Georgia Coastal Health District

April 1, 2014 – What is public health? It’s helping people quit tobacco. It’s inspecting restaurants for potential causes of foodborne illness. It’s the prevention and treatment of HIV. It’s watching for signs of disease outbreaks. It’s making sure that residents who are most vulnerable are evacuated before a hurricane. It’s educating mothers-to-be on the importance of breastfeeding. It’s protecting children against diseases that can be prevented. It’s all of that and much more. Public health touches every life at one time or another. National Public Health Week (NPHW), April 7 – 13, is a time to spread the news about the value of public health.
“Public health continues to grow and evolve but preventing disease and promoting healthy communities will always be our goal,” said Diane Z. Weems, M.D., Health Director for the Coastal Health District.
NPHW 2014 will have daily themes:
Monday, April 7: Be Healthy from the Start
Public health starts at home. From family nutrition and maternal health to safety precautions and disaster preparedness, the first step the community takes toward public health are in the comfort of their own home.
Tuesday, April 8: Don’t Panic
Public health professionals help communities withstand the impact of a natural or manmade disaster by planning ahead, acting as a source of information during the crisis and helping to mitigate the long- and short-term effects.
Wednesday, April 9: Get Out Ahead
Prevention is now a nationwide priority, and as the public health system evolves, there are more options than ever when it comes to preventive health measures.
Thursday, April 10: Eat Well
The system that keeps our nation’s food safe and healthy is complex. Public health professionals can help guide people through their choices.
Friday, April 11: Be the Healthiest Nation in One Generation
For the first time in decades, the current generation isn’t as healthy as the one that came before. Communities need to band together to take a stance against this disturbing trend to make sure that children and young adults have bright, healthy futures.
For more information on the services offered at health departments in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties, go to www.coastalhealthdistrict.org.

March 3, 2014 – The 2014-2015 school year will bring changes for some children attending Georgia schools. Health department officials in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties want to make communities aware of those changes now, before the end of the current school year.
Vision, Hearing, Dental, and Nutrition Screening (form 3300)
It has been a requirement for parents to present a completed Vision, Hearing, and Dental screening form (form 3300) to school authorities for children entering a Georgia school for the first time. That is still a requirement; however, the form has been revised to include “nutrition” as a category. The nutrition category measures height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI). The new Certificate of Vision, Hearing, Dental and Nutrition Screening Form can be found by going to www.coastalhealthdistrict.org and clicking on the Immunizations and Vaccinations link under the Quick Links menu on the home page.
* (Children currently enrolled in the school Pre-K program should not be required to complete an additional form 3300 for admittance into the Kindergarten program).
New Immunization Requirements for Children Attending Seventh Grade
Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, seventh graders will be required to have the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) and meningococcal (meningitis) vaccines prior to entering school. Effective July 1, 2014, children born on or after January 1, 2002 who are attending seventh grade and new entrants into Georgia schools in grades 8 through 12 must have received one dose of Tdap vaccine and one dose of meningococcal vaccine. (“New entrant” means any child entering any school in Georgia for the first time or entering after having been absent from a Georgia school for more than 12 months or one school year).
“These are positive changes,” said Diane Weems, M.D., Health Director for the Coastal Health District. “Measuring a child’s BMI at an early age will help identify possible nutritional issues and vaccinating middle-school students against preventable diseases will help keep them and our communities healthier.”
For more information on tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, meningitis or the associated vaccines, go to www.cdc.gov.

March 3, 2014 – Babies Can’t Wait (BCW), Georgia’s statewide early intervention system for infants and toddlers with special needs, ages birth to three, and their families, invites interested persons to participate in a 60-day public comment period for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2014 Annual State Application under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Fiscal Policies.
For more information on how to submit input, click here:
3 2.19.14 REVISED Public Comment News Release Grant FFY 2 [DOC]

February 25, 2014 – The toll-free appointment call center (1-855-262-7670) for the Coastal Health District’s Women, Infants, and Children’s (WIC) supplemental nutrition program is now functioning properly. The call center, used for women who have questions about WIC services or need to schedule or reschedule WIC appointments, was previously out of service for a couple of weeks. The local call center number for Glynn and McIntosh counties (912-289-1810) is also working correctly.
The WIC program serves infants and children ages 1 to 5, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers (up to one year), and postpartum women (up to six months).

February 21, 2014 – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed the flu-related death of an adult male in Glynn County. This is the third confirmed flu-related death in the Coastal Health District. In addition to the death in Glynn County, there have been two confirmed flu-related deaths in Chatham County. There have been a total of 50 confirmed flu-related deaths in Georgia.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone six months and older get vaccinated against the flu. There are also several simple, everyday precautions people can take to avoid getting and spreading the flu including:
• Cover your cough (try to cough into the crook of your elbow, not your hand).
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. If soap and water is not available use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Clean common surfaces like countertops and desks.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth because germs spread this way.
• Stay home and away from others when you’re sick.
Flu symptoms include Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue.

February 13, 2014 – The toll-free appointment call center (1-855-262-7670) for the Coastal Health District’s Women, Infants, and Children’s supplemental nutrition program is currently not working. The local call center number for Glynn and McIntosh counties (912-289-1810) is also out of order at this time. The call center is used for women who have questions about WIC services or need to schedule or reschedule WIC appointments. WIC appointments can still be made by calling individual health departments at the following numbers:
Bryan County
Pembroke: 912-653-4331 Richmond Hill: 912-756-2611
Camden County
St. Marys: 912-882-8515 Woodbine: 912-576-3040
Chatham County
Eisenhower location: 912-356-2344 Drayton St. location: 912-651-2015 DFCS: 912-651-2190
Effingham County
912-754-6484
Glynn County
912-264-3961
Liberty County and Fort Stewart WIC clinic
912-876-2173
Long County
912-545-2107
McIntosh County
912-832-5473
Coastal Health District staff is working to resolve the call center issues and apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The WIC program serves infants and children ages 1 to 5, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers (up to one year), and postpartum women (up to six months).