Rome board voices frustration with slow COVID-19 testing
♦ City commissioners want more tests be made available in communities across the state.
The city of Rome is calling for more rapid testing for the coronavirus.
Data on the extent of Georgia’s testing for COVID-19 and its relation to how states of similar size have responded prompted the
Rome City Commission to approve a resolution Monday requesting immediate action be taken by the public health department and the governor.
While a complete draft of the resolution was not immediately available, City
Attorney Andy Davis read his early outline during Monday’s called meeting — noting the city’s support of its local medical community and effort to shelter in place prior to Gov. Brian Kemp’s order on Friday.
It resolves that the public health director, the public health commissioner and the governor take immediate action to see that testing is made more available in communities such as the city of Rome.
The conversation began when commissioners were presented data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control by Commissioner Mark Cochran. It showed that Georgia had performed a total of 27,832 tests as of Monday afternoon. While the increase in COVID-19 cases had declined since April 1, the data showed it was in relation to a decline in tests administered.
“It sends out a message that we are in fact getting better and it might be OK to not shelter in place earnestly,” Cochran said.
Numbers from the CDC showed that between April 1-6, Georgia conducted 7,600 tests, while Pennsylvania performed 29,537 tests and Michigan did 24,521.
“Why in the name of God are we not getting tests? How can Pennsylvania test that many people and Georgia can’t,” Commissioner Craig Mcdaniel said. “We’ve got two major hospitals here. Why do the hospitals or Harbin Clinic not have the ability to test? That’s the weak link, and we’ve got to get that resolved. We need to be aggressive as an elected body in doing that.”
Mayor Bill Collins said the local medical community shares the commission’s frustration and a formal resolution was suggested to be drafted by Davis, signed by all nine commissioners and sent to state leaders.
Mcdaniel said he is concerned that the longer people have to wait for more widespread testing, the longer this crisis will continue and the more small businesses will close. That will trickle down to less revenue for the city and the county, and possibly put essential services in jeopardy, he said.