For a larger view click here. Map: Wellstar Health System
A construction and expansion project is getting underway at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, and a number of traffic and access changes have been put in place, effective today.
Wellstar sent out a news release Monday afternoon noting that the Church Street access to the hospital will be closed.
Also, the covered walkway from the Blue parking deck to the main entrance, also will be closed while the construction work continues.
Patients and visitors to the labor and delivery entrance will now use Kennestone Hospital Boulevard, off Tower Road, and follow the signs to the Blue parking deck.
Here’s more from Wellstar about what’s going to be different while the expansion is ongoing:
The main lobby entrance will remain open, as will Kennestone Hospital Boulevard, but the covered walkway from the Blue Parking Deck will not be accessible.
Visitors who park in the Blue Parking Deck can use the other sidewalk into the lobby or enter the hospital through the Purple Tower.
The new Labor & Delivery entrance location is covered, with ample space for curbside drop-off. The area will be open 24 hours a day and fully staffed to welcome and direct patients to their destination.
Signs will be posted on the construction barricades, in the parking deck, and in the hospital corridors to guide visitors to their desired location.
Traffic directors will be stationed outside the hospital lobby to help visitors navigate the changes.
The $263 million project includes a new patient tower that would replace the Baird Tower, which was built in 1964.
The new seven-story building would house expanded services for women and children and include more campus amenities and private rooms.
The project would be completed by mid-2025, if the Georgia Department of Community Health approves. A decision deadline is expected by Dec. 13.
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Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated health systems in Georgia, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced that it is expanding access to COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies at several of its eleven existing infusion locations, with Wellstar Cherokee Health Park being the first Wellstar facility to launch this program. Wellstar is the first healthcare provider in Georgia to join the mAb Health Equity Initiative.
Wellstar Health System is first expanding access to the mAb infusion treatment for eligible patients at Wellstar Cherokee Health Park, effective October 29, with additional locations rolling out in the coming weeks. With the expansion, Wellstar will be able to substantially increase the total number of patients receiving the therapy. Patients can receive the mAb treatment at Wellstar Cherokee Health Park location seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. To confirm eligibility for the treatment and book an appointment, patients should contact 770-956-STAR (770-956-7827).
If administered within 10 days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, the one-time therapy – administered through infusion – has been shown to be highly effective in neutralizing the virus and preventing symptoms from worsening. MAb treatment is used to help prevent the progression of the disease that might otherwise require hospitalization for people who are at high risk for developing severe COVID-19 illness and have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus or are unvaccinated and have been exposed to someone who has tested positive.
On March 17, 2021, HHS announced it was investing $150 million to increase access to mAb therapy for high-risk patients in underserved and disadvantaged communities across the country. With support from KPMG LLP, HHS is developing new prototype models for expanding access to mAb treatment, leveraging an existing network of healthcare partners, including Wellstar.
The therapy is the first COVID-19 treatment granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for outpatient use. A Phase 3 clinical trial showed that the antibody therapy reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by up to 70% in patients who received the drug intravenously compared to those who received a placebo.
To be eligible for mAb treatment, patients must meet the EUA definition of “high risk.” The FDA Emergency Use Authorization provides additional information on eligibility for mAb treatment. Treatment is offered regardless of immigration status, health insurance coverage, or ability to pay.
ABOUT CRUSH COVID
A treatment for COVID-19 is here and is available in every state at hundreds of locations across the country. With the help of KPMG, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), state and local health departments, and local hospitals and health clinics, eligible patients will have increased access to mAb treatment in a growing number of underserved and disadvantaged communities through this initiative. Authorized by the FDA, monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb) is available to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are considered at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.
To learn more about eligibility and find a treatment location near you, visit https://crushcovid.com.
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Under the leadership of Sheriff Craig Owens, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office will become the first sheriff’s office in the state to provide its detainees around-the-clock access to behavioral and mental health services.
Beginning Nov. 15, the Adult Detention Center will have a full-time psychiatrist on staff and be able to quickly assess, diagnose, and treat patients with mental health issues. The staff will also include psych registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.
“Many of the men and women in our custody would likely never have entered the criminal justice system if someone ensured they had access to quality mental health services at various stages of their lives,” said Sheriff Craig Owens. “From intake to discharge, we are committed to getting our detainees the help they need so they never have to walk back through our doors again.”
