and/or developmental outcomes.

Our Children 1^st nurses assist families by linking them and their children to primary healthcare providers where they will receive periodic comprehensive health assessments and developmental monitoring.

Women’s Health

Nurses in our Women’s Health program provide a number of services to help women maintain health throughout their reproductive years.  These include:

•   Physicals, which include pap smears
•   Discussion of pregnancy spacing and birth control methods
•   Education on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle
•   Breast and cervical cancer screenings (mammograms for women over 40, if eligible)
•   Pregnancy testing
•   Diabetes education, screening, and referrals

Disease Control and Prevention

Nurses in our Epidemiology Division work with schools, long-term care facilities and other community organizations to provide education preventing the spread of infectious disease.  If any infectious diseases are reported to the Health Department, they investigate the sources and provide the necessary services to prevent or stop the spread of disease.

Emergency Preparedness

Our Emergency Preparedness Program is dedicated to the planning and preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters.  Within Emergency Preparedness, we have a Health Care Liaison.  This nurse works within our community, creating alliances with health care organizations.  These alliances work together to coordinate preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation activities related to healthcare organization disaster operations.