Walker County Health Department Now Offering Flu Vaccines

Posted on by Joe Legge

Release submitted by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Northwest Health District

LaFayette, GA – The Walker County Health Department, located at 603 E. Villanow Street in LaFayette, is now offering flu vaccines.  Please call the health department at 706-638-5577 to schedule an appointment.

Public health experts say now is a good time for people to consider getting vaccinated for the upcoming flu season.  “Get your flu vaccine as soon as it is available each year,” says Tracy Pevehouse, nurse manager at the Walker County Health Department.  “There’s plenty of it available in our community right now, including at the health department, where we have the quadrivalent vaccine that provides broader protection against circulating flu viruses.  We also have the high-dose influenza vaccine, which is more effective for persons 65 years of age and older.”

Pevehouse says everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine by the end of October, if possible.  Flu season can start early, and it takes about two weeks after your vaccination for the full antibody effect to develop and provide flu protection.  That’s why it’s better to get vaccinated in early October before the flu season really kicks in.

“The flu shot will last through the flu season,” Pevehouse says.  “It’s never too early to get a flu shot, as we cannot accurately predict when the influenza season will begin, but it can be too late.”  Flu season usually begins in October, but can begin as early as September and last well into March.  Peak flu season in Georgia usually occurs in late January and early February.

Who should get a flu vaccine?  Everyone six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season.  Vaccination to prevent influenza is particularly important for people who are at high risk of serious complication from influenza, including:

  • Children younger than five, but especially children younger than two years
  • Adults 65 years of age and older
  • Pregnant women and women up to two weeks postpartum
  • Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
  • People who have medical conditions including asthma, chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

It is especially important to get the flu vaccine if you, someone you live with, or someone you care for is at high risk of complications from flu.  It’s also recommended that pregnant women get a flu vaccine during any trimester of their pregnancy.  There’s added value to the seasonal flu vaccine for pregnant women, too.  Not only does it protect them against the flu, it also protects their newborn infants, for up to the first few months of life, at a time when infants are too young to receive the vaccine themselves.

Acceptable payment methods include cash, credit-or-debit card, Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield of Georgia, Cigna, and United Health Care SHBP.

Walker County Health Department hours are Monday – Wednesday 7:30 am to 5 pm, Thursday 8 am to 6:30 pm, and Friday 8 am to 2 pm.

For more information about seasonal influenza and flu vaccines, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm

My Kids Have Paws offers low cost spay/neuter and vaccine services for Walker County residents

Posted on by Joe Legge

Rock Spring, GA – My Kids Have Paws will return to Walker County in October to host three spay/neuter + walk-in vaccine clinics.  The Dalton-based clinic offers many common preventative shots at a low cost to the public.

The My Kids Have Paws mobile clinic will set up shop at the Walker County Ag Center on Tuesday October 8th, Wednesday October 16th and Tuesday October 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The following services will be available:

  • Spay/neuter* (by appointment only, call 706-671-1104)
  • Exams
  • Vaccines (rabies, heartworm test, distemper/parvo, etc.)
  • Prevention (flea/tick and heartworm available)

 

*Spay/Neuter pricing

Female Dogs

  • 2 to 40 lbs – $80
  • 41 to 70 lbs – $90
  • 71 to 100 lbs – $100
  • Over 100 lbs – $110
    *no pregnancy or in heat fees

Male Dogs

  • 2 to 40 lbs – $70
  • 41 to 70 lbs – $80
  • 71 to 100 lbs – $90
  • Over 100lbs – $100

Domestic Cats

  • Under 5 lbs – $40
  • 5 to 10 lbs – $45
  • 10 to 15 lbs – $50
  • Over 15 lbs – $55

Feral Cats

$30 package
-Must come in humane trap
-Will be ear tipped
-Comes with rabies, revolution & pain medication

For more information about My Kids Have Paws Veterinary Service, call 706-516-4249, email: Info.MyKidsHavePaws@gmail.com or visit their website.

Northwest Georgia Health Departments to provide free hepatitis A vaccine clinics in May

Posted on by Joe Legge

This news release comes from the Georgia Department of Public Health, Northwest Health District:

Northwest Georgia Health Departments in Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon and Walker Counties will provide free hepatitis A vaccine to individuals at risk of the highly contagious, highly preventable liver disease every Friday in May. Clinics will be held at each health department on May 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, from 8 am to 2 pm.

Those at risk of hepatitis A include:

  • individuals recently released from jail or prison
  • men who have sex with men
  • recreational drug users
  • homeless or transient individuals
  • persons with close contact to someone with these risk factors

“We urge individuals with one or more of these risk factors to get vaccinated against this vaccine-preventable disease,’ said Dr. Unini Odama, Health Director for the Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District. “The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to practice good hygiene, proper handwashing, careful and sanitary preparation of food, and by getting vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus.”

Georgia is one of 18 states experiencing a large number of cases of the highly contagious liver infection.  Most of the Georgia cases are currently clustered in Northwest Georgia.  Therefore, we are encouraging everyone to actively prevent the spread of hepatitis A and we are asking healthcare providers to be aware of the disease and its symptoms, which include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, diarrhea, joint pain, and jaundice.

Hepatitis A Infographic

For more information about hepatitis A, the free hepatitis A vaccination clinics, and addresses and contact information for your local county health department, visit https://nwgapublichealth.org

Walker County Rabies Clinics Planned in May

Posted on by Joe Legge

LaFayette, GA – Walker County Extension and your local veterinarian have teamed up to provide low cost rabies clinics again this year.  Protect your family from a deadly disease by bringing your dog and/or cat to one of the locations listed below to be vaccinated.  The cost is just $15, cash only.  Vets will provide a certificate and tag.  Please note, although Walker County now allows pets to be vaccinated using the 3 year shot, this clinic will only be providing the 1 year vaccine.

Saturday, May 11:

Time Location
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Gordon Lee High School
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Rock Spring Elementary
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Naomi Elementary

Saturday, May 25:

Time Location
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Gilbert Elementary
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Walker County Animal Shelter
5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Chattanooga Valley Elementary