The new mental health program will utilize the American Psychiatric Association’s assessment and treatment plan formulation, leading to patient-specific support. The Sheriff’s Office and the healthcare team will place emphasis on suicide prevention and substance abuse support.
“Wellpath supports the Sheriff’s vision to treat our patients with the dignity and compassion they deserve by enhancing the mental health services being provided, said Zela Guirola, Group Vice President of Partnership Development. “We are committed to providing 24/7 mental health coverage, enhanced staffing, intensive programming, and discharge planning focused on finding resources to support inmates upon discharge back into the community. These soft handoffs to community resources will support the continuation of care resulting in better served communities.”
The Sheriff’s Office will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony when the program launches to celebrate the launch of this momentous shift in prioritizing detainee care.
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Last week we briefly mentioned an upcoming town hall focusing on youth mental health, as September is Suicide Prevention Month.
That’s taking place on Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. in the amphitheater at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road).
It’s being presented jointly by District 2 Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson and the Cobb Collaborative, a non-profit that works with struggling families and children.
Here’s more from the Cobb Collaborative about the issue, and how you can sign up to attend:
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. A very important component to preventing suicide is taking proper care of mental health. Approximately half of all individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition and research shows that 90% of them have experienced symptoms consistent with their conditions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), “Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10–34 and the 10th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.”
Awareness, advocacy, and action for mental health should begin early in life. Per the American Academy of Pediatrics, “It is imperative that we improve efforts around early recognition of mental health needs among children and adolescents and foster greater awareness of early warning signs. Early identification of mental health problems needs to be encouraged in preschool, childcare, K-12 education, health, child welfare, juvenile justice and substance use settings. Staff in these settings require additional training and technical assistance to understand the early warning signs of mental health problems, what to do about them and where to make referrals for further assistance.”
The event starts at 6 p.m. with a tabling session, followed by a speaker panel at 7 p.m.:
All are invited to come to listen to the panelists, have questions answered, and have an educational and enjoyable evening while learning about the importance of youth mental health. Register at: bit.ly/2YBNaQJ or via registration event link at www.cobbcollaborative.org.
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The Cobb Board of Health adopted a statement Tuesday urging schools to follow Centers for Disease Control guidance on mitigating against COVID-19, including masking of all staff, teachers and students over the age of 2.
The eight-member appointed board, called to an emergency meeting late Friday, voted 6-0 to approve what it called a “position statement” for public and private schools in the county.
The statement, read before the vote by chairwoman Dr. Carol Holtz, also encourages all eligible persons in Cobb (age 12 and older) to get vaccinated, and supports a “multi-pronged approach to protect students and staff.”
Cobb’s 14-day average of 845 cases per 100,000 people is several times above the “high community spread” threshold of 100/100K.
During the meeting, health officials noted that Cobb is experiencing “extremely high” transmission due to the Delta variant, and that pediatric case numbers and hospital admissions of children have increased dramatically.
It was clear from comments by board members and Dr. Janet Memark, the director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, that masks were the primary reason for the meeting, and especially regarding the Cobb County School District’s policy.
The health board cannot issue mandates or require policy changes.
Cobb is among the few school districts in metro Atlanta without a mandatory mask policy. Marietta City Schools mandated masks in late August.
“One child’s death is not worth not wearing masks in our schools, public and private,” health board member Wyman Pilcher III said, echoing the comments of several of his colleagues.
They included Cobb Board of Commissioners chairwoman Lisa Cupid, who called the current COVID-19 surge in the county “one of the most troubling issues of our time” that “could do grave harm to our community.”
Abstaining from voting was Cobb superintendent Chris Ragsdale, who emphasized during the nearly hour-long meeting that the district was following seven of the eight recommended CDC school-related protocols.
Absent from the meeting, which was viewed via Zoom by more than 800 people, was Marietta superintendent Grant Rivera.
“We are doing seven of the eight,” Ragsdale said, stressing that correct usage of masks, especially by elementary school-age children, is a challenge.
Ragsdale—who with Rivera is a member of the health board by virtue of his position—also said the statement read by Holtz was not the text he had received prior to the meeting.
