Updated: Sedalia Park ES paraprofessional dies from COVID-19

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Cynthia Lindsey, a paraprofessional at Sedalia Park Elementary School in East Cobb, died Thursday after being hospitalized for the last 11 days with COVID-19 and pneumonia.

Sedalia Park parapro COVID

According to Deborah Perdue, the co-organizer of an online fundraiser, Lindsey had been on a ventilator. The fundraising effort generated more than $10,000 goal for medical bills.

Perdue said that the money will go to pay for Lindsey’s final expenses, and that arrangements are pending.

She was the second Cobb County School District teacher to die on Thursday from COVID-19, and the third since Christmas.

Dana Johnson, a teacher at Kemp Elementary School in West Cobb, died after being in intensive care since early December with COVID-19 and pneumonia.

Patrick Key, a teacher at Hendricks Elementary School in Powder Springs, died Christmas Day after being hospitalized with COVID-19.

During a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday, and before Lindsey’s death was announced, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale referenced Johnson’s death, saying “our hearts are broken over this.”

He didn’t specify a cause of death, nor did he comment on COVID-related school safety issues raised by members of the public at the start of the meeting.

He did mention another district employee’s cause of death. Teko Browning, a football coach at Osborne High School, died in a traffic accident.

School board member Jaha Howard asked him if he would address the issue, but Ragsdale declined, and chairman Randy Scamihorn said “that’s it” since there wasn’t an item on the work session agenda specifically related to the district’s COVID response.

“There are a lot of concerns out there,” Howard said, “and we’re about to move on.”

The Cobb County School District has switched to remote learning this week due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Toward the end of last week, Simpson MS and McCleskey MS switched to all-virtual learning, and the district reported as many as 22 active cases at Lassiter High School.

There were nearly 500 new cases in the Cobb school district reported that week, but it was not disclosed how many are students and how many are teachers and other staff.

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Cobb health officials ask for patience with COVID vaccine

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Cobb health officials COVID vaccine
Lisa Crossman, assistant director, Cobb and Douglas Public Health

Cobb public health officials said Tuesday they understand public frustrations over distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, but asked for patience as they work to improve an online appointment booking program and to get more shipments of the vaccine.

During a virtual town hall held by Cobb County Government, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, repeated remarks she made to county commissioners last week that “there’s not enough vaccine to meet the demand that we have.”

She also said she’s hopeful that by the time appointments for vaccines for next week are opened on Friday afternoon, that the health agency’s webpage that handles those bookings will be able to meet that high demand.

“We’re looking to move the site to another server” for appointments, she said.

(You can watch the full town hall at the bottom of this post.)

This is the second week people age 65 and older have been able to sign up for the vaccines, which are being given in a drive-through format at Jim Miller Park.

But the site crashed almost as soon as it was launched, and appointments were booked in just a matter of minutes.

In Georgia, only 80,000 vaccines are being distributed a week to a variety of public and private providers.

Cobb and Douglas Public Health has been providing several hundred vaccinations a week, with a goal of being able to get to around 1,200 or so, Memark said.

“We’re hoping that the federal government will be able to send more vaccines,” she said. “We’re doing the best we can with what we have.”

Lisa Crossman, the health agency’s assistant director, said there are 1,700 providers around the state, and urged residents to contact a variety of potential sources that may have vaccines, including their own physicians, pharmacies and employers.

Cobb residents don’t have to get a vaccine in the county, and the Georgia Department of Public Health has provided a vaccination locator that is being updated.

Phase 1A+ of the vaccine distribution in Georgia also includes caregivers of those who are 65 and older.

Memark said only one caregiver per eligible senior will be allowed to register to get the vaccine.

She also said her agency is beginning community outreach to provide vaccines for those who cannot come to Jim Miller Park, and to connect with seniors who are not Internet users.

Crossman suggested that friends and family members could help with the online appointment process, as well as provide transportation to get the vaccine.

Cobb and Douglas Public Health continues to provide COVID testing, and you’re asked to book an appointment by clicking here.

Memark said to make sure you’ve signed up for the right service, because “some people came for a vaccine when they signed up for a test.”

For both tests and vaccines, appointments are required and no walk-ups will be taken.

Crossman said there’s still a high demand for COVID tests, with the agency conducting more than 8,000 a week in both Cobb and Douglas counties.

Cobb continues to be a growing hot spot for COVID infection in Georgia, with 359 new confirmed cases on Tuesday.

The death toll also has been on a sharp rise recently in the county, with nine more deaths in Cobb reported Wednesday, for 637 overall since last March.

There have been 47 COVID deaths in January in Cobb, and Memark said this month is shaping up to be one of the deadliest months since the pandemic began.

Memark said a new variant of the virus has come to Cobb, and while it’s not considered as deadly, “it can make you sick enough. . . . We have to clamp down and do what we can until more vaccines arrive.”

