On Thursday, October 21, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., recommended that certain individuals who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine receive a booster shot. These boosters are in addition to previously approved booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Booster shot eligibility is as follows:

Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients

For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or more after their initial series:

• 65 years and older
• Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
• Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
• Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings

Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Recipients

Booster shots are also recommended for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recipients who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.

Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.

Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments will start administering booster shots to recipients of Moderna and Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, October 26. Not all vaccine types will be available at each vaccine location. Appointments are available but not required.

To find a location or to make an appointment, visit www.gnrhealth.com/covid-vaccine-scheduling/.

Celebrate Red Ribbon Week October 23 through October 31 by wearing red and spreading awareness of the fight against drug use.

What is Red Ribbon Week?

Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign. It began in 1985 in response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena.

Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was a special agent who worked for the Drug Enforcement Administration and was kidnapped by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico. On Feb. 7, 1985, when the 37-year-old Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch, five men appeared at the agent’s side and shoved him in a car. One month later, Camarena’s body was found. He had been tortured to death. Shortly after Camarena’s murder, community members began wearing red ribbons to honor the sacrifices made by Camarena and to show their commitment to leading drug-free lives.

Wear red during Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, to show your support for the creation of a drug-free America and to honor Special Agent Kiki Camarena. To learn more about Red Ribbon Week, please visit www.redribbon.org.

Information gathered from www.redribbon.org/about

What would happen if your unused prescription medications ended up in the wrong hands due to improper disposal?

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. Drug misuse can be extremely dangerous or even fatal. Properly disposing of unused or expired prescription medications is crucial to help prevent these medications from ending up in the wrong hands and being misused.

One of the safest ways to ensure proper disposal of unused or expired prescription medications is by participating in a take-back program. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a safe place for these medications to be properly discarded and prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. The next Take Back Day is on October 23, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Many of our law enforcement partners are participating. On October 23, there will be numerous collection sites located across the community. By visiting www.takebackday.dea.gov you can find the collection site that is closest to you. Unwanted, unused or expired medications as well as over-the-counter medications, vitamins, vaping devices and even pet medications can be collected and brought to the collection site. Needles, inhalers and illegal drugs will not be accepted for disposal.

The following locations within our community will be participating in Take Back Day:

Lilburn Police Department
4600 Lawrenceville Hwy, Lilburn, GA 30047

Conyers Police Department
1194 Scott Street SE, Conyers, GA 30012

Snellville Police Department
2315 Wisteria Drive SW, Snellville, GA 30078

Gwinnett County Police Precincts

• West Precinct, 6160 Crescent Drive, Norcross, GA 30071
• South Precinct, 2180 Stone Drive, Lilburn, GA 30047
• North Precinct, 2735 Mall of Georgia Blvd, Buford, GA 30518
• East Precinct, 2273 Alcovy Road, Dacula, GA 30019
• Central Precinct, 3125 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30096
• Bay Creek Precinct, 185 Ozora Road, Grayson, GA 30052

Norcross Police Department
65 Lawrenceville Street, Norcross, GA 30071

Suwanee Police Department
373 Buford Highway, Suwanee, GA 30024

Gwinnett County Sheriff Department
2900 University Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043

Lawrenceville Police Department
300 Jackson Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Gwinnett County is offering $100 Visa gift cards to people ages 12 and up who receive a COVID-19 vaccine at its vaccine incentive event this weekend.

The Vaccines Aren’t Scary event in partnership with the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments will take place Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23 at the vaccine site inside the former Sears at Gwinnett Place Mall.

Gift cards will be offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day during the two-day event. The site will offer Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Participants should make an appointment at (Event over. Link removed.) to secure their slot during the event and guarantee their gift card. Please make an appointment by 9 a.m. on Thursday for the Friday date and by 9 a.m. Friday for the Saturday date.

So far, more than 53 percent of Gwinnett residents have been fully vaccinated, but in recent months, demand for vaccines has slowed.

“All of our residents are busy, some were waiting for more information and some simply haven’t gotten around to getting vaccinated yet,” said Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson. “We’re giving residents another reason to get vaccinated now in the hopes that this is the little push some people need to go ahead and get their shot.”

The County is using federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to pay for the vaccine incentive gift cards.

The Gwinnett Place Mall site, which the County operates in partnership with the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments, has been providing vaccines to residents since it opened in February.

“The only way out of this pandemic is through vaccination,” said Dr. Audrey Arona, district health director for Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments. “We’re grateful to the County for providing incentives and hope this opportunity moves more of our community to choose to be vaccinated.”

Guests are asked to bring their insurance card and identification, if applicable. People without insurance or ID will not be turned away. Regardless of insurance status, the vaccine is offered at no cost.

The vaccination site is located at 2100 Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth.

Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments’ district office, health centers, COVID-19 testing sites and COVID-19 vaccination sites will all be closed in observance of the holiday on Monday, October 11.

If you are in need of COVID-19 testing, please check these resources:

• http://COVIDCareGa.com
• https://dph.georgia.gov/castlight-location-finder

We will resume normal business hours Tuesday, October 12.

Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended certain populations receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 Vaccine at least six months after the completion of their Pfizer vaccine primary series. In addition, the CDC Director recommended a booster dose for those in high risk occupational and institutional settings.

NOTE: Booster shots are available to people who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines only. Booster shots for individuals who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine have not yet been authorized.

The recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are:

• people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series;
• people aged 50-64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series;
• people aged 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks; and
• people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.

Only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized as a booster dose, and the above recommendations will only apply to individuals who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for their primary series.

We will begin administering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to eligible Pfizer patients beginning Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. Individuals will be required to bring their CDC vaccination card as proof of COVID-19 vaccination. If an individual does not have a CDC vaccination card, we will validate their Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination through our database.

Walk-ins are available but appointments are strongly encouraged and prioritized. If you are eligible, click here to find a vaccination site near you and to schedule an appointment.

Our Buford and Norcross Health Centers will halt all clinical services until further notice so our staff can support the COVID-19 response. WIC services will continue to be offered at these locations. 

For more information on these recommendations, please visit:

• https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0924-booster-recommendations-.html
• https://dph.georgia.gov/press-releases/2021-09-24/georgia-dph-follows-federal-recommendations-covid-booster-shots

Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale County Health Departments has released a new interactive community health dashboard: https://dashboards.mysidewalk.com/gnr-health

The website gives health district residents insights into the social and economic drivers of health, organized around social determinants of health. The Health Department works closely with community partners across the district to address these factors to improve health outcomes. The democratization of health data is meant to empower the community to learn about the status of community-wide efforts to protect and improve the health of Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale counties. Such data is integral in supporting the outcomes set forth in the ongoing community health assessments and community health improvement plans developed in partnership between the Health Department, county coalitions and county medical partners.

“We are thrilled to provide this resource to our three counties,” said Dr. Audrey Arona, district health director of Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale County Health Departments. “We hope easier access to health data helps empower our officials, partners, and residents to address needs in our communities that can further improve healthy outcomes. Visualizing the data, as this website does, can help tell the story of how public health works to keep our communities healthy, protected, and prepared.”

Data in the dashboard focuses not just on disease indicators like death rates and case counts, but also on the many factors that influence health, which include income, housing, education, and transportation. At no time in recent history has attention to the root causes of health been so critical. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on Public Health; this comprehensive assessment takes the conversation beyond disease outcomes and explores the relationship between environments, behaviors, illness, and length of life.

This interactive dashboard gives the community access to health data indicators and allows residents to stay informed about what is happening in their county. Included are insights into social determinants of health, leading causes of death and disease and other public health threats. The graphs and maps are available for public download, and all the data is exportable in multiple formats.

Join us Wednesday, September 15 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom to discuss the significance of Men’s Health and PrEP.

No preregistration is required to participate.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86170629080pwd=M3ZRWG9hYWM4eUszUWlLdEdIdGdLZz09

Meeting ID: 861 7062 9080
Passcode: 290961

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Buford Health Center, Newton Health Center, and Norcross Health Center will temporarily stop normal clinic and health services and will only offer COVID-19 vaccinations and WIC services.

Beginning, Tuesday, Sept. 14, Buford Health Center will transition to offering COVID-19 vaccine and WIC services only. Wednesday, Sept. 15, Norcross Health Center will also begin offering only COVID-19 vaccine and WIC services. Individuals seeking clinic or health services from these locations may visit Lawrenceville Health Center.

On Monday, Sept. 20, Newton Health Center will pause their clinic and health services to give COVID-19 vaccine only as well as WIC services. Health services will remain open at Lawrenceville Health Center and Rockdale Health Center.

Click here to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine or to schedule an appointment.

Information contributed by Hydrate My State guide.

Did you know that on average, 6 in 10 youth (63%) and 5 in 10 adults (49%) drink a sugar-sweetened beverage on a given day? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021)

Sodas, juices, and energy/sports drinks are common examples of sugary beverages that are consumed frequently and can be associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, cavities, and gout. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021)

Hydrate My State is a campaign working across the state to encourage healthy lifestyle changes and bring awareness to the importance of drinking more water and less sugar.

Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments will be hosting a Hydrate My State Day of Action on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021.

Join us at one of the following locations for infused water tasting, free giveaways, and more!

Newton Health Center
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
8203 Hazelbrand Road, Covington, GA 30014

Rockdale Health Center
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
985 Taylor Street SW, Conyers, GA 30012

Norcross Health Center
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross, GA 30093

Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021