After it was sent to him, he said he didn’t feel comfortable voting for something he hadn’t had a chance to read.
Ragsdale said the Cobb school district—with 107,000 students and 20,000 more teachers and staff—strongly encourages masks and vaccines, and appreciated updated quarantine provisions from Cobb and Douglas Public Health.
Since July 1, there have been 3,744 confirmed COVID-19 cases among students and staff in Cobb schools, representing 3 percent of the district’s population.
“Ninety-seven percent are COVID-free,” Ragsdale said.
For each of the last three weeks, nearly 1,000 cases have been reported in the Cobb school district, and for 10 days the entire 5th grade at East Side Elementary School in East Cobb went to remote learning due to an outbreak.
But Memark—who posted several slides with high transmission and pediatric hospitalization data—said it was important to “use as many of the tools as possible” to curtail the spread of the virus.
She said that since August, roughly 25 percent of all COVID-19 cases in Cobb have been between the ages of 5-17, as well as 136 outbreaks and four pediatric deaths.
“There is a lot of significant transmission happening in those groups,” she said.
The health board’s statement in part addressed that as follows:
“Hospitalizations in school-aged children are also the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. The fact that many of these children are not eligible to be vaccinated and have been shown to spread the virus to others has been concerning since the beginning of this school year.”
“Each school system has their own unique challenges to meet the needs of students and faculty and we respect their authority to make the final decisions. All questions regarding school protocols should be directed to the relevant school district.”
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The Cobb County Board of Health will hold a special meeting Tuesday to discuss COVID-19 policy in schools.
The meeting takes place at 5 p.m. and can be seen via Zoom at this link; registration is required.
The meeting notice, issued late Friday afternoon by Cobb and Douglas Public Health, says the only item of business is “Position Request for Consideration: COVID-19 Guidance in public and private schools in Cobb County.”
The health board is made up of eight people, including Lisa Cupid, Chairwoman of the Cobb Board of Commissioners; Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale; Marietta City Schools Superintendent Grant Rivera; Marietta Marietta Steve “Thunder” Tumlin; and four others by appointment.
They include retired banking executive Wyman Pilcher by the City of Marietta. The Cobb Board of Commissioners appointees are Paula Greaves, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist with the Wellstar Health System; Pete Quinones, CEO of Metro Ambulance Service; and the health board’s chairwoman, Dr. Carol Holtz, a retired nursing professor at Kennesaw State University.
The call for the “emergency” meeting comes as COVID-19 case numbers remain high with the Delta variant. As of Friday, the 14-day average of cases per 100,000 people in Cobb County is 814, several times above the “high community spread” threshold of 100/100K.
According to Georgia state law, county health boards can “take such steps as may be necessary to prevent and suppress disease and conditions deleterious to health and to determine compliance with health laws and rules, regulations, and standards adopted thereunder.”
On Aug. 19, Cupid issued a 30-day emergency declaration in Cobb County, shortly after County Manager Jackie McMorris issued a mask mandate for indoor county facilities.
For the third consecutive week, the Cobb school district reported active COVID-19 cases in the 1K range, with an unknown number of other absences due to quarantine provisions.
While Marietta made masks mandatory in schools last month, Cobb is one of the few school districts in metro Atlanta with a masks-optional policy.
At a Cobb Board of Education meeting last month, Ragsdale announced revisions to quarantine guidelines but that masks, while “strongly encouraged,” would remain optional, saying he wanted parents to have a choice regarding their children.
There were two pro-mask rallies at Cobb school district headquarters last month that were met by counter-protestors, and parents on both sides of the issue spoke out at the August school board meeting.
The Centers for Disease Control has been urging indoor mask usage in schools, as has Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health.
In early August, Cobb and Douglas Public Health issued a statement after a new Georgia Department of Public Health order that “each school system has their own unique challenges to meet the needs of students and faculty and we respect their authority to make the final decisions.”
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From the office of Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson:
September is Suicide Prevention Month, so we are partnering with Cobb Collaborative to host a town hall regarding youth mental health.
On Tuesday, Sept. 14 at Sewell Mill Library at 6 p.m. we will have a tabling event where various organizations around Cobb will be present to answer questions regarding their mental health resources. We will have a panel of experts to talk about the subject starting at 7 p.m. at the amphitheater behind the library. We will use the black box theater inside should we face inclement weather.
