Summer is a time to relax. Whether you are spending time at the pool, biking, gardening or even getting ready for school, the DeKalb County Board of Health has information available online at www.dekalbhealth.net to help you have an enjoyable and safe summer.

It's hard to stay cool in the hot Georgia summer without spending a little time at the pool. Beginning this year, the DeKalb County Board of Health is posting information online at www.dekalbhealth.net to let people know some simple ways to stay safe and disease-free.

Thanks to a partnership with the Georgia Division of Public Health (GDPH), DeKalb County is the first metro Atlanta county to post pool inspection scores online.

Pool inspection scores are not the only ones available online. For over two years, the DeKalb County Board of Health and GDPH have posted the county's restaurant inspection scores on dekalbhealth.net and the GDPH website, health.state.ga.us.

DeKalb County Board of Health's pool inspection score postings are updated twice a month during the summer and restaurant scores are updated monthly.

Injury Prevention

There is nothing like zooming down a hill on a bike or a scooter on a summer afternoon. You don't have a care in the world. Then you hit a pothole and go flying headfirst onto the hot pavement. Aren't you glad you wore that helmet!

The number of head and pedestrian injuries increases during the summer. Go to dekalbhealth.net to learn about injury prevention.

Mosquitoes and West Nile virus

Summer in Georgia is not complete without lots of heat, lots of humidity and lots of mosquitoes. Although there is little you can do for the heat and humidity, there are a few simple steps that you can take to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home.

At dekalbhealth.net, you can learn about the mosquito lifecycle and how to break it. Residents can request a mosquito assessment online. In addition, DeKalb residents can report dead birds online. Health officials track dead birds to help alert them to West Nile virus in the community.

By requesting mosquito assessments and reporting dead birds on dekalbhealth.net, residents play a critical role in controlling mosquitoes and monitoring for West Nile virus.

Back to school services

Even though it may feel like summer has just begun, DeKalb County schools begin Aug. 12. Before the back-to-school rush begins, bring your children by one of the Board of Health's health centers to get all the shots, screenings and forms needed to start school or day care this fall.

This year the Board of Health and Safe Communities of DeKalb are partnering in an effort to get children immunized early and to increase child safety seat usage. If your child weighs between 40 and 80 pounds and receives back to school services at one of the Board of Health's health centers before July 27, you are eligible to receive a voucher for a free automobile booster seat!

Check out www.dekalbhealth.net to find out what your child needs from the Board of Health to enter school or day care and to locate a health center near you.

Remember, the DeKalb County Board of Health and dekalbhealth.net are your resources for a healthy summer and a smooth transition back to school. Residents can also call 404-294-3700 for more information.

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