She continued to encourage citizens to wash their hands and wear masks and socially-distance when in public, but to shelter-in-place as much as possible.

A second dose of the vaccine is coming for some who’ve already had an initial vaccination.

Crossman said that for those who’ve received a shot, they shouldn’t assume an instant effect.

“It takes your body a while to build up immunity,” she said, adding that depending on which vaccine people get there could be six weeks in between vaccinations.

“We don’t know if this is a vaccine that will be repeatedly yearly or if it’s going to be a one-tine thing.”

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Secretary of State certifies Georgia Senate runoff results

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East Cobb precinct votes Senate runoffs

The Georgia Secretary of State’s office on Tuesday certified Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock as the winners of the Jan. 5 runoffs for the U.S. Senate.

Ossoff and Warnock are set to be sworn in in Washington on Wednesday, the same day Democratic former vice president Joe Biden takes the oath as the 46th president of the United States.

Ossoff and Warnock defeated Republican incumbent senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively, by very close margins, but not within the margin for a recount.

Ossoff received 2,269,923 votes, or 50.61 percent, to 2,214,979 votes for Perdue, or 49.39 percent, in winning a six-year term.

A former 6th Congressional District candidate, Ossoff will become Georgia’s first Jewish senator and at age 33, he will be the youngest member of the Senate.

In a special election to fill the remaining two years of former Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term, Warnock received 2,289,113 votes, or 51.04 percent, to 2,195,841 votes for Loeffler, or 48.96 percent.

The minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Warnock will become Georgia’s first black senator.

In Cobb County, Ossoff and Warnock both won with roughly 56 percent of the vote, although East Cobb voters favored Perdue and Loeffler.

The elections of Ossoff and Warnock will make the U.S. Senate 50-50 in party composition. Ties can be broken by outgoing California Sen. Kamala Harris, the vice president-elect, who will serve as the President of the Senate.

She resigned her Senate seat Monday, and Alex Padilla, a Democrat who is California’s Secretary of State, has been appointed to fill the final two years of her term.

NBC News is reporting that the new Georgia senators will be sworn in by Harris on Wednesday afternoon.

The Senate has already begun confirmation hearings for Biden cabinet appointments, and plans are tentative regarding a possible impeachment trial for outgoing President Donald Trump.

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Atlanta Jewish Film Festival to take place in hybrid format for 2021

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Submitted information:Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is thrilled to announce its return in 2021, a hybrid experience spanning 12 days, February 17-28.

In response to the ongoing pandemic, we’ve reimagined the annual festival to combine at-home virtual screenings with select drive-in movies, expanded conversations with filmmakers and special guests, as well as other unique components.

Our 21st edition will look and feel very different, prioritizing the safety, comfort and convenience of you, our loyal audience, above all else. What won’t change: world-class film, stimulating conversation and a celebration of diversity.

The 2021 AJFF film lineup will include over 30 narrative and documentary features plus short film offerings, representing the same breadth of genres and subjects that has become a hallmark of Atlanta’s largest film festival. Powered by CineSend, our Virtual Cinema will allow audiences to access the very best in international cinema from a smart TV, home theater, computer, tablet or other mobile device.

In addition, thanks to an exclusive partnership with Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AJFF will also offer a limited number of drive-in screenings in the 11-acre The Home Depot Backyard greenspace, a spectacular backdrop for a physically distanced but shared moviegoing experience.

Always core to the festival’s mission of fostering dialogue, AJFF will continue its commitment to community conversation with enhanced guest programming, including speaker introductions and extensive Q&A panels that further explore the themes and topics presented on screen. 

As stated by Executive Director Kenny Blank, “Cinematic stories feed the soul at a time when we need the help of film artists to make sense of our world, to be inspired, and to reignite our shared sense of humanity. Our festival staff and volunteers have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure the core tenets of the festival – community, representation, storytelling and experience – are preserved in our 2021 hybrid edition. It’s gratifying to see that, despite the pandemic, the pipeline of new films on Jewish themes is as strong as ever. We look forward to being ‘together through film’ in February, our motto for these COVID times.”

Additional details on films, virtual screenings, programming, and drive-in dates to come soon.

 

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Cobb government to hold virtual town hall for COVID vaccines

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Cobb COVID vaccine town hall
Mohammed Hisamuddin and Farhat Hisamuddin, the in-laws of East Cobb resident Qamar Hisamuddin, got COVID vaccines from Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

We continue to get many questions from readers about their frustrations booking appointments for the COVID vaccines being offered by Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, when next week’s appointments were released, they were already filled.

On Saturday morning Cobb County government sent a message saying that it’s holding a virtual town hall meeting on Tuesday with health department leaders to answer the public’s questions about the vaccinations and appointments.

That town hall starts at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 19, and you can watch live at at facebook.com/cobbcountygovernment or youtube.com/cobbcountygovt.

You’re also invited to send questions in advance to [email protected].

