ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to airdrop millions of rabies vaccine doses over several states, including Georgia, starting next month.
The initiative follows a health advisory issued last week by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to inform clinicians, health departments, and the public about recent increases in animal rabies activity and associated human exposures.
Officials say the Dalton project will cover areas in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee, distributing 648,000 ORV baits by helicopter and plane.
The goal is to prevent the westward spread of raccoon rabies by creating a continuous vaccine barrier.
Across metro Atlanta, multiple rabies cases have been reported in Lawrenceville, a dead bat found last month in the metro area, as well as in a dead cat found in May.
Residents are being urged by CDC officials to make sure their pets are up to date on vaccinations and to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure.
“Avoiding contact with sick-acting mammals and wildlife and seeking prompt medical care after potential bites or scratches can help prevent rabies,” CDC officials said last week.