Georgia Coastal Health District

Knowing your HIV status is one of the most important ways you can protect your health and the health of the community. That’s why the Coastal Health District prevention team is offering two free community health events this August to coincide with Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and National Faith HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

“Our team is committed to reducing stigma around HIV and expanding access to free testing,” said Dr. Diane DeVore, leader of the district’s prevention team. “With these events, we’re joining with community partners to increase HIV awareness, encourage testing, and connect people to resources for prevention and healthcare.”

The events are open to everyone regardless of age, race, gender, or background. HIV testing is also available as a walk-in service in all health departments of the Coastal Health District each day the clinics are open.

Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: August 20, 2026

Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day shines a light on the disproportionate impact HIV continues to have across the southern United States and encourages communities to promote testing, prevention, treatment, and support.

“Change the Pattern” Health Event
Know your status. Get tested. Change the pattern.
Thursday, August 20, 2026, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Chatham County Health Department, 1395 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah
Services include:

• Free & confidential HIV testing
• HIV prevention education
• Information on PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)
• Giveaways and swag bags
• Gift cards (for those receiving an HIV test, while supplies last)

National Faith HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: August 28, 2026

National Faith HIV/AIDS Awareness Day recognizes the important role faith communities play in supporting individuals living with HIV, reducing stigma, promoting compassion, and encouraging healthy communities through education and access to care.

“Compassion in Action” Health Event
Friday, August 28, 2026, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah, 311 East Harris Street
Services include:

• Free & confidential HIV testing
• HIV prevention education
• Blood pressure screenings
• Blood glucose screenings
• Giveaways and swag bags
• Gift cards (for those receiving an HIV test, while supplies last)

Eligible women can receive no-cost mammograms next month when the St. Joseph’s/Candler mobile mammography unit visits the Chatham County Health Department. The mobile screening event will happen Monday, August 24 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. by appointment in the parking lot of the health department clinic at 1395 Eisenhower Drive in Savannah.

All screenings are by appointment only and are open to women aged 40 and older without health insurance coverage, and for women under 40 when there are identified problems, suspicion, or symptoms of breast cancer. Space is limited – appointments can be scheduled by calling the Chatham County Health Department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program at 912-356-2946.

Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in women. However, breast cancer has high survival rates when caught and treated early, which is why regular screening is so important.

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) helps increase access to life-saving screenings for women who do not have health insurance coverage for mammograms and cervical cancer screenings. For more information about available services, please visit coastalhealthdistirct.org/bccp.

The Chatham County Health Department’s Environmental Health office is alerting the community that a bat has tested positive for rabies. This is an important reminder to avoid contact with unknown animals and make sure your pets are up to date on rabies vaccinations.

A resident in an area near Highway 80 and Pooler Parkway in Bloomingdale reported finding a dead bat on her porch July 15. The health department sent the bat for testing at the public health laboratory, and the animal tested positive for rabies. There is no known human exposure to the infected bat.

Several species of wild animals in our area can carry rabies, including raccoons, foxes, and bats. Rabies is a potentially deadly virus that is primarily spread by infected animals. The following tips can protect you and your family from rabies:

• Avoid contact with animals you don’t know.
• Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations. Dogs and cats should get rabies vaccines after 12 weeks of age, followed by a booster shot within one year and vaccination every 1-3 years depending on veterinary recommendation and vaccine used.
• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or by leaving pet food out at night.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal services or a properly licensed animal rescue agency for assistance.
• Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. “Love your own, leave other animals alone” is a good principle for children to learn.

Symptoms of rabies in animals include a change in behavior, biting, aggression, showing no fear of natural enemies (such as humans), foaming at the mouth, and paralysis. If an animal ever bites you, seek medical care immediately and contact Chatham County Animal Services at 912-652-6575 and the Chatham County Environmental Health office at 912-356-2160.

The Coastal Health District and Healthy Savannah invite breastfeeding moms and their supporters to a celebration of World Breastfeeding Week on August 1 in Savannah. The event will be held at the Pennsylvania Avenue Recreation Center (PARC) at 425 Pennsylvania Avenue on Saturday, August 1, from 10-11:30 a.m.

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) has designated RISE as the theme for National Breastfeeding Month 2026 which is celebrated throughout the month of August. Each word in the acronym highlights key strengths of the breastfeeding advocacy network: Resilience emphasizes the perseverance of families and communities, Interdependence reflects the collaborative support systems, Self-Determination underscores the autonomy of parents in feeding decisions, and Empowerment celebrates the capacity to advocate for policy, systems, and environmental changes that support breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most infants, but breastfeeding should be a shared responsibility and not an individual burden. That’s why organizations around the world celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Week each year, recognizing that every mother deserves support systems and conditions that enable her choice to breastfeed.