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Cobb County Public Library is presenting the Community Health Expo at the Charles D. Switzer Library, 266 Roswell Street in downtown Marietta, on Saturday, August 7 from 11 am to 2 pm.
The Expo will feature physical and mental health resources offered in the Cobb community by organizations engaged in promoting improved quality of life, said Renate Elliott, supervisor of the library’s Accessibility Services Department. The drop-in program is free and open to the public; no registration is required.
Georgia Mobile Audiology, a program of the state Department of Education, will provide free hearing screenings for children during the event and share information with parents and providers on positive language and literacy outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children.
“The Georgia Mobile Audiology team is on the road to address barriers of healthcare access of underserved deaf and hard of hearing children and provide critical support for families facing hearing loss challenges,” Elliott said. “We are very glad for this opportunity to elevate conversations and awareness of audiological services in our community.”
Participating organizations in the Expo also include Georgia Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Safe Kids Cobb County, NAMI Cobb, Cobb Community Services Board, and Cobb Senior Services.
The Expo is intentionally designed to introduce organizations providing a range of resources for health, including behavioral challenges and developmental disabilities, and will be empowering for Cobb adults and children seeking wellness and safety net services, library officials said.
For information on the Community Health Expo and resources of the Cobb County Public Library, visit www.cobbcounty.org/library or call 770-528-2320.
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Atlanta Treatment Center (ATC), a mental health agency, is relaunching the company with a celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, July 28 at 3 p.m. ATC reopened its doors on July 1st with the goal of being a valuable partner in the community.
The agency’s celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony is open to the public. Local officials from the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce and community business leaders will attend the celebration.
“ATC’s goal is to journey with each of our clients as well as the community,” stated Ufuoma Oyibo, Chief Executive Officer. “We want to give our clients a holistic approach with them driving the treatment and our team guiding. We give our clients the opportunity to go at their own pace as we embrace the healing journey together.”
ATC is committed to providing quality treatment and services to our clients and maintain a valued partnership with the community. ATC wants the community to remember that someone cares.
Atlanta Treatment Center is located at 1755 The Exchange; click here to visit website.
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Wellstar Kennestone Hospital celebrated its 71st anniversary by hosting an ice cream social to thank team members for providing care to the community.
Submitted information and photo:
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, the largest hospital in the nationally recognized non-profit Wellstar Health System, is celebrating its 71st anniversary. In addition, Wellstar Kennestone is marking a year of significant accomplishments and accolades that include national emergency and trauma care designations, as well as community and national recognition for service and care excellence.
“Wellstar Kennestone Hospital has proudly provided lifesaving and compassionate care to Georgians for 71 years,” said Mary Chatman, Wellstar Health System executive vice president and president of Wellstar Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals. “We are an integral part of the community we serve, and so grateful for the support we have received over the past year, which has been especially challenging for everyone.”
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Supporting the highest blood donor shortage since COVID-19 hit, Town Center at Cobb will hold an American Red Cross blood drive from Weds, June 9-Thurs, June 10 from 12-5 p.m.
Blood donations provide patients with necessary, life-saving treatment. According to the American Red Cross:
Someone needs blood every two seconds in the U.S.
One in seven hospital patients need blood
Just one pint of blood can save up to three lives
Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed in the U.S. every day
Approximately 38% of red blood cells are needed in the U.S. every day
The American Red Cross supplies approximately 40% of the nation’s blood supply
WHERE:Town Center at Cobb – Upper Level JCPenney Wing 400 Ernest Barrett Pkwy Kennesaw, GA 30144
WHEN: Weds, June 9-Thurs, June 10 12-5 p.m.
HOW: Visit redcrossblood.org using sponsor code ‘tcac’ to schedule an appointment in advance. Donors receive a free gift while supplies last. Appointments are recommended but are not required.
The Red Cross is following FBA blood donation eligibility guidance for potential donors who have received a COVID-19 vaccination. To determine eligibility, donors that have received a vaccine should know the name of the manufacturer. To learn more, please visit redcrossblood.org.
