Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 at Mass Gatherings & Responding to Potential Exposures

In response to recent demonstrations and gatherings by members of the public, the Northeast Health District is issuing guidance on reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission during mass gatherings and on how to respond to a potential exposure while in attendance.
 
Steps that you can take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during gatherings include:

• Wear a cloth face covering that covers both your mouth and nose. Cloth face coverings can help to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Leave the covering on when speaking.
• Keep at least six feet of distance between yourself and other people, if at all possible.
• Wash hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer frequently.

• You can call the Northeast Health District’s hotline to schedule a free test: 706-340-0996. The hotline is answered 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
• If you do not have transportation or have other barriers to care, you can call the Athens Free Clinic mobile unit Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: 706-308-4092.
• If you have a primary care provider, you can call your doctor, who can either perform the test or refer you for testing.
• You can call a local urgent care center or federally qualified health center.

For local coronavirus information, visit www.accgov.com/coronavirus or publichealthathens.com/wp/programs/infectious-disease/coronavirus-covid-19-information.

For more detailed guidance on planning mass gatherings, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html.

To locate a DPH testing site, visit dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-testingdirect-patient-lines. To locate a federally qualified healthcare center, visit findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.

COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits Webinar on June 6 - Register by Today (June 5)

• Lost income because of COVID-19?
• Issues with an unemployment application?
• Fired for not returning to work?

The UGA Law School is partnering again with the Georgia Legal Services Program and the Athens Access to Justice Initiative to present a webinar in lieu of the pop-up clinic that was scheduled June 6. The June topic is unemployment benefits and also features Athens employment attorney John Beasley. 

Saturday, June 6 - 10:00 a.m. via Zoom-Call in or Video Chat

Register online by Friday, June 5.

Presentations by local attorneys and a question and answer session.

Visit athensaccesstojustice.org for details or to register.

Leisure Services Cancels July Summer Camps

After careful consideration, the Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department announces the cancellation of all summer camps scheduled for the month of July.  The Department cancelled all June camps earlier in the spring.

Due to the recent CDC and Governor Kemp’s guidelines, the Leisure Services Department determined that summer camps would not be able to take place while adhering to these important requirements. Following the necessary requirements would significantly reduce the number of campers and hinder a quality camp experience. The health and well-being of campers, staff, and the overall community was paramount in this decision. 

All those who registered will receive a 100% refund. Due to the high volume of registrations, please allow 6-8 weeks to process refunds. All refunds will be in the form of a check mailed to the address on file in the online registration system. Parents should login to their accounts at www.accgov.com/leisure and make sure their address is current.

“In my 33 years with the department, this is the first time we will not have summer camp,” says Kent Kilpatrick, Director of the Leisure Services Department.  “This decision has been difficult, but we feel it is in the best interest of public health of the Athens-Clarke County community that we cancel these programs. We look forward to offering another selection of educational, engaging, and fun camps in 2021.”

Parks are available for self-directed use and a complete list is available at www.accgov.com/leisure. The Department will continue to offer a selection of virtual programs including arts, recreation, sports, and others. These programs are available online at www.accgov.com/leisure. 

The department currently plans to open pools and splash pads on Friday, July 3, 2020. This date has been identified with anticipation that COVID-19 conditions continue to improve.  

For more information, please call 706-613-3800 or visit www.accgov.com/leisure.

315 Positive Cases Confirmed in Athens-Clarke County, 15 Deaths

The state Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) case tracker (https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report) confirms 315 positive cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Athens-Clarke County with 15 deaths as of 3:00 p.m. on June 5.

The Daily Status Report changed on June 2 and is now updated daily at 3:00 p.m. to allow time to process and validate laboratory and case reports.

Other changes include:

• Reordering the display of key summary metrics as follows: Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, Deaths, ICU Admissions.
• A breakdown of the total number of molecular (PCR) tests, the total number of serology tests, and the number of positives and percentage of positives for each test type.
• Revised charts of key demographics that more clearly present data.

If you view the data, however, please be sure to check the area showing the definitions of the information presented. Some have different meanings than what you may expect.

The 15 people who have died were ages 60-98. Eleven of those deaths occurred at a long-term care facility during March and April. For a daily report on long-term health care facilities in the state, visit the Georgia Department of Community Health’s website at dch.georgia.gov.

Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or diabetes are at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 and should always consult their healthcare provider if they are sick.