Georgia Coastal Health District

HIV Director for the Coastal Health District, Susan Alt, BSN, ACRN, has been named the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board’s Certified Nurse of the Year. The HIV/AIDS Certified Nurse of the Year is a prominent national award that recognizes an AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN) who exemplifies excellence in HIV/AIDS nursing and advances the mission of the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board. Alt, who has maintained certification in HIV/AIDS nursing since 1997, recently received the award at the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) 28th Annual Awards Ceremony in Chicago.

Alt, who has been involved in HIV nursing for more than 31 years, essentially started with Chatham County Health Department’s HIV program in 1989 when there were only 40 patients. The program now serves more than 1,300 active patients throughout the eight-county Coastal Health District and Alt has been there every step of the way.

“Susan’s leadership and guidance has been instrumental in building an HIV program that addresses all the needs of our patients,” said Coastal Health District Health Director, Diane Weems, M.D. “Her commitment to this program and the patients who are part of it has been unwavering from day one. Susan is deeply devoted to making sure that those with HIV get into care, stay in care, and get all of the resources they need to live healthy and productive lives.”

Under Alt’s leadership, the Coastal Health District was the first public health district in the state of Georgia to conduct HIV clinical trials. The District is currently engaged in 16 trials providing much needed opportunities for patients facing the most difficult obstacles. She has developed strong partnerships that have ultimately benefited the patients and community she serves.

Alt has influenced the quality of HIV care throughout Georgia through her contribution on statewide committees and workgroups including the Georgia AIDS Task Force, the Public Health Nurse Protocol Committee, the Georgia Ryan White Part B Program Quality Management Team, and the Ryan White Part B Program Leadership Group. She serves as a mentor to other Ryan White program leaders, providing technical assistance to programs throughout the state. According to the ANAC award recipient description, “Her work on the development of HIV/AIDS nursing protocols helped define HIV/AIDS nursing practice of Georgia public health nurses.”

“The most important things to Susan are preventing the spread of HIV and making sure that those living with HIV are treated not only medically but also with respect and compassion,” said Weems. “She is most deserving of this recognition and all of us at the Coastal Health District are incredibly proud of her accomplishments.”

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World AIDS Day is December 1 and the Coastal Health District has events planned in both Chatham and Glynn counties. The Chatham County event will be held from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., on Tuesday, December 1, at Forsyth Park in Savannah and will include free and confidential HIV testing, vendor displays, education, music, and a balloon release. The Glynn County event will be held from 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., on Tuesday, December 1, at Mary Ross Park in Brunswick and will include vendor displays, education, vigil, and raffle.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and nearly one in eight of those are not aware that they are infected. World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1 in an effort to raise awareness of the HIV epidemic, remember those who have died, celebrate survival, and focus on the importance of getting tested for HIV.

Volunteers are also needed to help with the HIV testing events. When you sign up to volunteer with World AIDS Day you are making a difference while helping raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in our communities.

For more information about the Chatham County event please call 912-353-3276 or e-mail Diane.DeVore@dph.ga.gov. For more information about the Glynn County event please call 912-264-3236.

Summer is under way and as more people make their way outside for summertime activities, Coastal Health District officials want to remind residents to take precautions to avoid mosquitoes. Mosquito bites are annoying but can also cause diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), and Chikungunya.

WNV is transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes. About 80 percent of people infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all; however, cases can range from mild to severe. Mosquitoes that carry the West Nile Virus are more likely to bite during the evening, night, and early morning. EEE is a mosquito-borne virus that causes swelling of the brain. In horses, it is fatal 70 to 90 percent of the time. Horse and large animal owners are encouraged to vaccinate their animals against the virus and to clean out watering sources, such as buckets and troughs, every three-to-four days to prevent mosquitoes from breeding there. The most common symptoms of Chikungunya are fever and joint pain and symptoms usually begin 3–7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reported cases of Chikungunya thus far in 2015 have occurred in travelers returning from affected areas including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The common thread among these illnesses is that they are transmitted through mosquito bites,” said Diane Weems, M.D., Coastal Health District Health Director. “The more precautions we take against getting bitten by mosquitoes the better our chances are of avoiding any mosquito-borne diseases.”

Mosquito Prevention

The best way to prevent mosquito-related diseases is to avoid mosquito bites. Mosquitoes breed in standing water which is why it is important to remove water-holding containers (buckets, barrels, flower pots, tarps, etc.; drill holes in tire swings so water drains out; keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when they’re not being used; change water frequently in pet dishes; change bird bath water at least twice a week; and avoid using saucers under outdoor potted plants.

The following tips can help lessen the risk of getting bitten by mosquitoes:

• DRAIN all standing water.
• Avoid DAWN and DUSK when mosquitoes are most active.
• DRESS appropriately in long sleeves and pants.
• DEFEND or DEET yourself against mosquitoes with an effective repellent. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products provide long lasting protection.
• DOORS and windows should be in good condition.

Chickenpox, a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella virus, has been confirmed in two students attending the Savannah College of Art and Design’s (SCAD) Savannah campus. Additional probable cases are under investigation. Chatham County Health Department and SCAD officials are working together to prevent the spread of the disease by educating students and staff and promoting immunization against varicella.

