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 – 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.”
Rep. Patty Bentley tests out a new voting machine during a demonstration at the Georgia State Fair. (Secretary of State’s office)
ATLANTA – Concern for the safety of voters and poll workers due to the spread of coronavirus was behind the decision to postpone Georgia’s presidential primary from March 24 until May 19, elections officials said Monday.
Around 250,000 ballots had already been cast during the early voting period for the partisan contest before the precincts were closed Saturday amid the COVID-19 scare, according to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office. Elections officials were facing their first major statewide test of Georgia’s 30,000 new ballot-marking voting machines, which have been rolled out since summer to replace the state’s old touchscreen devices.
But as last week wore on, growing
concerns about the health and safety of voters and workers at polling places
led many poll workers to quit or not show up for training, said Janine Eveler,
Cobb County’s election director. The average age for poll workers in Georgia is
70, leaving them more at risk for harmful effects from the respiratory virus
than younger age groups.
The “dam broke” on Thursday, Eveler said,
after Gov. Brian Kemp gave a public show of support for school districts that
decide to close temporarily. Many of them proceeded to do so.
“We eventually said this is really going
to compromise the election,” Eveler said at a news conference Monday.
Raffensperger, also speaking Monday, said
his office decided to push the presidential primary back to May 19, when
primary contests for dozens of seats in Congress and the General Assembly will
be held along with many local races. The choice was made despite other states
like Arizona and Florida that are poised to press forward with their
presidential primaries this Tuesday.
“We did not make this decision lightly,”
Raffensperger said. “We made the decision in the interest of public health,
safety and security.”
Georgians who have already cast ballots
in the early voting period will not need to vote again for the May 19 primary,
Raffensperger said. Voter registration cards needed to sign in at precincts
should automatically remember that a vote was cast in the presidential primary.
The cards should only list down-ballot state and local contests on a person’s
ballot.
“Again, I cannot stress this enough: If
you voted early, your vote will count,” Raffensperger said.
State elections officials expect the 2020
fall election to smash turnout records in Georgia, with potentially 5 million
or more voters casting ballots on the new machines. Purchased for $107 million,
the new devices involving touchscreens and scanners have faced intense scrutiny
in recent months over whether they will ready for prime time.
As of Monday afternoon, 121 cases of coronavirus
had been confirmed in Georgia including one death. Schools and businesses
across the state have pivoted to studying and working from home for the time
being. Big sports events including NCAA college basketball’s Final Four and The
Masters golf tournament have been canceled or postponed.
Health officials and hospitals are urging
people age 60 and older and those with chronic medical conditions to avoid
crowds, keep their hands sanitized and prepare to stay at home for the
foreseeable future.
The Capitol building in Atlanta looms on “crossover” eve on March 12, 2020. (Photo by Beau Evans)
ATLANTA – As the Georgia Senate gaveled out Thursday, capping the most hectic day so far this legislative session, state lawmakers left the chamber wondering what’s next as the coronavirus outbreak grows in Georgia and the U.S.
The state legislature’s shutdown at the
height of its busiest stretch due to COVID-19 is one of the strangest things to
happen in the 27-year political career of Sen. Ed Harbison. He agreed lawmakers
ought to disperse, but sensed the moment was unique in the history of Georgia
politics.
“It is something entirely new for me,”
said Harbison, D-Columbus, one of the Senate’s longest tenured members. “It’s
got a funny feeling to it, I’ll tell you.”
As of Friday afternoon, 42 cases of the
respiratory virus had been confirmed in Georgia and one person had died from
it. State health officials have urged vulnerable populations like people age 60
and older and those with chronic health issues to avoid crowds, stock up on
supplies and prepare to stay at home in the event of a worse outbreak.
The General Assembly ground to an
indefinite halt after quick perfunctory floor meetings Friday morning.
Lawmakers now join several school districts across the state, the national
college basketball championship and the beloved Masters golf tournament in
Augusta in deciding to disband for the foreseeable future.
But the legislature, which wrapped up the
29th day of its 40-day session Friday, still managed to push out numerous bills
on the final “crossover” deadline by which legislation originating in one
chamber must advance to the other. Lawmakers passed measures on college hazing
crimes, voter precinct changes, anti-gang penalties and the ability of child
abuse victims to sue as adults.
“I think we got all of our work done,”
said Sen. Jen Jordan, D-Atlanta. “But it’s a mess. It’s a weird thing.”
The decision on when to resume for the
session’s home stretch will be up to Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan in the Senate and
Speaker David Ralston in the House. They said jointly Friday the legislature
would pick back up “at a future date to be determined.”
