Walker County Health Department

While we are beginning #COVID-19 vaccinations in Georgia, it is essential to continue to do your part to slow the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a mask, washing your hands, and practicing physical distancing. https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine

The Walker County COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline launches at 8:00 a.m. today. If you are in the Phase 1a+ category and need to get on the list for a vaccine, 706-670-1234 is now the number to call. The hotline will be staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Voccio Viewpoint for 1/15/21: Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, updates us on COVID-19 vaccines, the current state of the pandemic, and COVID-19 testing in Northwest Georgia.

Statement from the Walker County Health Department 1/14/21 Due to the overwhelming number of incoming calls from the public seeking appointments for COVID-19 vaccination, our phone system is overloaded but it is operable and has not crashed or been shut down. You may have difficulty getting through and may receive a message stating the phone system is down, but it remains operable. We are receiving incoming calls, scheduling appointments, and administering vaccinations. Ple...ase be patient and understanding as you continue to try to reach us by phone. Although our online appointment-registration portal for adults 65 and older is closed, if you previously registered online, you will get a call from us to schedule your immunization appointment. We wish we had enough vaccine available for everyone who wants it right now and regret we do not. Until vaccine becomes more readily available, we ask for your patience and understanding.

For the phone number of your local county health department, please go to nwgapublichealth.org and click on the name of your county at the top of the page.

The Voccio Viewpoint for 10/23/20: Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, updates us... on COVID-19 in Northwest Georgia. He also talks about flu and flu vaccination, offers some advice on how to recognize and avoid risky holiday situations, and provides tips on how to enjoy a less risky Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. See more

Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District gets his flu shot from District Immunizations Coordinator Mary Ann Long. Voccio urges everyone over six months of age to get a flu shot. This flu season is going to be more challenging than ever due to the added risk of COVID-19 in our community, Voccio says. Influenza and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different ...viruses. It’s possible for a person to get both the COVID-19 virus and the influenza virus at the same time or back-to-back, Voccio says. You can protect yourself and others from influenza by getting the flu vaccine as soon as possible this year, wearing a mask, practicing safe physical distancing, washing hands frequently, and staying home if you are sick with any kind of symptoms. Flu vaccine is available this year in all Northwest Georgia counties from a variety of sources, including private healthcare providers, retailers and pharmacies, and, of course, your local county health department. There may be some spot shortages of the high-dose flu vaccine for seniors. For more information on flu and flu vaccine, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu. Please contact your local county health department for information about flu vaccine availability there. Find contact information for all Northwest Georgia county health departments here https://nwgapublichealth.org/counties.

The Voccio Viewpoint for 10/15/20: Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, updates us... on COVID-19 in Northwest Georgia. He also talks about precautions people still should be taking, student quarantines in schools, sources of outbreaks, and flu season. See more

EVERYONE needs a flu shot. Yes, YOU! This #flu season, getting a flu shot is more important than ever. It's especially important for people who are high risk.... Tag @GaDPH in your flu shot photo w/the hashtag, #IGotMine. Find a flu vaccine near you: https://bit.ly/33D61L6

Public Health Career Opportunity: Information Technology (IT) Director, Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, Rome, GA. To learn more and to apply, go to the following link. Smartphone users please scroll to bottom of job description to apply. https://www.governmentjobs.com//information-technology-man

The Voccio Viewpoint for 10/8/20: Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, updates us ...on COVID-19 in Northwest Georgia. He also talks about counties with so-called "high transmission indicators" and what that means, why we're concerned about increases in positive cases in the 20-39 age group that are being followed by increases in the 60-plus age group, new guidance for Long Term Care Facilities that might make it easier to visit friends and loved ones in those places, and the acknowledgement by the CDC that aerosolized transmission may be a factor in spreading the virus. #VoccioViewpoint See more

The Voccio Viewpoint for 9/17/20: Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, updates us on COVID-19 in Northwest Georgia. He also addresses the difficult issue of quarantines for students who are identified by their school as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.

We're having to move our free COVID-19 testing in Catoosa County for this Saturday, 9/19, from the church to the health department. Testing will move back to the church on Monday, 9/21.

The Voccio Viewpoint for 9/10/20: Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, updates us on COVID-19 in Northwest Georgia and encourages everyone to get tested, especially close contacts of positive cases (on the tenth day of their quarantine) and, of course, anyone with symptoms. For a list of COVID-19 symptoms, please go here: https://www.cdc.gov//2019-n/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html