The most recognized symptom of chickenpox is an itchy rash. Other symptoms include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, and headache. The virus is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can also be spread by touching or breathing in the virus particles that come from the chickenpox blisters. It takes from 10 to 21 days after exposure to a person with chickenpox for someone to develop chickenpox. A person with chickenpox can spread the disease from one to two days before they get the rash until all their chickenpox blisters have formed scabs.

“We are working closely with Savannah College of Art and Design administration to ensure that we provide appropriate information to all students and faculty,” said Diane Weems, M.D., Health Director for the Coastal Health District. “We want to make sure that people are aware of the symptoms and know that the best way to keep from getting the virus is to get vaccinated and the best way to keep from spreading the virus is to stay away from others until their lesions have turned into scabs.”

Most healthy people recover from chickenpox in five to 10 days; however, infants, adults, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems who have not been vaccinated and get the chickenpox can suffer from mild to serious complications.

For more information on chickenpox go to www.cdc.gov/chickenpox.

More than half – 101 out of 181 – Georgia school districts are now tobacco-free. Emanuel County Schools, Lowndes County Schools and Jenkins County Schools all recently implemented Georgia’s 100% Tobacco-Free School policy leading to this milestone in the Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) work to protect the state’s children from the harmful effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke.

Under the 100% Tobacco-Free School policy no student, staff member or school visitor is permitted to use any tobacco product or E-cigarette, at any time on school property. Eighty Georgia school districts have not signed the policy.

“Tobacco-free schools save lives,” said Jean O’Connor, JD, DrPH, director of Chronic Disease Prevention for DPH. “Ninety percent of Georgia’s smokers started using tobacco before the age of 18, and by eliminating tobacco use—including e-cigarettes—in schools, we can reduce the likelihood children in Georgia will start to use tobacco as well as protect children and adults from the effects of secondhand smoke.”

Tobacco use causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and premature death. In a young person, smoking can damage the heart and lungs right away and in some cases, the damage never goes away. Studies show that eliminating tobacco smoke in an environment can reduce the incidence of heart attack related hospital admissions by between 10 and 40 percent.

“Young people are extremely sensitive to nicotine and the younger they are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they are to develop addiction to nicotine, and begin a lifetime of chronic disease,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “That makes prevention in Georgia schools right now so critical.”

School districts can get help from local health departments to implement the 100% Tobacco-Free School policy. Each Health District in Georgia has a health promotion coordinator who can present the policy to the local school board and work with school administrators to implement it. In addition, youth empowerment teams will disseminate anti-smoking messages through media and social media.

All Georgians, including students, 13 to 17 years old, can call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line at 1-877-270-STOP (7867) or 1-877-2NO-FUME (877-266-3863) and receive confidential counseling on how to quit smoking.

For more information about the harmful effects of smoking and tobacco use in young people, click here. To learn more about DPH’s efforts to help schools become tobacco-free, visit the Chronic Disease Prevention section’s Tobacco-Free and Smoke-Free environments website.

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Babies Can’t Wait (BCW) program invites interested persons to participate in a 60-day public comment period for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2015 Annual State Application under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Fiscal Policies. Stakeholders, early intervention providers, parents and members of the public are encouraged to comment and may review the grant application and revised policy online or at locations throughout the state.

Comments will be accepted in four ways:

1.    Written comments will be received by mail until Apr. 18, 2015:

Babies Can’t Wait
Attn: Cynthia Bryant, Part C Coordinator
2 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 11-204
Atlanta, GA 30303-13422

2.    Email comments will be received until Apr. 18, 2015:
DPH-MCHDO@dph.ga.gov  (Subject line: Part C or Public Comment)

3.    Facsimile comments will be received until April 18, 2015:
State BCW Office Fax: (404-657-2763)

4.    In Person comments at a Public Hearing:
DPH invites interested persons to attend Public Hearings and present public comments. To allow an opportunity for all to be heard, comments will be limited to five minutes. (See locations listed below.)

Gainesville (2)
March 10, 2015, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Gainesville Health District
440 Prior Street, SE
Gainesville, GA 30501
(770) 531-4053
Contact: Patricia (Dru) Thomas, Early Intervention Coordinator
(770) 531-4053
Dru.Thomas@dph.ga.gov

Clayton (3-3)
March 10, 2015, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Clayton County Library
865 Battle Creek Road
Jonesboro, GA 30236
770-473-3850
Contact: Nicole Wilson
Early Intervention Coordinator
(678) 610-7252
Nicole.Wilson@dph.ga.gov

Columbus (7)
March 12, 2015, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
The Health and Human Services Building
2100 Comer Avenue
Columbus, GA 31902
(706) 327-0645
(800) 527-7344
Contact: Tori Endres, Early Intervention Coordinator
(706) 321-6136
Tori.Endres@dph.ga.gov

Waycross   (9-2)
March 10, 2015, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Waycross Health District
C.N.N. Building
1057 Grove Avenue
Waycross, GA 31501
(912) 284-2552
Contact: Tracy Weeden
Early Intervention Coordinator
(912) 284-2552
Tracy.Weeden@dph.gov

The Babies Can’t Wait (BCW) Program is Georgia’s statewide early intervention system for infants and toddlers with special needs, age birth to three, and their families. This program enhances the capacity of families to meet the special needs of their child in order to ensure that each young child with significant developmental delays achieves his or her maximum developmental potential.

To learn more about DPH’s Babies Can’t Wait program, please call 404-657-2762 or 888-651-8224 or visit http://dph.georgia.gov/Babies-Cant-Wait.