Hepatitis A vaccination continues as a high priority
♦ Public health officials have confirmed 50 new cases of the disease among Floyd County residents since June 2018.
Public health officials are offering a free vaccine to those who are not inoculated for hepatitis A after a recent spike in the disease.
Officials at the Georgia Department of Public Health have confirmed 50 cases of hepatitis A among Floyd County residents since June 2018. They’re urging people to get vaccinated for the disease.
“Hepatitis A continues to spread among Floyd County residents,” said Dr. Zachary Taylor, interim health director for the Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, “and we are working to stop it here before it becomes any more widespread. The best protection against hepatitis A is vaccination.”
The Floyd County Health Department, 16 E. 12th St., is offering free hepatitis A vaccinations during regular business hours.
No appointment is needed.
The recent cases are a significant increase since June of this year when only four cases were reported. Since June 2018, 761 cases of hepatitis A have been confirmed statewide. Of these, 320 cases, 42% of the state total, have been in the 10-county Northwest Health District, which includes Floyd County.
The 50 confirmed cases represent 6.6% of the state total. For perspective, the entire Northwest Health District normally confirms, on average, one hepatitis A case per year.
According to the CDC, Georgia is one of 30 states that since 2016 have experienced a widespread person-to-person outbreak of the highly contagious liver infection, which has hospitalized about 60% of Georgians who’ve recently gotten it.
“We urge individuals with one or more of these risk factors, especially illicit drug use, to get vaccinated,” Taylor said. “If you’ve had hepatitis A, you have lifelong immunity to the disease and do not need to be vaccinated. Also, since hepatitis A vaccination is required for school-age children born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, these individuals may not need vaccination. Health department staff can check your vaccination status if you are unsure if you were previously vaccinated.”
According to the Floyd County Health Department, 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.
For more information about hepatitis A and free hepatitis A vaccinations, contact the
Floyd County Health Department at 706-2956123 or visit https://nwgapublichealth.org.