The current phase of testing is for health care workers, first responders and people 65 and older, and it’s the latter group we’re hearing from most of all.

People are frustrated that the server for the appointment page is down—it’s been crashing all week—or when they’re able to get through, there are no more bookings available.

As we posted earlier this week, Cobb and Douglas Public Health is taking appointments a week at a time, based on vaccine ability.

A few comments we got Friday night:

Please take care of these older people! The website is the only way and it is constantly jammed.

I have tried all day every day for last 2 weeks when vaccine became available and have not been able to get through. I am 82 and been praying every day as I am doing what I should ie wearing Masks, staying mostly home and am scared due to very high people in hospital with COVID.

On Tuesday, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, admitted that “there are just not enough vaccines” to meet the heavy demand.

Late Friday afternoon, she said there only 80,000 vaccinations available a week to providers throughout Georgia.

“Our bi-weekly talks with the Georgia Department of Health reveal that they are actively working on plans to further increase the number of providers able to offer vaccinations including large retailers like Wal-Mart and Kroger,” she said. “Although it is difficult to hear as this pandemic wears on, we urge patience to allow more providers to come online to offer the vaccination.”

She said growing COVID case numbers “is an additional concern to an already dire situation.” In the last two weeks, there have been more than 10,000 PCR and antigen cases in Cobb and Douglas counties, with the highest levels of hospitalization yet during the pandemic, which is in its 11th month.

Nearly 500 cases also were reported this week in the Cobb County School District, which is going fully remote next week.

Memark said that while “we are all fatigued and stressed by the effects of this year-long pandemic . . . the vaccine is here and will be distributed faster and faster. We must all do what we can to give this plan time to work. The cases are exceptionally high right now. We will be feeling the effects of holiday gatherings. We urge all citizens to do what needs to be done to control the pandemic. Try your best to not leave your homes unless you absolutely have to leave. Try to telework when you can. Try not to gather with those outside of our households. Wear your masks in public. Wash your hands frequently. Do not leave your homes if you have COVID-19 or are in close contact with someone who had it.

“Working together as a community is the only way we will beat this pandemic.”

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Cobb to hold virtual Martin Luther King Jr. event on Monday

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Cobb MLK virtual event

From Cobb County Government:

All Cobb County Government offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 18, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Although our annual celebration of his life and works will look different this year, we encourage you to enjoy our virtual event, in partnership with the Cobb NAACP.

It will be held live on the county’s Facebook page, facebook.com/cobbcountygovernment, at 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 18. For more information, click here. 

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Cobb COVID vaccine appointments available on Fridays

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Cobb COVID vaccine appointments

Earlier this week Cobb and Douglas Public Health sent out word that online appointments to get a COVID-19 vaccine become available every Friday at 5 p.m.

We’re repeating that message here, with links to sign up and get more information.

As we noted previously, CDPH is doing this one week at a time, as new supplies of the vaccine become available.

On Tuesday, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, admitted there are “just not enough vaccines” as the online appointment booking page crashed due to overwhelming demand.

That sign-up page has been down intermittently during the week.

This is the continuation of phase 1A+, which is limited to first responders, health care workers and people 65 and over.

Vaccinations will take place every Monday-Saturday at Jim Miller Park. Here’s more from CDPH:

Key Points to Remember:

  • Everyone must have an appointment to receive a vaccine. Individuals may come together in the same car if they have appointments for the same day, even if different times. 

    Please be patient as Cobb & Douglas Public Health is adding appointments to the system no more than a week at a time due to uncertain vaccine supply.

    Approved vaccine providers are being activated daily across the state. Please check this Georgia Department of Public Health vaccine locator for vaccine providers: https://dph.georgia.gov/locations/covid-vaccination-site

    There are a limited number of appointments each day, so you may not get an appointment right away.

    Please follow the instructions in your appointment confirmation email.

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Cobb schools to go remote next week, report 470 new COVID cases

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The Cobb County School District on Friday announced that all classes next week will be done via remote, due to “high numbers of staff and students recently informed to quarantine.”Cobb County School District, Cobb schools dual enrollment summit

The district has been shifting some schools to remote learning this week, including Simpson Middle School and McCleskey Middle School in East Cobb.

In a release sent Friday morning, the district said face-to-face learning would resume on Monday, Jan. 25.

Next week is a shortened one with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday being observed on Monday.

Here’s more from the district’s statement Friday:

This decision comes as a result of daily consultation with local and state public health officials regarding the high numbers of staff and students recently informed to quarantine. This break will provide our families and staff an opportunity to quarantine and work together to fight COVID-19 from our homes by limiting large gatherings, enforcing social distancing, wearing a mask when social distancing is not possible, and regularly washing our hands. According to the Center for Disease Control and Department of Health guidelines, it is crucial that students and staff who display COVID-19 symptoms quarantine and do not report to school or work. 