Legislation proposing changes to the
state’s foster care system, surprise hospital billing practices and a flat fee
on ride-hailing trips via Uber and Lyft hang in the balance without the General
Assembly in session. Lawmakers also still need to wrap up debate and adoption
of the state’s fiscal 2021 budget, which is their only legal duty under the
Georgia Constitution.
Budget makers in the legislature will
also be watching for signs of a slowdown in state tax collections should the
virus scare send consumer spending plummeting in Georgia. Gov. Brian Kemp said
this week he will pull $100 million from the state’s $2.8 billion reserves to
fund coronavirus prevention and response efforts. That route is being taken
over asking state government agencies to further reduce their budgets, with
lawmakers already having approved millions of dollars in cuts through June 30.
Meanwhile, some state lawmakers are
worrying about the impact the session’s abeyance could have on their
fast-approaching bids for re-election. More than 40 sitting state lawmakers
have drawn opponents in the May 19 primaries, but Georgia law forbids General
Assembly members from fundraising while the legislature is in session – which,
technically, it still is.
Sen. David Lucas, who faces a primary
challenger in his Macon district, lamented that he and others vying to keep
their seats could be at a disadvantage while the session waits in limbo.
“It has a hell of an effect on elections
when your opponent can raise money and you can’t get out and campaign,” said
Lucas, D-Macon. “Hell, this is campaign season. I’ve got opposition.”
For others, the danger coronavirus poses
to vulnerable Georgians cast a shadow on the daily humdrum of bill wrangling at
the state Capitol. Sen. Renee Unterman, who has served in the legislature since
1999, said the tense atmosphere created by the virus reminded her of how the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks brought a humbling perspective to the work involved
in chiseling Georgia law.
“It’s the same exact feeling,” said
Unterman, R-Buford. “Anytime there’s an emergency, automatically you become so
consumed with health, safety and welfare that other things become trivial.”
Gov. Brian Kemp calls for vulnerable residents to take precautions as coronavirus spreads in Georgia. (Photo by Beau Evans)
ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp urged Georgia residents to “come up with a game plan” for protecting their elderly loved ones and those with chronic health issues as concerns mount over a potential outbreak of coronavirus in the state.
The governor’s advice came as public schools and
universities closed across the state and the Georgia General Assembly was set
to press pause in the middle of the ongoing legislative session.
New cases have been confirmed in several counties including
Lee, Floyd, Barton, Lowndes, DeKalb and Cobb counties. Two people in Lowndes
County may have contracted the virus at a local church, Kemp said.
On Thursday, the governor and other state leaders working to
curb the virus’ spread emphasized the need for people most vulnerable to the
virus – those over age 60 and chronically ill – to avoid contact with crowds
and prepare to remain in their homes in the event of an outbreak.
“There is no need for people to panic,” Kemp said. “But
we’re also not going to sugar-coat it.”
Concerns heightened at the State Capitol in Atlanta Thursday
following confirmation of the first death in Georgia traced to the respiratory
virus, which has swelled to 31 confirmed or presumptive cases statewide in
recent days. A 67-year-old man who had an “underlying medical condition” died
after being hospitalized for COVID-19 at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in
Marietta last Saturday.
The novel strain of coronavirus is thought to spread largely
by “respiratory droplets” when someone coughs or sneezes after symptoms are
present, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms appear within two to 14 days of contraction and include fever,
coughing and shortness of breath.
Dr. Kathleen Toomey, the state public health commissioner,
said the state lab has been testing about 50 people a day for the virus and
expects to increase that rate to 100 a day with the arrival of more testing
equipment. She expects more private companies like LabCorp will start offering
their own coronavirus tests to help supplement state efforts.
Toomey, speaking Thursday, urged people experiencing
symptoms of nausea and malaise associated with the common cold to call their
medical providers first, instead of going straight to a hospital for testing.
She also said people with those symptoms should stay home.
“Please don’t go out if you are ill,” Toomey said. “We have
seen cases of people known to be ill who have gone out into the community.”
For now, Kemp said he is not ordering public schools,
universities and technical colleges to close as concerns grown over a potential
outbreak. He said he will support any decisions by local school districts, day
cares, colleges and businesses that choose to shut down.
“At this point, we believe local decision-making is the
right action,” Kemp said.
Classes at the University of Georgia, Georgia Southern,
Georgia State and all other schools in the University System of Georgia will be
cancelled for two weeks starting Monday. Atlanta Public Schools will also be
closed for at least two weeks. State government employees will also begin
largely working from home next week on orders from the governor.
