Tag: health department

Central Shenandoah Health District Holding In-School Spring Vaccination Clinics for Middle and High School Students

March 14, 2025
Media Contact: Rachel Dumene, 540-480-4998

Central Shenandoah Health District Holding In-School Spring Vaccination Clinics for Middle and High School Students

STAUNTON, Va. – The Central Shenandoah Health District will be holding in-school vaccine clinics for rising 7th and 12th graders within Staunton City, Waynesboro City, and Augusta County Public School Districts this spring. The types of vaccines available at these clinics are human papillomavirus (HPV), Meningococcal ACWY, and Tdap. These vaccines are available at no cost for those with and without insurance. The Code of Virginia requires children entering daycare, and public or private schools to give proof of vaccination before enrolling in school. The vaccines should be given based on the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Family Physicians.

The locations and dates of these in-school vaccine clinics are below.

  • Skyline Middle School: March 18
  • Harrisonburg High School: March 21
  • Broadway High School & JF Hillyard Middle School: April 14
  • Spotswood High School & Montevideo Middle School: April 25
  • East Rockingham High School & Elkton Middle School: April 30
  • Turner Ashby High School & Wilber Pence Middle School: May 2

Additional schools may be added in the future. Parents are encouraged to visit our website for up-to-date information about the in-school clinic schedule www.vdh.virginia.gov/central-shenandoah/health-services/immunizations/

Those who qualify for the Vaccine for Children Program will not be billed. If a student has insurance, they must provide their insurance information since insurance will be billed. Parents must complete and submit to the school a signed consent form for their children to receive any vaccines at these clinics. Signed consent forms should be turned in to the children’s school prior to the clinic date. Without a signed consent form, children cannot receive any vaccinations.

“In-school vaccine clinics are one of the most convenient ways for children and parents to prepare for the next school year,” said Dr. Allison Baroco, Health Director of the Central Shenandoah Health District. “They don’t require you or your student to take time out of your summer, helping you complete one of the required tasks earlier in the year, and ensuring your child starts their next school year on time. Back-to-school vaccines are crucial for protecting children from serious diseases and preventing outbreaks in schools, ensuring a healthier and safer learning environment for everyone”.

Only students enrolled in the individual schools and their corresponding clinics may attend these in-school clinics. School required vaccines are also available at your local health department. For more information or to make an appointment, contact your local health department

To see which vaccines are needed for various age groups, review the Virginia vaccination schedule here: VIRGINIA VACCINATION SCHEDULE

Rabies Update in Central Virginia Health District

March 5, 2025
Media Contact: Madison Horacek, madison.horacek@vdh.virginia.gov

Rabies Update in Central Virginia Health District

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Central Virginia Health District is providing an update on the occurrence of rabies in the district, which includes the City of Lynchburg and Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell counties.  Since January 1, 2025, the district has received reports from the state laboratory that four animals have tested positive for rabies. The rabid animals include two raccoons, one skunk and one dog.  The rabid skunk was found in Lynchburg and the other three animals were found in Bedford County. In 2024, the district had 31 cases of rabies in animals, with at least one rabid animal in each of our five localities.

With the rabid dog case, our records indicate that the animal was up to date on its rabies vaccinations. Rabies in a properly vaccinated dog or cat is extremely rare, but health department protocol for animal bites recognizes the possibility. When a person is bitten by a vaccinated dog or cat, the animal is observed for 10 days, regardless of the vaccination history. This will confirm that the animal was not contagious for rabies when the bite occurred. We know that despite the rare “breakthrough” rabies cases, proper vaccination of cats and dogs is extremely effective for preventing rabies in both animals and people.

The Central Virginia Health District urges the public to take commonsense measures to protect themselves and their domestic animals from rabies.  Pet owners should keep their pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Virginia law requires that all dogs and cats four months of age and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and that vaccinations be kept current.