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Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia with the largest trauma network in the state, announced that Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Trauma Center has been verified as one of only four Georgia Level II Trauma Centers by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes the Trauma Center’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. Building on Wellstar’s commitment to healthcare excellence, the System was named a top-five finalist for the American Hospital Association’s 2021 Quest for Quality Prize and had 130 physicians – representing almost 26% of the total list – named as Georgia Trend “Top Doctors.”
Wellstar operates the largest trauma network in Georgia, with Wellstar Kennestone’s new state-of-the-art Emergency Department, which opened in July 2020, being one of the largest and busiest in the nation. Wellstar Kennestone provides comprehensive trauma care, with 24/7 access to on-site trauma, critical care trained surgeons, and a wide range of surgical subspecialties to consistently meet the needs of the most seriously injured patients following the highest care, quality and safety standards.
Established by the ACS in 1987, the Committee on Trauma’s (COT) Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers. Participants provide the hospital resources and level of care necessary to address the needs of all injured patients across the entire trauma continuum of care. Trauma center verification provides a structure for trauma care that can raise the overall level of performance throughout a hospital. This prestigious verification recognizes the Wellstar Kennestone Trauma Center’s commitment to providing the highest quality of care for injured patients, spanning community outreach and injury prevention efforts, emergency trauma, operative care, critical care, and rehabilitation.
“Receiving this verification further validates the exceptional life-saving care we provide at Wellstar Kennestone for patients who have suffered from all ranges of traumatic injury,” said Mary Chatman, Wellstar Health System executive vice president and president of Wellstar Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals. “We are so proud of the Trauma Center team’s commitment to ensuring that all patients get the appropriate care in a timely and coordinated manner because our communities rely on Wellstar to provide the very best care for every person, every time.”
Trauma is the leading cause of death and disability between ages 0-44, and the fourth leading cause of death overall. According to the Georgia Trauma Foundation, nine main causes account for 92.1% of trauma in Georgia. The leading causes of major trauma are motor vehicle crashes (37.7%); falls (22.2%); gunshot wounds (8.0%); motorcycle crashes (5.4%); pedestrian incidents (5.2%); assaults (4.3%); accidents (4.0%); stab wounds (2.9%) and all-terrain vehicle crashes (2.4%).
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Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, is celebrating team members as “Vital Valentines” for providing extraordinary and compassionate care during the pandemic. The systemwide appreciation campaign honors all team members with special customized and heartfelt messages of support from Wellstar leaders.
When: From Feb. 10 to Feb. 14, Wellstar will distribute appreciation notes to all team members, including Valentine’s Day cards and candy hearts with customized Wellstar messages. Employees will also have the opportunity to share and acknowledge co-workers with notecards or recognize a team member by making an online donation to the Employee Assistance Fund in the honoree’s name.
Wellstar has launched a systemwide appreciation campaign to honor all team members as “Vital Valentines.”
Community Participation: Wellstar also encourages the public to join in celebrating Wellstar team members by following Wellstar social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day. The community is invited to share photos, words of encouragement, and other appreciation items on social media by using the hashtag #vitalvalentines. Also, we’ve partnered with the Wellstar Foundation for anyone who would like to make a donation honoring a Wellstar physician, caregiver or team member by visiting www.wellstar.org/wccg. 100% of the donation will support the Foundation’s Emergency Assistance Fund, which offers emergency financial support to our healthcare workers and team members who experience unforeseen catastrophic events.
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UPDATED MONDAY, Jan. 11: The Cobb and Douglas Public Health COVID appointment page crashed Monday morning, due to “overwhelming response.” We’ll update when the page comes back online.
ORIGINAL POST
Cobb and Douglas Public Health announced Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccinations will be available for residents according to a priority list starting Thursday at Jim Miller Park.
The vaccinations will be administered by appointment only, and starting Thursday only for those eligible under Phase 1A—healthcare workers on the front lines. Here’s what the health agency is saying about those in that group:
“A vaccination appointment system has been created exclusively for Phase 1A participants and they will receive an email from CDPH on how to register after they complete the enrollment form. Participants in Group 1A will be asked for proof of healthcare personnel status and priority will be given to Cobb and Douglas County residents.”
Starting Tuesday, Jan. 12, those in Phase 1A+ will be able to get vaccinations. Those include public safety workers and any individuals age 65 and older. Cobb and Douglas Public Health said it will open an appointment system on Monday on its website.
