Wednesday, March 18 Update

Mayor & Commission Special Called Session on Thursday, March 19

ACCGov Closed Workstations for Non-Emergency Staff Through Sat., March 21

Police Remind Residents to Avoid Coronavirus Scams

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department would like to inform the public that they have received reports of individuals contacting people over the phone and traveling door-to-door in other areas offering COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

This is a scam and there are no approved vaccines, drugs, or investigational products currently available to treat or prevent the COVID-19 virus. No one, acting in any official capacity, has been conducting door-to-door testing for COVID-19 in the area. Door-to-door vending requires a permit from the Athens-Clarke County Finance Department.

Residents should remain vigilant in light of these events and report any cases of these fraudulent scams to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.

Be especially cautious of any callers asking for credit card or personal information related to testing for COVID-19, vaccines or treatments.

The Federal Trade Commission’s website discusses avoidance strategies in reference to these scams at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing..

Five Positive Cases Confirmed in Athens-Clarke County

As per the state Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) case tracker (https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report) that is updated daily at noon, the Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed two additional positive cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Athens-Clarke County, bringing the total number of cases to 5. The Northeast Health District Epidemiology team is working to identify and notify any close contacts who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

The Northeast Health District will no longer be releasing information for
each individual case.

In response to an increased need for COVID-19 testing, the Northeast Health District is currently conducting testing by referral. If you believe you are experiencing symptoms, please contact your primary care provider or dial 706-340-0996 between 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. to contact a local DPH nurse.

Be sure to call before going to a doctor’s office, emergency room, or urgent care center and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.

Georgia Receives SBA Statewide Disaster Declaration, Applications for Small Business Emergency Loans Now Open

From the Governor's Office:

Georgia has received an official statewide disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This declaration will provide assistance in the form of SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans to impacted small businesses in all 159 counties in Georgia.

"This is great news for Georgia small business owners," said Governor Kemp. "As we continue to navigate the impact of COVID-19 on our economy, small business owners can apply for much-needed funding to continue operation and pay their employees."

The application is now live, and Georgia small business owners can go directly to the SBA for assistance. Small business owners should visit www.disasterloan.sba.gov for information and the application.

Loans are available for small business and non-profit organizations. While terms will be established on a case-by-case basis, many will have a 30-year repayment term with first payments not due for up to 12 months. Businesses should expect to provide a tax transcript, financial statements, and a profit and loss statement. Interest rates will range from 2.75% to 3.75%.

ACCGov Service Updates Related to Closed Workstations

Here are some updates since the most recent email on Tuesday, March 17 that are still relevant in light of the closure of workstations until Sat., March 21 (see www.accgov.com/coronavirus for the full list and updates to services).

As of Wednesday, March 18 at 9:33 p.m.:

All Departments

• Closed workstations through Sat., March 21. Non-emergency staff will not report to work during this time, although some may telecommute during the closures. ACCGov will continue to provide essential emergency services such as public safety, emergency response, certain judicial functions, trash collection, and water and sewer services.
• Most ACCGov services, programs, and offices will be closed during this time. Some offices may provide answers to questions over the phone through remote teleworking.

• Video visitation will be suspended until further notice. The suspension includes contact visitation with inmate workers. 
• The Jail lobby will be closed 24/7 until further notice and only open to essential personnel. Essential personnel includes employees, medical providers, attorneys, police officers, probation officers, officers from other agencies, professional deliveries, U.S. Mail personnel, and bail bondsmen. There are two exceptions to this provision. One exception is for members of the public who are placing funds on inmate accounts. This does not include personal property deliveries for inmates. 
• Phone access to inmates will continue and permitted. Inmate phone time will not be interrupted unless affected by routine lockdown or a facility lockdown.

• The ACC Landfill will be closed on Saturday, March 21. The Landfill will reopen on Monday, March 23 at 7:30 a.m. and close as normally scheduled at 4:30 p.m. Residents should hold their waste until Monday to bring to the Landfill.
  

Information Sources

The response to COVID-19 involves both rapid and extensive changes and also deliberate measures that take some time to consider.

Once official information is released from the Georgia Department of Public Health, the Northeast Georgia Health District, the State of Georgia government, or other local partners, we will report it on www.accgov.com/coronavirus and social media.

Additionally, this COVID-19 update newsletter will go out at least daily with new information primarily about the ACCGov response and plans. It may also include some local area information of note as space allows.