Georgia Coastal Health District

The Chatham County Health Department is hosting an Emergency and Hurricane Preparedness Event on Friday, May 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the green space behind the health department building at 1395 Eisenhower Drive in Savannah. The event is free and open to the public.

This event will highlight important emergency preparedness information, including the Coastal Health District’s Hurricane Registry. The Registry is a list of homebound residents in coastal Georgia who cannot safely evacuate without support. Individuals on the Registry have certain medical conditions or functional challenges that make general evacuation difficult, and they have no other reliable transportation to evacuate.

“Preparedness is key to staying safe during a hurricane, especially for our most vulnerable residents,” said Dr. Chris Rustin, Director of the Chatham County Health Department. “This event is a great opportunity for the community to learn about local resources, get connected, and make sure everyone has a plan, including those who may need extra help evacuating.”

Individuals must apply in advance to be on the Hurricane Registry and receive evacuation assistance. Anyone interested in learning about the Registry and beginning the application process is encouraged to come out to the event and learn more.

In addition to information on the Hurricane Registry, there will be:

• Door prizes for the first 100 attendees
• Raffle prizes
• Emergency kit demonstrations
• Evacuation plan guides
• Local resource directories
• Information booths

Participants in the event include Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), Healthy Savannah, GROW Initiative GA, the Red Cross, and Safe Kids Savannah.

A dead bat found under a bed in a Savannah home has tested positive for rabies. The bat was discovered on May 16 in a house near the East Duffy Street. If a rabid bat is discovered inside a room where individuals have been sleeping, it is considered a potential rabies exposure. Bats have very small teeth, and a sleeping person may have been bitten without being aware of the contact. The individuals who were staying in the room are contacting their medical providers regarding rabies post-exposure treatment.

Rabies is a deadly virus that is primarily spread by infected animals. This is an important reminder that rabies can circulate in several species of wild animals in coastal Georgia, including raccoons, foxes, and bats. Residents are urged not to feed wild animals or attempt to domesticate feral animals, and pet owners are reminded to ensure their animals get regular rabies shots.

The Chatham County Health Department’s Environmental Health office has 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. 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 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.

Early detection of breast cancer saves lives, and the Chatham County Health Department is teaming up again with the St. Joseph/Candler mobile mammography unit to offer no-cost breast cancer screenings on May 27.

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Free mammograms will be available by appointment for eligible women at the Chatham County Health Department’s Midtown location at 1602 Drayton Street on May 27, 2025, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. The free screenings are open to women aged 40 and older without health insurance coverage.

Space is limited – appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling the Chatham County Health Department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program at 912-356-2946 or 912-307-9235.

Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in women. However, many cancer deaths can be avoided through regular screening. When breast cancer is detected and treated early, the chance of survival is greatly increased.

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 our BCCP web page.

There are two free HIV testing events happening in April where you can get a gift card just for getting tested!

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National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day: Testing event on April 2

On April 2nd, the first 50 youth and young adults to get tested for HIV at this event will receive a free gift card! Visit the Chatham County Health Department’s Midtown clinic between 10a and 4p for free testing.

National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD) highlights the impact of HIV in young people and raises awareness about ongoing efforts in HIV prevention, testing, and treatment for this population. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in the United States, 19% of new HIV diagnoses in 2021 were among young people aged 13-24. The CDC found that in 2021, 6% of high school students had never tested for HIV.

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National Transgender HIV Testing Day: Testing event on April 16

For National Transgender HIV Testing Day, we’re offering free testing at the Chatham County Health Department’s Midtown clinic at 1602 Drayton Street on April 16 from 10a-4p. We’re giving away free gift cards, safe sex kits, and more.

National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD) acknowledges the disproportionate impact of HIV on the transgender community while encouraging routine HIV testing, prevention, and care among transgender and gender non-binary people.