In recent remarks made by Dr. Janet Memark, Director for Cobb & Douglas Public Health, parents are being encouraged to consider remote learning, if possible, while commending the school District for continuing to offer face-to-face classrooms for those who need that option. 

The separation period will allow our staff and students to return on January 25 after a time of quarantine, better prepared to teach and learn in face-to-face and remote classrooms to honor the instructional delivery models our families have chosen. 

The district didn’t specify numbers in the release, but in its weekly COVID update on Friday, 470 new cases were reported, a single-week high.

Last week the district began showing the number of active cases at each school. This week, there are 22 active cases at Lassiter High School, along with the 21 active cases reported at McCleskey last week.

Another 14 active cases are being reported at Dodgen Middle School, 12 active cases each at Pope and Walton high schools, 10 at Mabry Middle School, 8 at East Cobb Middle School and 7 at Simpson Middle School.

The district does not break down staff and student case figures, and it does not indicate how many others may be in quarantine.

Cobb’s decision to go all-virtual for next week follows similar decisions by Gwinnett, Fulton and Cherokee public schools.

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McCleskey, Simpson middle schools to finish week all-remote

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Two middle schools in East Cobb are conducting classes in an all-remote setting Thursday and Friday, after five others in the Cobb County School District switched to online-only instruction earlier in the week.Cobb County School District, Cobb schools dual enrollment summit

McCleskey Middle School and Simpson Middle School families were notified Wednesday of the changes, with nearly identical messages posted on each school’s website.

Also switching to all-remote learning for Thursday and Friday were seven other schools, bringing the total number to 14 schools that are finishing the week online-only.

According to the school district’s most recent figures, there are 21 active COVID-19 cases at McCleskey, the most for any single Cobb school. There was only 1 active case at Simpson.

On Tuesday, the district announced that Hillgrove High School, Nickajack Elementary School, Clay Harmony Leland Elementary School, Barber Middle School and Lindley Middle School would be going all-remote for the rest of the week.

The district didn’t specifically explain its decisions for each school, nor did it respond to a question from East Cobb News about the case numbers at McCleskey.

A district spokeswoman issued the following statement Thursday in response to a request from East Cobb News for more information about the additional schools switching to remote learning:

“This decision has been made based on student, staff, and school needs and will allow us to offer a face-to-face classroom option as soon as possible. At this time, the schools will remain remote through the end of this week. Each school will continue to be evaluated on a day-by-day, school-by-school basis. If that timing changes, it will be communicated to those students, staff, and communities directly.”

The other schools going all-remote with McCleskey and Simpson for Thursday and Friday are Baker, Bullard and Hayes ES; Campbell, Griffin and Smitha MS and Campbell HS.

A district spokeswoman on Tuesday refuted social media postings saying the entire district would be going all-remote, saying the school system “remains committed to face-to-face and remote classroom options for students and parents.”

The district released updated figures Wednesday showing that 66 percent of enrolled students began the spring semester last week in a face-to-face setting.

But other school districts in metro Atlanta have been switching to all-remote learning. Next week, Gwinnett County schools, the largest in Georgia, and Fulton County schools will go fully virtual.

Cherokee schools have been closed to in-person classes this week due to a high number of teachers who are out due to COVID infection or who are in quarantine.

Atlanta and DeKalb schools were all-virtual for the fall semester and their plans for reopening campuses are still on hold.

Cobb schools reported 351 new COVID cases last week, but the district does not break down how many of those are students and staff.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, there have been new 594 cases of COVID in Cobb County among ages 5-17 over a 14-day period through Jan. 7, with a 14-day average case rate of 450 per 100,000 people.

Social media postings in the last week from Cobb teachers and staff have expressed exhaustion and concern over staffing levels at schools.

With its update last week the Cobb school district revealed active case numbers for the first time.

North Cobb High School has 17 active cases, there are 14 at Awtrey Middle School, 12 at Lassiter High School, 11 at Walton High School and 10 at Kell High School.

In addition, there are 8 active cases each at Bells Ferry Elementary School and Wheeler High School in East Cobb.

All of those schools remain open for classroom instruction.

Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, said Tuesday that parents who are “able to have your children go virtual at this point [if] this is something that if you can do it, it is recommended.”

But Memark has not recommended that all Cobb schools go fully remote.

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McBath recaps accomplishments after 1st term in Congress

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U.S. Rep Lucy McBath, gun violence research funding, McBath border-funding vote

Submitted information:

This morning, Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) released her accomplishments of the 116th Congress. As a freshman member in the U.S. House of Representatives, McBath had multiple pieces of legislation signed into law by the President, secured millions of dollars for the Sixth District, and assisted thousands of constituents with their federal cases. Her bill to serve veterans experiencing financial hardship was deemed the “biggest bill” passed by a first-term member. During her first two years in office, she was described as “an effective lawmaker” and “one of the House Democratic Caucus’ most important voices.”

