FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Immediate Release - Friday, December 21, 2012

Alachua County Health Department Urges Children and Adults to get Flu Vaccinations

ALACHUA COUNTY - The Alachua County Health Department (ACHD) urges children and adults to get the seasonal flu vaccine and to take precautions to limit their risk of exposure to seasonal flu, an infection of the respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus. Compared with most other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, influenza infection often causes a more severe illness. "The most effective precautions we can use to fight illness are getting vaccinated before flu season and practicing good hygiene regimes," said Anthony Dennis, Environmental Health Director, Alachua County Health Department. "With the holidays approaching, and many people traveling, these simple precautions may lessen your risk of exposure of the virus or transmission to others."

For more information, please see the entire press release.

NEW Services May 2, 2012!

Effective May 2, 2012 CLINIC hours will be as follows (affecting the GAINESVILLE CLINIC site):

Monday through Friday - 7:30am to 4:00pm*
Saturday - CLOSED
Sunday - CLOSED

On Wednesdays from 1:00pm to 4:00pm, available clinical services are: immunizations, tuberculosis, epidemiology, AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) eligibility determinations and medicine pick-up, STD test results and family planning triage.

On the first and third Wednesdays of the month, in addition to the above services, there will also be primary care and family planning.

These hours affect the main CLINIC site located at 224 SE 24^th Street, Gainesville, Florida. Clients are encouraged to make an appointment. For an appointment, please call (352) 334-7910.

Regular Health Department building hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.

Forms that can be printed and filled out prior to visits, that will shorten wait times, are available on our Expedite Your Visit page.

NEW Koppers Update For Stephen Foster Neighborhood

Alachua County Health Department and the Florida Department of Health releases the second report on cancer data (2001-2008)and EPA tests dust in 30 homes for dioxins: Update for Stephen Foster Neighborhood June 2012

The Alachua County Health Department (ACHD), Florida Department of Health (DOH), and the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) serve the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information about toxic chemicals at hazardous waste sites. Read the latest community update in the Update for Stephen Foster Neighborhood January 2012.

These documents summarize the Florida Department of Health's assessment of the health threat from exposure to contaminants in and near the Koppers hazardous waste site in Gainesville, Florida:
Review of Cancer Rates for Census Tract 3 (Containing Stephen Foster Neighborhood) March 2012
Update for Stephen Foster Neighborhood August 2011
Koppers Health Consultation Surface Soil December 2011
Cancer Inquiry Report for Stephen Foster Neighborhood June 2011
Koppers Health Consultation SF Neighborhood Surface Soil June 2011
Koppers Health Consultation Chicken Egg Dioxin Evaluation April 2011
Koppers Health Consultation for Springstead and Hogtown Creek May 2011
Koppers Health Consultation for Springstead and Hogtown Creek June 2010
Koppers Health Consultation Additional Off-Site Surface Soil from June 2010
Koppers Health Consultation Off-Site Surface Soil from July 2009

More information about the Health Assessment Program can be found at the Bureau of Environmental Public Health Medicine, Florida's Hazardous Waste Site Health Assessment Team website.

Off-Site soil data near the Koppers Superfund site and other locations is available at the following links:
Alachua County Environmental Protection Agency's website
Additional Koppers Information