For both of those groups, here’s how the vaccinations will take place:
“Participants will be asked to remain on-site for 15 minutes for post-vaccination observation. No walk-up appointments are available—participants must remain in their vehicle to receive the vaccine and be accessible to clinical staff providing the shot.”
Jim Miller Park is located at 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta. It’s been a full-time COVID-19 testing location for Cobb and Douglas Public Health since April and is conducting tests there and at other locations in Cobb; you can sign up to get tested by clicking here.
Shortly before Christmas, Cobb and Douglas Public Health workers received the Moderna vaccine as part of an initial shipment of more than 150,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Georgia.
Private and other health care providers are also preparing to administer the vaccine starting next week.
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CDPH staff member Nicholas Hayes administers COVID-19 vaccine at the Marietta Public Health Center.
Submitted information and photo:
Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) has received the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and began providing vaccinations to staff wishing to be vaccinated on the CDPH Marietta campus. This will be followed by vaccine administration to district healthcare personnel working on the front lines of the pandemic, and residents of local long-term care facilities, starting this week.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, as of Dec. 22, more than 125,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and more than 30,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been shipped to Georgia.
Janet Memark, MD, District Health Director said, “After 10 very long months of fighting this virus on the front lines, CDPH is so excited to be able to provide some protection to our district healthcare workers so that they can continue to serve our residents while also protecting themselves and their families.”
A spokeswoman for Cobb and Douglas Public health could not say how many doses were administered, and to how many employees, but said the vaccinations will continue for frontline workers this week.
Doses of the Moderna vaccine also will go to organizations like CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), which partners with CDPH to conduct COVID testing.
She said other doses will be distributed “to independent healthcare providers who have not secured their own supply.”
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
To view details of the hover map, click here. Source: Georgia DPH
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, the 14-day average number of daily reported cases in Cobb County has surpassed 600 per 100,000 people.
According to the latest figures from the Georgia Department of Health, Cobb’s current rate is 601 per 100,000, well above the “high community spread” metric.
Since October, when the county’s figure briefly dipped below 100—the threshold for what public health officials consider high community spread—that number has been on a sharp rise.
While Cobb’s climb has prompted two “surge alerts” over the last three weeks from Dr. Janet Memark, the Cobb and Douglas Public Health director, other areas of the state, particularly in rural counties of northeast Georgia, have seen that 14-day average shoot above 1,000.
Statewide the 14-day average is 619 confirmed cases per 100,000.
Memark’s alerts also were issued with the holiday season in mind. Last week, she wrote her most urgent message yet, warning of a “dire situation” as the combined PCR and antigen test figure soared close to 700.
On Tuesday, 347 more cases were confirmed in Cobb, continuing a trend of reported cases at or above 300 since early December, including a single-day record of 464 on Dec. 18.
Also on Tuesday, 6,242 more cases were confirmed across Georgia, a single-day record for reported cases.
Those figures do not specify what’s known as the “date of onset”—or when someone reports having COVID symptoms and gets tested. Georgia DPH keeps a tally of those figures, and they have been sharply rising as well over the last three months.
Cobb set—for now—a record of 446 date of onset cases on Dec. 14. That’s a provisional figure, since it comes within a 14-day window. On the same day, a record 5,379 cases also were comfirmed in Georgia, although that too is a number that is likely to be revised.
Since March, Cobb has 33,330 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 537 deaths, including six more reported Tuesday.
In East Cobb, a ZIP Code swipe map updated Monday by Commissioner Bob Ott (above, with school icons shown in blue) shows 8,038 confirmed COVID cases and 120 deaths, broken down as follows:
30062: 2,349 cases, 30 deaths
30066: 2,150 cases, 30 deaths
30067: 2,044 cases, 23 deaths
30068: 1,227 cases, 35 deaths
30075: 268 cases, 2 deaths
The case totals for ZIP Code 30062 are the second-highest in Cobb County, trailing the Powder Springs ZIP Code of 30127, where 2,652 cases have been reported. (They’re also the two biggest ZIP Codes in the county, with respective populations of 65,662 and 66,395.)
In Georgia there have been 518,902 cases and 9,503 deaths since March, with 52 more fatalities reported Tuesday.