“Each and every day we are called upon to serve our communities in Congress – that is what this work is about. They are trusting us to do everything we can to advocate and legislate on their behalf,” said McBath. “I am so proud of the work we did to return millions of hard earned dollars to constituents throughout the district, to have conversations with our friends and neighbors at town halls and community events, and to have multiple pieces of bipartisan legislation signed into law. Truly, this work is about serving my community in Congress, and I look forward to continuing that work to solve problems, connect with people, and create policy to help serve our fellow Americans.”

During the 116th Congress, McBath:

  • Held 15 town halls and more than 200 community events
  • Led 4 pieces of legislation signed into law by the President
  • Returned $3,177,683 in earned benefits to constituents
  • Secured $5,605,400 in federal grant funding
  • Resolved 3,069 constituent casework inquiries – many shared their stories.
  • Responded to 76,178 phone calls and letters
  • Sponsored and cosponsored 325 bills
  • Nominated 62 students to U.S. Service Academies

Since being sworn into her first term on January 3, 2019, McBath has championed bipartisanship and has prioritized causes to help Georgia families, veterans, and small businesses, including:

 

Members of the community who are in need of federal casework assistance can contact McBath’s office at (470) 773-6330.

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66 percent of Cobb students in face-to-face for spring semester

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Pope High School, Cobb SAT scores
Nearly 70 percent of Pope students chose face-to-face for the spring, second among Cobb high schools.

The day after emphasizing that it is not going to full-time remote learning, the Cobb County School District on Wednesday updated its data to show an increase in the numbers of students choosing face-to-face instruction for the spring semester.

In early December, the initial sign-ups for face-to-face for the spring were around 52 percent of all district students.

With the spring semester having started last week, the number of students choosing face-to-face is at now 65.9 percent.

The district issued this release that includes a spreadsheet for each individual school, as well as all three grade levels.

As was the case in the fall, the percentage of elementary students whose parents chose face-to-face was the highest, at 72.4 percent. More than 66 percent of middle school students are back in classrooms, and for high schools that figure is at 57.2 percent.

That reflects a student enrollment of 106,978, which is down from 107,379 in October.

When Cobb schools were closed to in-person classes due to COVID-19 in March, the district’s enrollment was 111,707.

Those figures come from the Georgia Department of Education.

The district’s release Wednesday included comments from parents who “once again expressed appreciation for the choice model.”

On Tuesday, the district said five schools were going remote for the rest of this week for reasons that were not specified.

That came after social media postings and other media reports quoted teachers and staff expressing concerns about safety measures, low staffing and community spread of COVID-19, which continues to surpass record levels.

A Cobb schools spokeswoman told East Cobb News Tuesday the district has not been recommended to go all-virtual. However, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, on Tuesday encouraged parents to go virtual if possible.

The district has not explained why some schools are going all-remote, nor did it provide information on 21 active COVID-19 cases at McCleskey Middle School in Northeast Cobb.

That’s the highest number of active cases at any of the district’s 113 schools.

The percentage of East Cobb schools with students choosing face-to-face for the spring semester ranges from 85.3 percent at Keheley Elementary School to 46 percent at Wheeler High School.

Only one of the district’s 17 high schools—Harrison, in West Cobb—has more than 70 percent of students on campus. Pope has 69.9 percent and Lassiter 68 percent.

The district said there will be another choice window in mid-semester, but hasn’t announced any dates.

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Cobb Fire seeks public help in investigating Vinings arsons

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Vining arsons

Photo and text below from Nicholas Danz, Public Information Officer, Cobb Fire & Emergency Services:

WHAT: We suspect that 10 intentionally set fires have occurred in and around this location. 3 of those occurred within 12 hours spanning between January 10-11, 2021.

WHEN: From September 2020 – January 2021

WHERE: WestHaven at Vinings, 5900 Suffex Green Ln NW, Atlanta, GA 30339

WHY: We would like your help gathering information related to these incidents. Please contact our Fire Investigations Unit.

HOW: There is a reward up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect(s). You can call the Cobb County Fire Investigations Unit at 770-499-3869 or the attached hotline number for the HEAT program sponsored by Georgia Arson Control.

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Pope Band recycling event for Saturday has been cancelled

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Pope Band recycling event cancelled

Submitted information:

Out of an abundance of concern for public health, the PBPA Recycling Event scheduled for this Saturday, January 16, has been canceled. 

Numbers and spread in our community at an all-time high, and we could not in good conscience risk the health of our volunteers or our donors.
Thank you so much for your support, and please help spread the word. Looking at the bright side, this just gives us more time to gather a good collection for our March 27 event! Mark your calendars now!
Thank you for supporting the Pope Band and the environment. 

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Cobb public health director: ‘There are just not enough vaccines’

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Cobb health director COVID vaccines

The director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health said Tuesday the agency ran out of its allotted COVID-19 vaccines on the first day that people age 65 and older could book an appointment.

The demand was so strong that it overwhelmed a state-run website set up to take appointments for most of Monday.

In remarks Tuesday to the Cobb Board of Commissioners, Dr. Janet Memark apologized for the website crash, but said no new appointments will be released until the agency gets more vaccines.

She said all appointments for the rest of this week are already booked, and that another shipment of vaccines is expected soon to get through the end of next week.

“There are just not enough vaccines for everybody,” said Memark, who didn’t disclose the initial number of vaccines her agency received.

On Monday, 700 vaccines were administered in a drive-thru set-up at Jim Miller Park, and the agency has vaccinated 2,500 people in all. She said the eventual goal is to be able to provide 1,000 vaccines a day in Cobb.

Those 65 and older and their caregivers, and first responders, are eligible for the vaccines in the state’s 1A+ phase.

Even late Tuesday afternoon, the scheduling link for booking an appointment gave a busy server message. Memark said the Georgia Department of Public Health server was running at 210 percent capacity, and that a new server had to be found to handle the demand.

The Cobb and Douglas Public Health website, which was down for most of Monday, is back up and running, and is offering basic information on the vaccine appointments process.

Memark said appointments are necessary—there are no walk-up vaccines being offered—and that those eligible for them can go to another county and get them.

But demand is high everywhere, she said, noting that in a nearby county, a limit of 9,000 appointments were made in six minutes.

She said Georgia DPH is working on a universal scheduling program that should be available soon.

“Please be patient with us,” Memark said, adding that her agency will be releasing more appointment slots when more vaccines are delivered.

“A week at a time,” she said. “As demand ramps up, we pray that production ramps up.”

She said even when improvements are made to the appointment system, “it will probably not be perfect.”

Georgia DPH also has created a COVID vaccination locator page that has details about availability, hours and contact information.

Here’s some updated information sent out by Cobb and Douglas Public Health about scheduling an appointment:

Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Cobb and Douglas County Residents,

If you are a first responder, healthcare worker, or 65 years of age or older, please click on one of the links below to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Appointments are posted one week at a time due to uncertain vaccine availability. Please check back each Friday after 5 p.m. for appointments for the coming Monday-Saturday.

Please Note: COVID-19 appointments for this week (week of 1/11/21) have all been filled.

Cobb: www.cdphcovidvaccineappointments.org
Douglas: www.douglascovidvax.org

Key Points to Remember:

  • Everyone must have an appointment to receive a vaccine. Individuals may come together in the same car if they have appointments for the same day, even if different times.
  • Please be patient as Cobb & Douglas Public Health is adding appointments to the system no more than a week at a time due to uncertain vaccine supply.
  • Approved vaccine providers are being activated daily across the state. Please check this Georgia Department of Public Health vaccine locator for vaccine providers: https://dph.georgia.gov/locations/covid-vaccination-site
  • There are a limited number of appointments each day, so you may not get an appointment right away.
  • Please follow the instructions in your appointment confirmation email.

Memark continued to encourage citizens to wash their hands, socially distance and wear masks in public, but urged people not to go out unless absolutely necessary.

“We are in a very dire situation,” Memark said. “There is no end in sight right now.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 427 new COVID cases reported in Cobb, following a single-day record of 96 last Thursday.

Cobb’s community spread data reached new heights on Tuesday, with a 14-day average of 923 cases per 100,000 people.

Eight more deaths were also reported Tuesday, giving Cobb 589 since last March, the second-highest number in Georgia.

Memark urged school parents to go virtual with their students if they could, as the Cobb school district said Tuesday that five schools will be doing that for the rest of the week.

However, the district has said that Memark has not recommended that the entire district go all-virtual.

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Cobb schools COVID update: 21 active cases at McCleskey MS

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There are 21 current active cases of COVID-19 that have been reported at McCleskey Middle School in Northeast Cobb, according to Cobb County School District data.Cobb County School District, Cobb schools dual enrollment summit

That’s the highest number of active cases at a particular school in the district, which began its spring semester on Thursday.

However, several other schools in East Cobb also have double-digit active case numbers, and the district on Tuesday said several other schools were going to all-virtual instruction for the rest of the week.

The district previously had reported only cumulative case numbers at each school. Now, the active number of cases is included in its weekly update, which is posted every Friday.

In that update are 351 new cases in the Cobb school district, and there have been 1,200 since Dec. 4. Since last July 1, when the Cobb school district began reporting COVID cases, there have been 1,921, but they are not broken down between students and staff.

North Cobb High School has 17 active cases, there are 14 at Awtrey Middle School, 12 at Lassiter High School, 11 at Walton High School and 10 at Kell High School.

In addition, there are 8 active cases each at Bells Ferry Elementary School and Wheeler High School.

The return to classrooms comes after a Cobb school district teacher died of COVID on Christmas Day, and as an online petition was formed to urge Cobb to go online-only, as is the case in other metro Atlanta school districts.

