Georgia Coastal Health District

By the time your child becomes a preteen, their childhood vaccinations are already wearing off, putting them at risk for potentially life-threatening diseases. Immunizing your child is one way to protect their health today and for the years ahead.

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) currently recommends that 11- and 12-year-olds [PDF] receive HPV vaccine (2 doses), Tdap, meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) and seasonal flu vaccines. Some preteens may also need to catch up on other immunizations as well.

ACIP also recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 5 years and older.  Learn more about protecting your preteen and teen against COVID-19 at COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens | CDC.).

Recommended Immunizations for Preteens 11 to 12 years

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) (2-shot series) to protect boys and girls from HPV-related cancers and infections
• Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine helps protect against some of the bacteria that can cause meningococcal disease, including sepsis and meningitis
• Tdap vaccine is recommended for protection against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough)
• Everyone 11-12 years of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year

Preteens may also need to catch up on other immunizations, including chickenpox (many do not have their second dose), MMR (measles mumps, rubella), hepatitis B, and COVID-19

All students born on or after January 1, 2002, and entering or transferring into seventh grade and any new entrant into eighth through 12^th grades, in Georgia must provide proof of an adolescent pertussis (whooping cough) booster vaccination (called “Tdap”) and an adolescent meningococcal conjugate vaccination (MenACWY).

Effective July 1, 2021, children sixteen years of age and older who are attending eleventh grade must receive a booster dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine, unless their initial dose was administered on or after their sixteenth birthday.

Check out the Immunization Schedules for All Ages. If you’re not sure if your child is up to date on immunizations, call your pediatrician’s office or health department.

Often when people hear the word “tuberculosis” they think of a disease that has been long gone, but the truth is, tuberculosis or TB is still very much a global threat.

March 24 – World TB Day – marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause TB. Dr. Koch’s discovery was the most important step taken toward the prevention and control of this deadly disease. Learn how new tests, shorter treatment regimens, and a focus on latent TB infection will help end TB in the U.S.

Too many people in our country still suffer from tuberculosis (TB).

The theme of World TB Day 2022 – Invest to End TB. Save Lives. – communicates the need to invest resources to fight TB. World TB Day is an opportunity to recognize our achievements in TB prevention and control and renew our commitment to eliminating this devastating disease in the United States. Clinicians, health care agencies, and community organizations, especially those serving populations at risk, have a critical role in TB elimination

The mission of the Georgia Tuberculosis Program is to control transmission, prevent illness, and ensure treatment of disease due to TB by using three strategies: Identifying and treating persons who have active TB; locating, evaluating, and treating contacts; and screening high-risk populations and treating latent TB infection (LTBI).

All Coastal Health District health departments have TB programs.

What is TB?
TB is a disease that usually affects the lungs but can attack any part of the body. TB is caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air when a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. Although a relatively small number of people exposed to the disease actually contract the infection, active TB disease can be life threatening if left untreated. TB is both preventable and curable. TB can also live in the body without making you sick. This is called latent TB infection (LTBI). Many people who have LTBI never develop active TB.

How is TB spread?
TB bacteria are spread through the air from one person to another. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.

TB is NOT spread by

• shaking someone’s hand
• sharing food or drink
• touching bed linens or toilet seats
• sharing toothbrushes
• kissing

When a person breathes in TB bacteria, the bacteria can settle in the lungs and begin to grow. From there, they can move through the blood to other parts of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain.

TB disease in the lungs or throat can be infectious. This means that the bacteria can be spread to other people. TB in other parts of the body, such as the kidney or spine, is usually not infectious.

People with TB disease are most likely to spread it to people they spend time with every day. This includes family members, friends, and coworkers or schoolmates.

[JPG, 484.19 KB] Latent TB infection means TB germs are in the body, but not enough to cause sickness or spread germs to others.

TB Symptoms
Symptoms of TB Disease depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB bacteria usually grow in the lungs (pulmonary TB).

TB disease in the lungs may cause symptoms such as a bad cough that lasts three weeks or longer, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs). Other symptoms of TB disease are weakness or fatigue, weight loss, no appetite, chills, fever, and sweating at night.

Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected.