ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp said he does
not plan currently to impose any statewide mandatory curfews, business closures
or forced quarantines following the confirmed deaths Thursday of 10 people
infected with coronavirus in Georgia.
For the time being, the governor said he
will leave it up to local officials whether to shut down businesses or require
people to stay home. He is urging people to avoid social gatherings, wash their
hands regularly and call their doctor first before showing up at the hospital
if they are sick.
“We are all in this fight together and
together we will emerge stronger than ever,” Kemp said in an online news
conference late Thursday afternoon.
The number of positive COVID-19 cases
rose from 197 to 287 from Wednesday to Thursday among 35 Georgia counties,
while known deaths traced to the respiratory increased to 10. State health
officials expect to see more confirmed cases and deaths as testing continues
and the virus spreads within local communities.
Kemp’s office confirmed the deaths caused
by coronavirus as of Thursday include one in Early County, one in Fayette
County, four in Dougherty County, one in Floyd County, two in Fulton County and
one in Cobb County.
State health officials are prioritizing
tests for the elderly, people with chronic health conditions and health-care
workers at hospitals that are running low on protective gear. As confirmed
cases swell, Georgia is also beginning to set up a handful of “high-capacity”
regional testing sites coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
in parts of the state where the virus has spread especially quickly, Kemp said.
One testing site is being located in
Cherokee County to field demand for testing in metro Atlanta and in Rome, said
the state’s public health commissioner, Dr. Kathleen Toomey. That site should
be ready to open early next week and could have a capacity for 100 tests per
day, she said.
Another testing site will be located in
Albany, where dozens of people have already tested positive for the virus at
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Close to 500 more were still awaiting test
results Thursday, hospital officials said.
“We are seeing community transmission,
particularly in these hotspot areas,” Toomey said Thursday.
Kemp urged local churches to move
services online so congregants can avoid potential COVID-19 exposure. He said
there have been “several instances around the state” of people contracting via
in-person church activities.
The governor added state officials are
awaiting word from the federal government on how to roll out a vaccine for
coronavirus locally “when this becomes a reality.”
As for Georgia’s testing volume, Toomey
said the state health lab has purchased 500 kits that collect testing
specimens, which have been in short supply and will help boost the number of
tests that can be done per day. So far, health officials have conducted around
500 diagnostic tests at the lab while more than 1,300 commercial tests have
also been done, Kemp said.
Toomey said primary care providers who
lack the ability to conduct their own tests are being authorized to refer
patients to local hospitals or the state lab for testing. The state has also
set up a hotline phone number, 1-844-442-2681, for people to ask questions
about coronavirus and seek guidance on what to do if they feel sick.
“It’s going to take this collective
effort of working together to make sure we can combat this virus,” Toomey said.
ATLANTA – As
anyone who has ventured out on the highways in the last few days has noticed, the
coronavirus pandemic has reduced traffic volumes.
Traffic
across metro Atlanta during morning rush has been down 20% to 40%, Georgia
Commissioner of Transportation Russell McMurry told members of the State
Transportation Board Thursday.
“Seeing these
traffic volumes off is a good indicator people are heeding the messaging of
staying home,” McMurry said during the board’s monthly meeting, which was
streamed to most board members online as a safety precaution.
McMurry said
the Georgia Department of Transportation is driving home that message to
drivers on highways across the metro region with changeable electronic signs warning
motorists to stay home if possible, wash their hands frequently and avoid public
events.
There is a
down side to the reduced traffic. McMurry said the DOT is tracking what is
certain to be a hit on revenue the agency takes in from the state’s motor fuels
tax, although it’s too early to determine what that impact will be.
“We need to
get through this first week to see what the overall traffic volumes are like,”
he said.
McMurry said
the mid-year budget Gov. Brian Kemp signed this week provides the DOT with sufficient
funding through June. However, the outlook for fiscal 2021 beginning in July is
less certain, he said.
Meanwhile,
McMurry updated board members on the damage to highways wreaked by winter
flooding south of Interstate 20. Kemp declared a state of emergency in 120
counties two weeks ago due to flooding.
McMurry said
the worst damage to the state’s highway system was from a washout on Georgia
112 in Wilcox County. He said crews will have to rebuild 1,000 feet of highway
and replace four 60-inch pipes.
McMurry said
at least 50 counties have submitted requests for at least $15 million in
assistance, the threshold to qualify for aid from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA). Four two-person FEMA assessment teams will conduct
inspections in 30 counties during the next week, he said.
ATLANTA – The entire Georgia legislature has been urged to self-quarantine after a state senator tested positive for coronavirus Wednesday.