Cobb Board of Education member Jaha Howard posted a message on his Facebook page early Tuesday afternoon that the entire district was moving to all-virtual for the rest of the week.

But that was later corrected to report that Hillgrove High School, Nickajack Elementary School, Clay Harmony Leland Elementary School, Barber Middle School and Lindley Middle School will be going all-remote.

A Cobb school district spokeswoman did not respond to specific questions from East Cobb News about the active case numbers at McCleskey and other schools, and whether they were being considered for possible all-remote instruction. Here’s her statement:

“As part of our ongoing commitment to student and staff safety and based on student, staff, and school needs, the District is making school-by-school closing decisions on an individual basis.

“Despite social media posts to the contrary, the District is NOT transitioning to remote learning and remains committed to face-to-face and remote classroom options for students and parents.

“We are committed to announcing any future closings as soon as decisions are made. Cobb Schools continues to partner with the Cobb & Douglas Public Health Department to make decisions concerning our district’s response to the pandemic. Whether face-to-face or in fully remote classrooms, Cobb teachers will continue to teach, and students will continue to learn, from everywhere.”

At a Tuesday meeting of the Cobb Board of Commissioners, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, said that parents who are “able to have your children go virtual at this point [if] this is something that if you can do it, it is recommended.”

The Cobb school district spokeswoman said that Memark has not recommended that Cobb schools go all-virtual.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Cobb’s community spread data reached new heights on Tuesday, with a 14-day average of 923 cases per 100,000 people.

Another 427 cases were reported in Cobb on Tuesday, following a single-day record of 96 last Thursday.

The Cobb school district said another “choice window” for parents to choose face-to-face or remote learning options will be announced during mid-semester, but no dates have been announced.

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As Cobb COVID vaccination page crashes, Wellstar vaccines begin

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We’ve continued to get messages all day Monday from citizens wishing to book an appointment from Cobb and Douglas Public Health for a COVID-19 vaccine, but that page has crashed—as has the entire CDPH website— and it continues to be down.

UPDATED, 10:30 P.M.: Both links appear to be  back online. 

The crash was part of a larger outage system at the Georgia Department of Public Health, whose servers have been overwhelmed by the requests.

As we noted this morning, Monday is the first day those 65 and older and their caregivers could sign up for the vaccines, which are scheduled to be administered starting Tuesday at Jim Miller Park.

How many people have actually gotten through to book an appointment, or at least provide contact information to start the appointment process, we just don’t know right now.

We saw the booking page in a flash on only one occasion, after several attempts we’ve made trying to access that page.

A reader told us late Monday about being able to book an appointment for Wednesday, but only after constant efforts lasting several hours.

We don’t have much more information to share at this time, and we cannot pass along messages to the health agency for you.

We have been inundated with urgent messages wanting to make an appointment, and while we understand your frustrations, we’re a community news site unaffiliated with the health agency or Cobb County government.

Some readers have called in asking about a phone number at CDPH to contact, but there isn’t anything along those lines either.

Late Monday afternoon, Wellstar Health System sent along word that it has scheduled 10,000 appointments for vaccines for its primary care patients who are 65 and older.

Those vaccinations began on Monday, according to a statement released by Wellstar, which also said these vaccines are only for patients who are already in their primary care system and not the general public. All the allotted appointments have been filled “due to significant demand for the COVID-19 vaccine.”

If you are a Wellstar primary care patient 65 and older, you can sign up for additional time slots when they become available through its MyChart scheduling tool.

You’re asked to call 470-956-7000 for a recorded message or visit www.wellstar.org for updated information.

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Cobb and Douglas Public Health COVID vaccination page down

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We’ve been getting a lot of calls and messages this morning from people trying to book a COVID vaccination appointment with Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

But that page has crashed—as has the entire CDPH website— after what county is saying is a server error “due to an overwhelming response.”

That server is run by the Georgia Department of Public Health, according to a Cobb County statement, and we don’t have an estimated time for now on when it might be back up.

Monday is the first day citizens 65 and older and their caregivers can sign up to get a vaccine, and we’ve been hearing from a good number of them over the last few days, after Cobb and Douglas Public Health announced what it calls the Phase 1A+ of its public vaccination program.

The message the county sent out shortly before 9 Monday morning said state public health officials “are working to bring the servers back online and hope to do so in the coming hours.”

A few readers who’ve called in have said when they were able to get to the site early this morning, before it crashed, they didn’t see many appointment slots available, and they never got a chance to sign up.

When the site does come back up, here’s the link for appointments.

While we appreciate hearing from readers and understand the urgency for those wanting to get a vaccine, we at East Cobb News can’t facilitate anything for you to get an appointment.

We’re not associated with the health agencies or county government, but will be updating information about the vaccine appointments as we get it.

If you have other related questions, send them our way and we’ll try to do our best to get answers.