The General Assembly will wrap up work Thursday and Friday,
then break until “a future date to be determined,” according to a joint
statement from Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston.
Speaking from the Senate floor, Duncan said he and Ralston
will decide when to resume the session after lawmakers have completed work on
Friday, Day 30 of the 40-day session.
“This decision was made out of an abundance of caution,”
Duncan said. “We will resume the people’s work once we determine a way to move
forward.”
A handful of bills have passed out of the legislature so far
this session, but the vast majority await consideration from one legislative
chamber or the other. The fiscal year 2021 budget also has not been settled yet
by both chambers. The General Assembly’s only legal requirement is to pass a
budget each year.
“Our hope and prayer is we are overreacting,” Ralston said
from the House floor. “But I’d rather do it this way than under-react.”
Georgia senators huddle after Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan announced plans to suspend the legislative session over coronavirus concerns on March 12, 2020. (Photo by Beau Evans)
ATLANTA – Georgia lawmakers are set to suspend the current legislative session indefinitely amid concerns over coronavirus following the state’s first death traced to the disease.
The General Assembly will wrap up work
Thursday and Friday, then break until “a future date to be determined,”
according to a joint statement from Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker
David Ralston.
News of the session’s suspension came
shortly after Gov. Brian Kemp held a press conference Thursday afternoon urging
Georgia residents to “come up with a game plan” for protecting their elderly
loved ones and those with chronic health issues, who are most at risk of
contracting COVID-19.
Speaking from the Senate floor, Duncan
said he and Ralston will decide when to resume the session after lawmakers have
completed work on Friday, Day 30 of the 40-day session.
“This decision was made out of an
abundance of caution,” Duncan said. “We will resume the people’s work once we
determine a way to move forward.”
A handful of bills have passed out of the
legislature so far this session, but the vast majority await consideration from
one legislative chamber or the other. The fiscal year 2021 budget also has not
been settled yet by both chambers. The General Assembly’s only legal
requirement is to pass a budget each year.
“Our hope and prayer is we are overreacting,”
Ralston said from the House floor. “But I’d rather do it this way than
under-react.”
The decision followed confirmation of the first death in Georgia traced to the respiratory virus, which has swelled to 31 confirmed or presumptive cases statewide in recent days. A 67-year-old man who had an “underlying medical condition” died after being hospitalized for COVID-19 at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta last Saturday.
Classes at the University of Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and all other schools in the University System of Georgia will be cancelled for two weeks starting Monday. Atlanta Public Schools will also be closed for at least two weeks. State government employees will also begin largely working from home next week on orders from the governor.
New cases have been confirmed in several
counties including Lee, Floyd, Barton, Lowndes, DeKalb and Cobb counties. Two
people in Lowndes County may have contracted the virus at a local church, Kemp
said.
On Thursday, the governor and other state
leaders working to curb the virus’ spread emphasized the need for people most
vulnerable to the virus – those over age 60 and chronically ill – to avoid
contact with crowds and prepare to remain in their homes in the event of an
outbreak.
“There is no need for people to panic,”
Kemp said. “But we’re also not going to sugar-coat it.”
The novel strain of coronavirus is
thought to spread largely by “respiratory droplets” when someone coughs or
sneezes after symptoms are present, according to the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. Symptoms appear within two to 14 days of contraction
and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
Dr. Kathleen Toomey, the state public
health commissioner, said the state lab has been testing about 50 people a day
for the virus and expects to increase that rate to 100 a day with the arrival
of more testing equipment. She expects more private companies like LabCorp will
start offering their own coronavirus tests to help supplement state efforts.
Toomey, speaking Thursday, urged people
experiencing symptoms of nausea and malaise associated with the common cold to
call their medical providers first, instead of going straight to a hospital for
testing. She also said people with those symptoms should stay home.
“Please don’t go out if you are ill,”
Toomey said. “We have seen cases of people known to be ill who have gone out
into the community.”
For now, Kemp said he is not ordering
public schools, universities and technical colleges to close as concerns grown
over a potential outbreak. He said he will support any decisions by local
school districts, day cares, colleges and businesses that choose to shut down.
“At this point, we believe local
decision-making is the right action,” Kemp said.
Concerns stemming from coronavirus were
not limited just to public health Thursday. One lawmaker, Sen. David Lucas,
rose shortly after the announcement that the session will be suspended to
express worry about state law that forbids fundraising activities while the
legislature is in session.
“How do we deal with the election and the
raising of money for a campaign?” asked Lucas, D-Macon.
“Senator,” said Duncan, “that’s not my
concern right now.”