Additional steps that can be taken to prevent rabies in people and pets include:

  • Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
  • Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.
  • Do not handle sick, injured or dead animals. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabber if you have concerns about sick or injured wildlife. A list of permitted wildlife rehabilitators can be found at the Department of Wildlife Resources website (https://dwr.virginia.gov) or by calling the nearest Wildlife Resources office.
  • Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.
  • Do not try to trap or handle stray and wild animals. If a bat is found indoors and may have had contact with someone, do not release it. Call your local animal control officer or health department to determine if the animal should be picked up and tested for rabies.
  • Report all bites to people to the local health department for investigation.

If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your healthcare provider or the health department for further recommendations.

For more information about rabies, visit: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/animal-contact-human-health/rabies-control/

Petersburg Health Department Closed Until Further Notice

May 13, 2024
Media Contact: Julie Thacker, Julie.Thacker@vdh.virginia.gov

Petersburg Health Department Closed Until Further Notice
Services Are Being Redirected to Other Health Department Locations

PETERSBURG, Va. – Effective immediately, the Petersburg Health Department will be closed until further notice. During recent roof repair work on the health department building, the Petersburg Health Department discovered a potentially hazardous environmental odor. Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of staff and clients, the department has suspended operations until the cause of the odor has been identified and evaluated for potential health hazards.

In the interim, the Petersburg Health Department will be relocating its services and staff to other local health departments within the Crater Health District as follows:

Clinical Services — All appointments for clinical services including immunizations, family planning, STI, and the Men’s Sexual Health clinic scheduled for Monday, May 13 have been canceled to allow time for staff to relocate and will be rescheduled for a future date. The walk-in STI clinic scheduled for Petersburg on Friday will be held at the Hopewell Health Department, 1501 W City Point Rd. on Friday. Tuesday’s immunization clinic appointments will be held at the Prince George Health Department, 6450 Administration Drive.

Environmental Health — All environmental health services will be rerouted to the Dinwiddie Health Department, 14010 Boydton Plank Rd.; correspondence regarding all environmental health services can be sent to craterehs1@vdh.virginia.gov.

WIC — Scheduled WIC appointments for Monday, May 13 were moved to the Dinwiddie Health Department. Those with WIC appointments scheduled for the Petersburg Health Department on upcoming dates will be contacted regarding their new appointment location.

Vital Records — Vital Records services are provided each day 8:30-11:45 a.m. and 1:00-4:30 p.m. at each open health department location. For a list of all health department locations and contact information, go to www.vdh.virginia.gov/crater/contact/

For concerns regarding appointments, to reschedule an appointment, or for information regarding all other health department services, please call (804) 863-1652.

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Rabies Case Confirmed In Botetourt County

February 17, 2023

For more information, contact:
Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD)
Environmental Health Division 540-204-9928

TROUTVILLE, Va. – Health officials have confirmed the presence of rabies in the area of Mountain Pass Road, Troutville. A skunk was confirmed positive for rabies by the Virginia Department of Health on February 16.

Please contact the RCAHD Environmental Health Division or the Botetourt County Animal Control if you know of any possible human or animal contact with this skunk. Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. It is preventable in domestic animals through vaccinations but is fatal to both animals and humans if left untreated. Exposure to rabies is considered:

  • any time a bite or scratch (or other circumstance) allows saliva or central nervous system tissue from a potentially rabid animal to enter an open, fresh wound.
  • when rabid tissue enters a mucous membrane via the eye, mouth, or nose.

The Code of Virginia §3.2-6521 requires pet owners to maintain current rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats aged four months and older. Citizens should not approach or touch any wild or stray animals and should report any abnormal animal behavior to their local animal control dispatcher. All animal bites and rabies exposures (from wild and domestic animals) must be reported to the RCAHD Environmental Health Division at 540-204-9764.

To help prevent the spread of rabies, everyone should:

  • AVOID contact with wild animals and domestic animals you do not know.
  • REPORT unusual-acting animals.
  • VACCINATE your dogs, cats, and ferrets, and keep their vaccinations current.
  • CALL your doctor and the local health department if you are exposed to an animal with rabies. Call your veterinarian and local animal control if your pet is exposed to an animal with rabies.