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2nd round of PPP applications for small businesses underway

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Submitted by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce:Cobb Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with The U.S. Department of the Treasury, announced that the Paycheck Protection Program will re-open the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers.

To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, January 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, January 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. This round of the PPP continues to prioritize millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $284 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses through March 31, 2021, and by allowing certain existing PPP borrowers to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗣𝗣 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:
  • PPP borrowers can set their PPP loan’s covered period to be any length between 8 and 24 weeks to best meet their business needs;
  • PPP loans will cover additional expenses, including operations expenditures, property damage costs, supplier costs, and worker protection expenditures;
  • The Program’s eligibility is expanded to include 501(c)(6)s, housing cooperatives, direct marketing organizations, among other types of organizations;
  • The PPP provides greater flexibility for seasonal employees;
  • Certain existing PPP borrowers can request to modify their First Draw PPP Loan amount; and
  • Certain existing PPP borrowers are now eligible to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.

 

  • 𝗔 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝗣𝗣𝗣 𝗟𝗼𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿:
  • Previously received a First Draw PPP Loan and will or has used the full amount only for authorized uses;
  • Has no more than 300 employees; and
  • Can demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020.

You can learn more here: http://ow.ly/d99350D3sT8

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As COVID numbers soar, Cobb prepares for vaccine rollout

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Cobb COVID vaccine rollout
Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, administering a vaccine at Jim Miller Park this week.
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 Ever since our post on Tuesday about the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine by Cobb and Douglas Public Health, we’ve gotten a lot of messages, comments and questions about booking appointments, etc. On Thursday selected health care and other front line workers began receiving the vaccines at Jim Miller Park, which is the site for the drive-up vaccines that the agency is administering. The next phase that begins on Tuesday—what’s being called Phase 1A+—includes anyone age 65 and older. Appointments can be booked on its website starting Monday. A number of people left comments on that post wanting to book an appointment, leaving urgent messages that they tried getting in touch and haven’t heard back, they have medical issues or are a caregiver for someone who does, and so on. The level of anxiety clearly is increasing, and we had to point out that it won’t be until Monday that you can go to the link, fill out your name and address and start the process for getting an appointment. I want to clarify with readers that leaving a request in our comments section will not get an appointment booked for them. East Cobb News is a news site, not a public health agency. We cannot relay messages to the health agency about your desire to get an appointment. You will have to go to the Cobb and Douglas Public Health website Monday and do that. A reader asked when that link will be activated, but I was told it will still be on Monday, with no specific time. You will not be able to go to Jim Miller Park without an appointment—they’re not accepting any walk-ups, which has been the case with COVID testing. After getting a vaccine in your car, you’ll be asked to stay for a 15-minute observation period. We got back in touch with Cobb and Douglas Public Health Friday to find out more about the upcoming 1A+ phase, but at this point there isn’t a whole lot else to add. We wanted to know how long this phase is scheduled and how many doses will be available for it, but a spokeswoman did not respond to those questions. When we asked her how long it might take for a person who’s booked an appointment to be able to get a vaccine, she said that “we are still working through everything. . . . We will see on Monday.” The case numbers for COVID-19 continue to reach their highest levels in Cobb County and across Georgia. On Friday, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported 940 newly confirmed cases in Cobb County, crushing the previous “date of report” record of 635 on Jan. 1. As we noted in a post right before Christmas, “date of report” means the date tests are reported to the Georgia DPH, not the “date of onset”—or when someone reports having COVID symptoms and gets tested. That metric also has been skyrocketing, with a record 534 cases confirmed on Dec. 21. On Dec. 28, there were 666 cases noted in the “date of onset” category, although that’s still within a 14-day window that is likely to be revised. The rate of community spread continues to grow to its highest levels, with Cobb averaging 792 cases per 100,000 people over a 14-day period. Anything above a two-week average of 100 cases per 100,000 is considered high community spread. As of Friday, there have been 41,077 confirmed COVID cases in Cobb County and 577 deaths. Of those deaths, 87 percent have been among people age 60 and older, and 482 had at least one known comorbidity.

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Drift closes temporarily due to employee positive COVID tests

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Drift Fish House and Oyster Bar

Drift Fish House and Oyster Bar at The Avenue East Cobb announced Friday it’s closing temporarily:

“Despite our best efforts and safety protocols to control or prevent the spread of COVID-19, we have seen more than one employee test positive in the past 48 hours. Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our team and guests, we will be closing for 10 days. We anticipate resuming normal operations for dinner service on Tuesday, January 19th. Thank you for the support you have shown us since the onset of the pandemic. Please stay tuned to our social media channels for updates.”

Drift is one of three restaurants in the Seed Hospitality Group owned by Doug Turbush. It reopened in June after COVID closures in March, then closed temporarily in July for a few days when an employee tested positive for the virus.

Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar at Merchants Walk remain open.

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