Moms, children, family members and breastfeeding advocates are invited to the August 1^st celebration. There will be displays and giveaways from local partners, breastfeeding education, sign-ups for local nutrition assistance programs like WIC, a celebration walk, and more. The event is free, but space is limited so you must register in advance. More information about the event, about local breastfeeding services, and a registration link are available at coastalhealthdistrict.org/bfweek.

For more information on World Breastfeeding Week, please contact Healthy Savannah Breastfeeding Program Manager, Dr. Elsie Smalls, at elsie@healthysavannah.org, or Coastal Health District Breastfeeding Coordinator, Yolanda Jenkins, at yolanda.jenkins@dph.ga.gov.

ABOUT HEALTHY SAVANNAH

Healthy Savannah is a 501©(3) public charity and a public-private coalition of more than 200 businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, schools, neighborhood organizations, and healthcare and government agencies. The organization leads and supports a culture of health in the Savannah area by:

• Creating environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice
• Building collaborative networks that identify and share resources
• Collecting and disseminating data and best practices
• Implementing innovative programs
• Advocating for effective, evidence-based policies

Since its inception in 2007, this innovative, cross-sector collaboration has delivered lasting community benefits through numerous multi-agency projects, grants, and policy initiatives — including the Smoke Free Air Ordinance that continues to protect Savannah’s residents 15 years later.

Healthy Savannah was honored in 2026 with the Outstanding Partner Award from Georgia Southern University’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health and in 2022 with the CDC’s REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity. Funded by the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Program, Healthy Savannah is working to support sustainable health equity for racial and ethnic minority populations in low-wealth neighborhoods, with a focus on nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding.

Healthysavannah.org

ADDITIONAL FUNDING

Funding from a La Leche League mini grant awarded to Healthy Savannah also provides support for the community event for breastfeeding parents in underserved communities.

The Coastal Health District prevention team is hosting a free HIV testing event as part of Zero HIV Stigma Day. Free rapid HIV testing will be available Tuesday, July 21st from 10 am – 4 pm at the Chatham County Health Department, 1395 Eisenhower Drive, in Savannah.

Anyone getting an HIV test during the event will receive giveaways including a gift card while supplies last. Test results will be available in one minute and are confidential. A follow-up visit will be scheduled for anyone who tests positive. Staff will also be available to discuss HIV prevention options like PrEP, a medication that can prevent HIV.

Zero HIV Stigma Day on July 21^st is a global grassroots movement dedicated to challenging the stereotypes and fears associated with HIV. Despite huge advancements in HIV prevention and treatment, stigma remains a severe barrier to testing and healthcare. By offering accessible testing, the Coastal Health District hopes to encourage the community to check their status in a safe, judgment-free environment. Testing is the first step in maintaining a healthy life and reducing the spread of HIV.

As a reminder, HIV testing is always free and available as a walk-in service at all health departments in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties. Free self-test kits are also available and can be used at home.

For more information on Coastal Health District HIV services, please visit our HIV web page.                                             

The Chatham County Health Department’s Environmental Health office is alerting the community that a raccoon has tested positive for rabies. A resident called Chatham County Animal Services on July 2^nd after a dog killed the raccoon near Ferguson Avenue and Diamond Causeway. The raccoon was sent to the public health laboratory and tested positive for rabies on July 7^th.

The dog is in quarantine with animal services while the agency works to locate the dog’s owner. There was no known human exposure to the infected raccoon.

This incident is a reminder that several species of wild animals in our area can carry rabies, including raccoons, foxes, and bats. Rabies is a potentially deadly virus that is primarily spread by infected animals. The following tips can protect you and your family from rabies:

• Avoid contact with animals you don’t know.
• Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations. Dogs and cats should get rabies vaccines after 12 weeks of age, followed by a booster shot within one year and vaccination every 1-3 years depending on veterinary recommendation and vaccine used.
• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or by leaving pet food out at night.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal services or a properly licensed animal rescue agency for assistance.
• Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. “Love your own, leave other animals alone” is a good principle for children to learn.

Symptoms of rabies in animals include a change in behavior, biting, aggression, showing no fear of natural enemies (such as humans), foaming at the mouth, and paralysis. If an animal ever bites you, seek medical care immediately and contact Chatham County Animal Services at 912-652-6575 and the Chatham County Environmental Health office at 912-356-2160.