Sen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, started
showing symptoms including a fever and cough last Tuesday. He said he was not
diagnosed with the virus after seeking medical attention and started feeling
better, according to news releases.
On Monday, Beach appeared for nearly
eight hours at the Georgia Capitol, where around 200 state lawmakers and a
smattering of government staff members and journalists convened for a special
session. Two days later, after being tested on Saturday, Beach said his results
came back positive.
“I know many Georgians are praying hard
as we weather this crisis together,” Beach said in a statement. “And frankly,
I’d ask that they pray for me, as well as all the others in our state who are
going through this right now – and those who will soon.”
Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta).
So far, test results confirm 287 people have been infected with COVID-19 in Georgia including 10 deaths as of noon Thursday, according to the state Department of Public Health. The number of confirmed cases has risen steadily each day.
Additionally, COVID-19 cases in Southwest Georgia have swelled. Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany reported 43 patients have tested positive along with four deaths as of noon Thursday. Close to 500 more people in the area are still awaiting test results.
The General Assembly’s legislative session was in full swing until late last week, when lawmakers agreed to an indefinite suspension as concern over the virus’ spread ramped up dramatically. Lawmakers met again Monday for a one-day special session to approve emergency powers for Gov. Brian Kemp.
Top lawmakers in the state House and
Senate sent word Wednesday their members should self-quarantine for the next
two weeks. Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan noted the wisdom of suspending the
session and asked everyone to follow the advice of doctors and health
officials: stay home and avoid social interactions for the time being.
“Together, we can stop the spread of COVID-19 so that our medical professionals can focus on treating those most at risk,” said Dugan, R-Carrollton.
Kemp, in a radio interview Thursday morning, said he did not plan on being tested for coronavirus or self-quarantining after isolating himself from lawmakers at the Capitol since early last week. The governor urged people to wash their hands, limit social interactions and call a doctor first before showing up at a hospital for testing if they feel sick.
“This is a good example of why people need to do what we’re asking them to do,” Kemp said. ” If you are sick, do not go out. Just stay home until you can figure out what’s going on.”
Kemp’s staff said the governor was not in contact with Beach or any other lawmakers who may have been exposed to the virus.
For some lawmakers, the appearance of
Beach at the Capitol Monday after he started experiencing common symptoms of
the virus nearly a week prior was a source of anger and frustration. Rep. Scot
Turner, R-Holly Springs, wrote on Facebook that he was “shaking with rage” to
learn about Beach’s movements.
“I have an elderly hospice patient at home,” Turner said. “[Beach] irresponsibly stayed all day at the Capitol on Monday after being tested on Saturday and exposed all of us.”
Rep. Bee Nguyen, D-Atlanta, suggested Beach’s actions marked a blatant disregard for advice lawmakers received ahead of Monday’s special session that they should stay home if they felt ill.
“I was worried we were exposing ourselves,” Nguyen said. “And we were. And we might have brought that exposure back to every part of our state.”
Others, however, encouraged patience for leaders facing quickly changing scenarios on how to best react to the virus. Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, heeded his colleagues not to pass judgment on Beach as all 236 state lawmakers hunker down to self-quarantine.
“I’m not going to Monday-morning quarterback him,” Strickland said. “This is tough stuff, the first time any of us have dealt with this, and I don’t think it’s fair to make judgments.”
ATLANTA – Bars,
restaurants, hotels and retail stores across Georgia are bearing the brunt of
the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Restaurants
are closing the dine-in portions of their businesses to prevent the spread of
the virus and limiting their operations to drive-through and takeout orders.
Stores are
limiting their hours of operation, cutting employee hours or laying off workers
entirely.
Even
professional services businesses such as accountants are losing business
because they can’t interact in person with their customers.
“It’s
devastating,” said Jim Sprouse, executive director of the Georgia Hotel &
Lodging Association. “We’re hearing of massive layoffs. Hotel occupancy has
fallen off to virtually nothing.”
“At first,
everybody thought this was about Atlanta,” added Chris Clark, president and CEO
of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “We’re hearing from literally every part of
Georgia.”
Clark said
small businesses are being hit particularly hard because their narrow profit
margins give them less wiggle room. Nationwide, the average small business has
27 to 45 days of operating capital, he said.
A survey the
chamber conducted of more than 500 member businesses found 14% reporting they
have less than three months of operating capital. Another 25% have just three
to six months of operating capital.
Clark said
36% of businesses reported they have responded to coronavirus by limiting their
operating times, cutting back employees’ hours and/or limiting the number of
customers inside their business at one time.