The rate of hospitalizations also has been a concern for public health officials in recent weeks. According to a statewide dashboard, 83 percent of in-patient hospital beds are currently in use; for ICU beds it’s 87.7 percent of capacity and for emergency beds it’s 60 percent.
In Cobb and Douglas counties (Region N) 90 percent of 1,287 total beds are currently in use.
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Initial COVID vaccine shipments being stored at Kennestone Hospital. Source: Wellstar Health System
Submitted information:
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is launching a vaccine dashboard that will track the number of providers enrolled to give vaccines, allocations and shipments from vaccine manufacturers, and vaccines administered. The dashboard will reflect the previous day’s totals, and will be updated Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. The dashboard can be found on the DPH website at https://dph.georgia.gov.
The Food and Drug Administration granted Emergency Use Authorization to Moderna for its COVID-19 vaccine Dec. 18, 2020. Georgia’s first allocation of Moderna vaccine is 174,000 doses and shipments are expected to begin arriving today through Wednesday. These shipments will be sent directly to providers.
DPH is also anticipating a second allocation of 60,000 Pfizer vaccine doses this week of which 20,000 will be set aside for long-term care facilities, specifically skilled nursing facilities, to begin vaccination Dec. 28. Most long-term care facilities in Georgia are working with CVS and Walgreens on vaccine administration to residents and staff.
It is important to note that Pfizer only ships Sunday through Thursday to avoid vaccine arriving over the weekend when some facilities are closed and to avoid issues for facilities without ultracold storage that are using dry ice for temperature control. The remaining 10,000 doses of vaccine from the first Pfizer allocation of 84,000 will arrive at facilities today.
There are more than 537,000 healthcare workers in Georgia, and as of Friday, the state had received approximately 72,000 doses of vaccine. With the expected Moderna shipment and second allocation of Pfizer vaccine, that number will more than quadruple over the next several days, providing greater access to vaccine for more healthcare workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. It is up to each provider to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for prioritizing vaccination among their staff, as well as adhering to the vaccine provider agreement they signed when they enrolled as a provider. This will help ensure that vaccine is administered first to those healthcare workers in direct contact with COVID-19 patients or those who handle COVID-19 materials.
As both Pfizer and Moderna are able to ramp up production of vaccine in the coming days and weeks, supply should better meet demand for each phase of allocation and administration. Until that time, providers and the public are urged to be patient as we work together to get vaccine distributed in the most efficient and equitable way possible. The criteria for allocating vaccine is based, first and foremost, on supply and shipping, neither of which DPH controls. DPH does use the following criteria for allocation of vaccine to providers:
Number of individuals within a defined group (phase) to be immunized
Previous allocations of vaccine doses received
Number of doses used from previous allocation
Ultracold storage capacity and ability to use large number of doses versus smaller may determine Pfizer versus Moderna allocation
Geographic considerations and access in rural/underserved areas of Georgia
Healthcare workers have several options for getting vaccinated:
Health care workers affiliated with a health care system (hospital, clinic or private practice) or pharmacy should contact their respective facilities about the process for vaccinating eligible employees.
Health care workers with access to a community hospital or pharmacy can seek vaccination there.
Health care workers without access to these facilities – including those who have started the enrollment process to become a COVID-19 vaccine administration site but have not yet been approved – should contact their district health office (https://dph.georgia.gov/media/60761/download) for vaccination
All Georgians are urged to continue to follow basic COVID-19 prevention measures: wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently and follow the guidance of Public Health and the guidelines in the Governor’s Executive Order.
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Wellstar Health System announced Thursday that it’s received 3,900 doses of Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines, which will be administered voluntarily to its frontline staff.
Some of those workers were getting the vaccine on Thursday at Kennestone Hospital. According to a Wellstar press release, they include those in emergency and intensive-care departments, urgent care, skilled nursing facilities, paramedics and adult and pediatric primary care offices.
Wellstar said another shipment will be coming next week as part of the first phase of vaccine distribution, and that those in line to be vaccinated are essential workers and individuals ages 16 and older.
The Georgia Department of Public Health determines how an estimated 84,000 doses of vaccines are being distributed across the state.
More from Wellstar about the vaccine rollout can be found by clicking here.
