Georgia Coastal Health District

The McIntosh County Health Department will hold a child car seat class at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 24, at the health department located at 1335 Georgia Hwy. 57 in Townsend. Parents and caregivers will be taught how to correctly install their car seat(s) and educated on how to properly secure a child in a seat.

A Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician will teach the class and will also be available to examine child safety seats for recalls and to ensure correct installation in vehicles. At the completion of the class, car seats will be given out – free of charge – based on a need assessment by health department staff.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children ages 2-14 and the leading cause of injury-related death for children under two. Each year an estimated 2,446 children die in motor vehicle crashes. When installed and used correctly, child car seats and seat belts can prevent injuries and save lives.

The class is made possible through a grant from the Miller Family Fund, a component fund of the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation. The Health Department received funding earlier this year to educate families on the proper installation of car seats and general seatbelt safety.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call the health department at 912-832-5473.

The McIntosh County Health Department will hold a drive-through vaccination clinic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, at the health department located on Hwy. 57 in Townsend. No appointment is necessary. Just roll down your window and roll up your sleeve. Cost of the vaccine is $29 and is covered under both Medicare and Medicaid.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone six months of age and older receive a yearly flu vaccine. The flu vaccine cannot cause the flu. Getting vaccinated is the first and best line of defense against the flu. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the immune system to fully respond to the vaccine and provide the body protection.

On average, more than 200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized each year for illnesses associated with seasonal influenza virus infections and it is estimated that more than 36,000 Americans die each year from influenza-related illness.

The flu virus is easily spread through coughs and sneezes and by touching something with the virus on it and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. That’s why good health habits are also important including staying home when you’re sick; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; coughing or sneezing into your elbow and not your hand; washing your hands often with soap and water; and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

For more information please call the McIntosh County Health Department at 912-832-5473.

For more information on the flu or flu vaccine, go to cdc.gov.

The McIntosh County Health Department, in conjunction with Susan G. Komen Coastal Georgia Affiliate, wants McIntosh County residents to wear pink on Thursday, October 15, when the McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers take on Bryan County at 7 p.m. The “Pink Out” is part of an effort to raise breast cancer awareness in the community.

McIntosh County Health Department staff will have a display set up at the game with important information about breast cancer screening along with free giveaways to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women and it is estimated that 40,290 women will die from breast cancer in 2015.

“Early detection plays a huge role when it comes to breast cancer survival,” said McIntosh County Health Department Nurse Manager, Paige Lightsey, R.N. “This event is our way of educating our own about breast cancer and letting our residents know about resources that are available to them when it comes to breast health.”

This is the fourth year that the McIntosh County Health Department used grant funding from Susan G. Komen Coastal Georgia Affiliate to provide breast cancer community outreach at a Bucs game. Up to 75 percent of the Affiliate’s net income goes toward funding grants to local hospitals and community organizations that provide breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs for medically underserved women.

The McIntosh County Health Department, in conjunction with Susan G. Komen Coastal Georgia Affiliate and the Southeast Georgia Health System (SGHS), will offer free breast exams and mammograms to women over the age of 40 who have not had a mammogram in the last year and who meet certain criteria, including those with no insurance or limited insurance coverage.

Mammogram screenings will be provided by the SGHS Wellness on Wheels (WOW) mobile health vehicle in the parking lot of the Bi-Lo located at 1338 North Way in Darien on Thursday, October 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For more information, please call the Health Department at 832-5473.

[JPG, 368.50 KB]