Coronavirus cases won’t peak for another three weeks, says EMA director

Published 4:03 pm Friday, April 3, 2020

The worst isn’t over yet when it comes to the new coronavirus (COVID-19), according to Whitfield County Emergency Management Agency Director Claude Craig.

“We haven’t leveled the curve yet. We are still going upward,” Craig said Thursday night during a live-streamed meeting with county Board of Commissioners Chairman Lynn Laughter. You can watch the program online at https://livestream.com/accounts/25637515/events/7960637.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a health research center at the University of Washington whose forecasts are relied upon by the state of Georgia, predicts that the number of coronavirus hospitalizations in Georgia will peak on April 23 at 10,202. As of noon on Friday, there had been 1,158 hospitalizations in the state from the coronavirus, according to the state Department of Public Health, with 15 confirmed cases and one death in Whitfield County and seven confirmed cases in Murray County.

“We’ve got three weeks to deal with this before we even get to the peak,” Craig said.

Craig said another 531 people had tested positive, another 138 had been hospitalized and another 55 had died during the previous 48 hours in Georgia. The median age of fatalities has been 73, but deaths have been from ages 29 to 96.

Craig said some people with the virus may not show symptoms or may not be showing symptoms yet. He said people should act as if everyone else has the virus and maintain a distance of at least six feet between themselves and others and wash their hands frequently and thoroughly.

Laughter said a number of people have been contacting her and other county officials with questions about the details of Gov. Brian Kemp’s shelter-in-place order that was announced on Wednesday and was to go into effect on Friday at 6 p.m. and continue through Monday, April 13. She said as of Thursday evening the governor’s office had released few of those details.

“We’ve got a lot of questions. Unfortunately, we can’t answer them now,” she said.

Laughter went back over the joint resolution passed this week by the Board of Commissioners and the councils of Dalton, Cohutta, Tunnel Hill and Varnell. That resolution extends previous restrictions on social conduct adopted by the local governments aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus and adds a number of new restrictions.

On March 23, the county commissioners as well as the councils of Dalton, Cohutta, Tunnel Hill and Varnell approved resolutions banning voluntary social gatherings of 10 or more people, including at private social functions; religious worship meetings or services; theaters, gyms or fitness centers; flea markets or yard sales; and funeral visitations or services, among other activities.

Those resolutions also forbid the public from gathering at bars, restaurants and similar establishments. Restaurants are limited to carryout, curbside pickup, delivery and drive-through operations. Restaurants with an alcoholic beverage license are able to sell sealed containers of beer or wine, but not distilled spirits, for carryout customers. Those restrictions would have expired on April 13 without the new joint resolution, which went effect Wednesday night at 11 and will remain in effect until April 30 at midnight, although it could be amended, extended or ended, a Dalton spokesman said.

The new mandates include:

• “All persons showing any symptoms recognized by the CDC (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) as indicators of COVID-19 shall refrain from entering any public place.”

• “All persons in public places shall maintain a distance of not less than six (6) feet between themselves and other persons, in accordance with CDC guidelines.”

• “… persons who (1) live in a nursing home or long-term care facility, (2) have chronic lung disease, (3) are currently undergoing cancer treatment, and (4) persons included in DPH (Georgia Department of Public Health) Administrative Order 03.22.20.01, continue to be required to shelter in place and refrain from being in public places except as provided in Gov. Kemp’s order.”

• “All business establishments at which close personal contact is required in the performance of the service provided … shall remain closed to the public during the pendency hereof. All licensed health care facilities, including medical offices, urgent care clinics, chiropractors, dentists, licensed massage therapists for medically necessary treatments and the like shall be exempted … .”

• “All children’s playground equipment … shall be closed to the public. Public parks shall remain open for public use and all persons shall endeavor to maintain not less than six (6) feet of separation between other persons at all times to the greatest extent possible.”

• “Except for grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies, all retail business establishments open to the public shall limit the number of customers present within the business at any one time to a number equal to or less than one (1) customer per one thousand (1,000) square feet of floor space of said business which is open and accessible to the public. Any retail business with less than five thousand (5,000) square feet of floor space may permit up to five (5) customers.”

• “Additionally, all retail businesses open to the public … shall endeavor that customers maintain a distance of not less than six (6) feet between themselves and other persons at all times while shopping, while in the checkout line, and while waiting to enter the store at all times to the greatest extent possible.”

• “All businesses that remain open for use by the public shall restrict in-person contact between the public and its employees, and shall endeavor that all persons maintain not less than six (6) feet of separation between other persons therein at all times to the greatest extent possible.”

• “All businesses that remain open, but not to the public … shall endeavor that all employees maintain not less than six (6) feet of separation between themselves at all times to the greatest extent possible.”

• “All businesses and employers are encouraged to take the necessary steps to ensure that none of its personnel is exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 and to send such personnel home immediately if such symptoms manifest.”

• “All businesses and employers are encouraged, to the maximum extent possible, to provide employees with the means and equipment to perform essential job functions remotely.”

• “Any violation hereof by an individual or covered business shall be considered an ordinance violation of the subject jurisdiction and subject to immediate injunctive relief by any court of competent jurisdiction in order to gain compliance in the interest of the public’s health and safety, as well as the general penalty provisions of the subject jurisdiction, up to and including a fine of $1,000 and/or incarceration up to sixty (60) days.”

“If you are fortunate to be in good health, please be practicing social distancing and washing your hands in soap and water,” said Laughter.

For reliable information about COVID-19, Craig suggested visiting coronavirus.gov or calling the state hotline at (844) 442-2681.

The county will hold another live conference call on Tuesday at 5 p.m. available for questions from the public at https://livestream.com/accounts/25637515/events/7960637.

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