County’s infection rate back above 400

♦ Kemp reopens elderly-care facilities for the first time since COVID-19 struck.

The number of Floyd County residents newly infected with COVID- 19 in a two week period jumped back above the 400 mark on Wednesday after several weeks of slow declines.

The Georgia Department of Public Health classifies any county that has a rate of over 100 new cases per 100,000 people during a two week period as a high transmission area. With 424 new cases since Sept. 3, Floyd has more than quadrupled the figure required for that classification.

Alongside that number, the county’s positivity rate also rose to 12.1% during that same time period, according to Department of Public Health reports.

WABE Atlanta released the Trump administration’s latest assessment of Georgia’s effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus on Wednesday.

The most recent report from the White House Coronavirus Task Force measured Georgia as having the 14th highest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the country in the week leading up to Sept. 13.

That’s an improvement from the prior period — but

the report also noted the state didn’t show progress in reducing its positivity rate, which remained flat. One of the issues noted in the report was virus- spread in university towns.

“Georgia is making progress and, to sustain the gains, should continue the strong mitigation efforts statewide and strengthen mitigation efforts in university towns to decrease spread from universities to local ( communities),” WABE reported.

Many colleges and universities in the state have seen spikes in cases as students have returned for in- person learning.

Lifting nursing home

restrictions

Gov. Brian Kemp late Tuesday lifted restrictions on elderly long- term care facilities that have been in effect in Georgia since the coronavirus pandemic hit the state in March.

Nursing homes, personalcare homes, assisted- living communities, hospices and other elderly- care facilities were allowed to reopen subject to continuing measures aimed at reducing the spread of COVID- 19.

“The state has collaborated with appropriate agencies, long- term care associations

The number of Floyd County residents newly infected with COVID-19 in a two week period jumped up above the 400 mark on Wednesday after several weeks of slow declines. and other stakeholders on The governor issued a avoided, while screening how to responsibly ease restatewide shelter- in- place of residents and staff will strictions in long- term care order in March with the be conducted three times facilities while COVID- 19 coronavirus pandemic takdaily under both phases remains in communities ing hold across Georgia. He 1 and 2. across the state,” Kemp has since lifted the order Visitation will be allowed wrote in an executive order. as it applied to most resiunder phases 2 and 3, with

Under Kemp’s order, eldents and businesses but outside visits preferred. derly- care facilities will left it in place for elderlyLimited non- medically be allowed to reopen by care facilities, as they were necessary trips also will progressing through three being hit particularly hard be permitted under the phases, the third phase beby the virus. second and third phases. ing the least restrictive. The governor emphasized Screening of residents and

Decisions on which phase in his order that the numstaff will only be required to implement at any givber of COVID- 19 cases in once a day under Phase 3. en time must be based on Georgia continues to grow The elderly- care faciliconsiderations including and that the virus remains ties order will remain in the number of coronavirus “a severe threat to public effect until the conclusion cases in the local commuhealth.” of the public health state nity or inside the facility, Under the Phase I reof emergency Kemp deaccess to personal protecstrictions, visitation to an clared in Georgia back in tive equipment, whether a elderly- care facility will mid- March. facility’s staffing is adequate not be allowed in most inand hospital capacity in the stances. Non- medically local community. necessary trips should be