“When you
have a Chick-fil-A that says, ‘We’re not going to have in-restaurant dining,’
that changes your operating model a lot,” he said.
Clark said
he’s encouraged by efforts at the state and federal levels to help businesses
and their workers affected by the public health crisis.
Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday that Georgia has received an official statewide disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which will provide assistance through the agency’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans program.
“This is great news for Georgia small business owners,” Kemp said. “Small business owners can apply for much-needed funding to continue operation and pay their employees.”
The Georgia
Department of Labor has issued an emergency ruling requiring employers to
electronically file partial unemployment claims on behalf of employees they are
forced to temporarily lay off. Filing partial claims speeds unemployment
insurance to workers faster.
“We are partnering
with the governor’s office and our federal and state authorities to make sure
we are able to get the citizens of Georgia paid,” state Commissioner of Labor
Mark Butler said. “We are working as an agency to provide innovative solutions
to meet the needs of our customers, even when information is changing every
day.”
At the federal level, the Trump administration is pushing a $1
trillion emergency stimulus package that could send two $1,000 checks to
affected Americans and $300 billion to help small businesses avoid layoffs.
Georgia’s two U.S. senators, Republicans David Perdue and Kelly
Loeffler, have sent a joint letter asking Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Credit Union Administration Chairman Mark McWatters,
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Jelena McWilliams, and SBA Administrator
Jovita Carranza to make sure small business have the flexibility and certainty
to protect their employees during the coronavirus crisis while still serving
their customers.
“Businesses
and their employees face unique risks and challenges from COVID-19,” the
senators wrote. “This is particularly true for small businesses and their
employees that are supported by the traveling public, including the hotel, hospitality,
sporting event, entertainment and restaurant industries. These small businesses
face staggering cash flow and liquidity challenges as travel continues to slow
as a result of COVID-19.”
Among other
things, Perdue and Loeffler suggested the federal agencies remove any
unnecessary barriers to SBA loans.
Clark said
there’s also a private sector alternative that can be brought to bear to help
affected businesses. He said this week’s decision by the Federal Reserve to essentially
reduce the U.S. benchmark interest rate to zero will make it easier for banks
to float loans to small businesses.
“We’re trying
to get small businesses to go to their banks,” Clark said. “They want to work
with them.”
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Georgia has grown steadily in recent days. (Image: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Public schools and colleges across Georgia were officially shut down Wednesday for at least a couple of weeks to help curb the spread of coronavirus in the state.
Around two million students enrolled in roughly
2,300 public schools, 26 state colleges and universities and 22 technical
colleges were left to continue their studies from home amid the outbreak. Most
had already closed their physical classrooms by the time Gov. Brian Kemp’s
orders for a statewide closure took effect Wednesday.
The state Department of Public Health reported 197 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of noon Wednesday, a number that has increased steadily in recent days as state health officials began more testing.
The governor, tapping into emergency powers the state legislature granted him Monday, ordered public schools and colleges closed until March 31. That date can be extended if he chooses.
“This measure is critical to
reducing local transmission in communities across our state, and I ask
Georgians to continue to follow best practices – washing their hands regularly,
isolating the elderly and chronically ill and avoiding large events if possible
– in the days and weeks ahead,” Kemp said in a statement.
Kemp also handed the state Department of
Education and Department of Public Health authority to ensure health, nutrition
and other well-being needs for students are being met, pointing to the critical
role free and reduced meal programs have for many Georgia public schools.
Nearly 60% of students enrolled in public
schools in Georgia are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches for the
2019-2020 school year, according to Department of Education data. Last week,
state education officials gained approval from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture to serve free meals at locations other than school grounds.
School districts across the state
followed suit, opening hundreds of off-campus locations for students to grab a
meal. The relaxed food restrictions mirror how free meals are served during the
summer months, according to the education department.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods
is also loosening requirements for year-end performance exams and assessments
including the Georgia Milestones tests and teacher evaluations. Woods said he
plans to ask the state Board of Education next week to suspend the requirement
that Milestones tests account for 20% of a student’s final annual grade.
“The focus should be first and foremost
on health and safety, then on flexible and creative ways to keep learning and
growing,” Woods said in a statement. “It’s common sense: testing and
accountability requirements should not place an additional burden on students,
parents, and educators during this time, and they will not in Georgia.”
Meanwhile, the roughly 330,000 students
attending public colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia
will be taking online classes for the rest of the spring semester. Resident
halls at schools including the University of Georgia, Georgia State University
and Georgia Tech will be closed for all except students unable to return home
or find other housing.
Courses were also shifted online through
the end of March for state technical colleges, affecting roughly 100,000
students enrolled this semester.
