Georgia Coastal Health District

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can greatly increase risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Making certain lifestyle changes can help lower blood pressure and lead to a healthier lifestyle. The Coastal Health District Chronic Disease Prevention Program will host a free, virtual five-part Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) series in August to help residents who are hypertensive, pre-hypertensive, or at higher risk of becoming hypertensive learn how to adopt healthier habits.

The DASH series will begin on August 1 and continue August 8, 15, 22, and 29. Each session will be held twice a day – once at 1 p.m. and again at 5:30 p.m.    

“The great thing about this program is that it doesn’t require fancy foods or menus,” said Coastal Health District Chronic Disease Prevention Director, Cristina Gibson. “The DASH plan gives you the tools to make gradual changes that will result in positive long-term changes to your health.”

DASH was developed by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as a flexible and balanced eating plan to create a heart-healthy eating style. For more information on DASH and the upcoming sessions, visit our website at coastalhealthdistrict.org/dash.

Atlanta – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has begun receiving limited doses of monkeypox vaccine. To date, Georgia has received approximately 3,000 doses of JYNNEOS vaccine – enough for 1,500 individuals since this is a two-dose vaccine series. The vaccine has been distributed upon request to health departments and for vaccination events in two counties. Allocations of monkeypox vaccine from the federal government will increase as production of the vaccine ramps up. 

To date, DPH has confirmed 93 monkeypox cases in Georgia, all among men living in metro Atlanta. The majority of these cases identify as men who have sex with men. As such we are prioritizing vaccine distribution in five metro counties – Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton. There is no residency requirement; however, individuals must register for an appointment and meet certain eligibility requirements. JYNNEOS is a two-vaccine series with 28 days in between doses.

Because demand outweighs supply, DPH is following the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and prioritizing monkeypox vaccine for individuals at high risk of infection. Vaccination may be recommended for people who are close personal contacts of people with monkeypox, individuals who may have been exposed to monkeypox, or people who have increased risk of being exposed to the virus such as lab workers. Individuals are urged to speak with their healthcare provider if they are in one of these groups.

People with monkeypox in the current outbreak generally report having close, sustained physical contact with other people who have monkeypox. While many of those affected in the current global outbreaks are gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox can get the illness.

While monkeypox does not spread like COVID-19, everyone should take steps to protect themselves from monkeypox.

• Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
• Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
• Do not kiss, hug, cuddle, or have close personal contact with someone with monkeypox.
• Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
• Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

DPH is working to create online scheduling for monkeypox vaccine as our allocations increase. We will keep you updated on when that scheduling system will be ready and provide information on accessing it. Until then, we urge individuals who may have had contact with monkeypox or are high risk of exposure to contact their healthcare provider.

For more information on monkeypox, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/epidemiology/acute-disease-epidemiology/monkeypox or https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.

The Coastal Health District has been selected by the Georgia Department of Public Health to pilot eWIC, a new electronic system for issuing food benefits through the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program. Until now, WIC participants used paper vouchers to purchase approved foods. The new system allows participants to use an eWIC card, which functions like a debit card, to purchase WIC-approved foods.

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“Using cards rather than paper vouchers will make shopping much more convenient for our WIC participants,” said Coastal Health District Nutrition Services Director, Pat Mobley, RDN, LD. “We’re thrilled to be able to pilot this program in Georgia.”

A phased approach will be used to distribute the new cards. Participants can continue to use paper vouchers until they receive an eWIC card.

“We’re excited about this technology upgrade but it’s going to take some time to shift from vouchers to cards,” said Mobley. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and want to reassure our WIC participants that we are working diligently to make sure the transition goes as smoothly as possible.”

Georgia WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program that provides nutrition education, breastfeeding education and support, referrals, and nutritional supplements to thousands of income eligible families throughout Georgia.

Income-eligible families include pregnant women, breastfeeding woman, postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five. Custodial/single fathers, legal guardians, and foster parents of an infant or child can also receive WIC Benefits for the eligible infant or child.

For more information about WIC, including eligibility requirements, please visit our WIC webpage.

The Coastal Health District HIV Prevention Program, in partnership with Walgreens, will hold free HIV testing events on Monday, June 27, to commemorate National HIV Testing Day (NHTD). This year’s NHTD events will be held at these Walgreens locations in Chatham and Glynn counties:

• 2109 E. Victory Drive, Savannah
• 11509 Abercorn Street, Savannah
• 4210 Augusta Road, Garden City
• 4575 Altama Avenue, Brunswick

All testing is free and confidential and results will be available in about one minute. A follow-up visit will be scheduled for anyone who tests positive and counseling will be made available to those individuals. Individuals who get tested at any of the Coastal Health District NHTD event locations on June 27 will receive a $10 gift card.

This year’s theme is “HIV Testing is Self-care.” Self-care to promote physical and mental health has been a predominant theme during the pandemic. This National HIV Testing Day, we encourage people to get tested and know their HIV status to help them stay healthy. Getting tested for HIV has never been easier. In addition to free testing at health departments and outreach events, we now offer free self-test kits that can be used at home.

National HIV Testing Day is an opportunity to raise awareness, encourage people to get the facts, tested, get involved, and get linked to care and treatment services.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. People at higher risk should get tested more often.

As a reminder, HIV testing is always free by appointment at all health departments in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties and available Monday through Friday during regular health department hours of operation.

For more information on Coastal Health District HIV services, please visit our website at coastalhealthdistrict.org/hiv.

A bat found outside of a barracks building on Hunter Army Airfield has tested positive for rabies.

Several species of wild animals that are native to coastal Georgia – including raccoons, foxes, and bats – can carry rabies. Rabies is a potentially deadly virus that is primarily spread by infected animals. The Chatham County Health Department Environmental Health office offers these tips to protect you and your family from rabies:

• Avoid contact with animals you don’t know.
• Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations and boosters as advised by your veterinarian.
• 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 control 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.

Atlanta – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging parents unable to find baby formula typically used for their child to contact their pediatrician about appropriate nutritional and safe feeding alternatives. Georgia WIC is working with WIC agencies statewide, local grocers and retailers, and formula manufacturers to help locate formula for clients, especially those in need of specialized formula.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is offering guidance for parents that are having difficulty finding baby formula: 

• Watering down baby formula is dangerous and can cause nutritional imbalances that may lead to serious health problems. Always mix formula as directed by the manufacturer.
• Homemade baby formulas are not advised. While recipes may seem healthy, they are not safe and do not meet your baby’s nutritional needs.
• Buy baby formula online but only from well-recognized distributors and pharmacies. 
• Be leery of ads on social media. You can check out a company’s reputation through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) at www.bbb.org.
• Do not use imported formulas from other countries that are not reviewed by the FDA.
• Only prepare the amount of formula you will use – throw out any infant formula that is left in the bottle after feeding your baby.
• It is recommended that during the shortage you buy no more than a 10-day to two-week supply of formula.

For a complete list of AAP guidance and tips for finding formula during the shortage, visit healthychildren.org. Parents should not hesitate to talk to their pediatrician with any concerns about their baby’s health and nutrition. 

WIC clients who need help finding formula or who have questions should contact their local WIC office or call 1-800-228-9173.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is warning Georgia consumers to beware of price gouging and other scams in response to the nationwide baby formula shortage. Consumers can report scams and suspected price gouging to the Consumer Protection Division (CPD) by calling 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123. Georgians can also file a complaint online by visiting CPD’s website.

DPH will continue to monitor all information coming from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and formula manufacturers regarding the shortage and work to ensure Georgia babies have access to food and nutrition they need to grow healthy and strong.