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This was the scene Monday morning westbound on Roswell Road between East Piedmont Road and Sewell Mill Road: Long lines at a rapid COVID-19 pop-up facility at East Cobb United Methodist Church.
Conducted by Viral Solutions, a private company, the rapid-testing set-up includes a drive-through tent in the parking lot of the church sanctuary.
No appointments are needed, and there are no out-of-pocket costs for the tests, according to Viral Solutions, which says it’s accepting all forms of insurance.
These are the standard “PCR” tests, which detect the presence of the COVID-19 virus, and they’re the most common form of COVID test. The test results are reported in 24-36 hours.
This is one of five pop-up sites in metro Atlanta for Viral Solutions.
The location at East Cobb UMC (2325 Roswell Road) is open from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday (with a lunch break from 12:30-1) and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Cobb and Douglas Public Health is continuing free COVID-19 test this week, including Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Life University in Marietta.
Free testing also takes place at Jim Miller Park. For more information click here.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
After a recent drop in the 7-day moving average of COVID cases in Cobb, that figure has risen to more than 100 a day. Source: Georgia Department of Public Health. Click here for more.
With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, the director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health said rising COVID-19 cases are stressing hospital capacity and she’s urging the public to reduce “non-essential” activities for the time being.
That includes limiting gatherings such as parties and weddings, which she said have been common sources for what she said is “pretty substantial community transmission” in Cobb County.
In a videotaped message posted Friday by Cobb County Government (see below), Dr. Janet Memark said hospitals are at near capacity with new COVID-related admissions—up nearly 20 percent in recent weeks—and there’s only one critical care bed left.
“These are very dangerous times for us,” said Memark, who didn’t provide any hospital figures. “The weather is going to get colder and we’re moving inside and there’s increased travel.”
She said citizens “know what works”—wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing—but “we should try to do our best and not go out and do too many things that are not essential at this point.”
She recommended against eating out in crowded places and going to bars, because along with weddings and other social gatherings, “that is where we are having the transmission.”
On Friday, there were 186 new reported cases of COVID-19 in Cobb, continuing a rising trend in November.
For the month, there have been 2,453 new cases in the county, for an average of 122 a day. Since March, Cobb has 25,178 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Cobb also has 487 deaths, the second-most in Georgia, and 26 have been reported this month.
That data is according to the date that cases and deaths are reported to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Its daily status report is issued in the afternoon.
Another set of metrics—date of “onset,” or when a positive COVID case is confirmed, and date of death—also is on the rise in Cobb.
The 14-day moving average of cases according to date of onset (in the chart at the top) was 115 a day as of Nov. 7. After a summer surge of cases, that figure had dropped to 37 a day in late September.
Another indicator used to monitor community spread is a 14-day average of cases per 100,000 people. That now stands at 271—100 is considered “high community spread”—and it has been a figure Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale relied on earlier in the school year regarding reopening.
But he told Cobb Board of Education members this week “there are no metrics” in determining classroom or school closures, and that each situation will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
There have been no closures since Cobb students opting for face-to-face learning returned to schools.
On Friday, the Cobb County School District reported 106 new COVID cases among teachers and staff, and 105 the week before that.
Of the 721 cases reported in the district since July 1, 434 have come since students began returning to school.
Memark has said that she’s not seeing transmission in the schools—a point Ragsdale also made to the school board—but she said students going to school and adults going to work who are sick “is happening way too often, and it is going to be a major problem for everybody.”
She said that the schools will continue to be “disrupted by this,” and urged parents to determine what environment is best for their children.
Cobb school district parents have until Nov. 29 to decide learning options for the spring semester, although another choice window could open in the spring.
Across the country, Memark said only three states are not seeing surges in new COVID-19 cases.
“If you have people who are medically fragile or are coming from areas that have very high rates like us, you’re definitely at risk of exposure or exposing others to COVID at this time,” she said.
There have been nearly 400,000 reported COVID-19 cases in Georgia and 8,591 deaths. Since last Sunday, there have been 11,477 cases reported according to date of report, and 5,232 according to date of onset.
In that time, there have been 144 deaths reported according to date of report and 49 by date of death in Georgia.
More COVID-19 information and resources from Cobb and Douglas Public Health can be found here.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
