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Georgia Vaccine Updates
On February 25, Georgia updated and expanded its vaccine availability.
As a result, the prior “phases” model will be discontinued and there will simply be a list of eligible individuals available on the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) website and other locations such as www.accgov.com/coronavirus.
Currently, the following groups are eligible for a COVID vaccine in Georgia:
- Healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, EMS personnel, environmental services, etc.)
- Residents and staff of long-term care facilities
- Adults aged 65+ and their caregivers
- Law enforcement, firefighters, first responders
Beginning March 8, the following groups will also be eligible for COVID vaccine: - Educators and staff (Pre-K, K-12, DECAL licensed or exempt childcare programs)
- Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers
- Parents of children with complex medical conditions
Some notes about the vaccine: - COVID-19 vaccines have passed rigorous reviews and are highly effective.
- Scientists had a significant head start developing the COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 is very similar to other viruses, which already have vaccines.
- Testing was thorough and successful. More than 70,000 people participated in clinical trials for the two vaccines to see if they are safe and effective. To date, the vaccines are nearly 95% effective in preventing COVID-19.
- There is no COVID-19 virus in the vaccine. The vaccine imitates the infection so that our bodies create antibody defenses to fight off COVID-19.
- Side effects are mild, temporary, and normal signs that a body is building protection. You may experience pain and swelling in the arm of the injection. Throughout the rest of your body, you may experience fever, chills, tiredness, and headaches.
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Mask Requirement Continued in 14th Declaration of Local Emergency Approved by Mayor & CommissionThe Mayor and Commission approved a 14th declaration of a local state of emergency at their Regular Session on March 2, 2021. The declaration is in effect through April 11, 2021 unless extended, rescinded, superseded, or altered by the Mayor and Commission. The sections of the declaration continue to include: - Requiring facial coverings or masks in entities or public places over the mouth and nose at all times where physical distancing measures may be difficult to maintain. Exceptions to the requirement are noted in the declaration.
- Allowing establishments licensed to sell beer or wine on premises to sell unopened bottles, cans, or growlers of beer and wine for take-out consumption off premises.
- Allowing patrons or employees at restaurants to transport, serve, or consume open container alcoholic beverages in an outdoor seating area within 100 feet of the outer wall of licensed premises or who are transporting alcoholic beverages across public streets, sidewalks or rights-of-way for the purpose of serving or consuming said beverages as described.
- Allowing patrons or employees of retail liquor, beer, or wine by the drink establishments that are participating in the Outdoor Retail Area Program to transport, serve, or consume alcoholic beverages in any open container in an approved outdoor retail area or to transport alcoholic beverages across public streets, sidewalks, or rights-of-way for the purpose of serving or consuming in the approved outdoor retail area.
- Extending both the 2020 Occupation Tax for businesses from the April 1, 2020 deadline and the 2021 Occupation Tax for businesses from the April 1, 2021 deadline to April 11, 2021. The extension for the 2021 Occupation Tax was added in this declaration for the first time.
The full 14th declaration of a local emergency is available online at www.accgov.com/coronavirus ( direct link).
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Clarke County School District Return to In-Person Learning & Vaccinations
In-Person Learning Schedule
The Clarke County School District (CCSD), which is a separate entity from the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government, continues its phased-in schedule for in-person learning that began on February 15, 2021. Virtual learning will continue to be offered for all students.
On Monday, March 1, students in grades PreK-2 began attending four days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
On Monday, March 15, students in grades 3-5 will begin attending four days a week on the same schedule, while students in grades 6-8 will begin using this schedule on March 22.
Students in grades 9-12 will begin a different phased-in approach starting March 15.
Wednesday remains a Remote Learning Day for all students to allow for deep cleaning of all schools and buses.
With school back in session, remember to pay attention in school zones! Slow down, pay attention to signals and crossing guards, and avoid distractions.
Vaccinations
In advance of the announcement that educators and school staff would be added to the vaccination eligibility list, the Clarke County School District has been planning and coordinating behind the scenes to distribute the vaccine to employees as soon as supplies were made available.
The first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to all staff on Wednesday, March 10, and the second dose on Wednesday, March 31 at Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals High Schools from 1:00-6:00 PM on both dates.
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March 3 Case Update for Athens-Clarke County
The Wednesday, March 3 update shows an increase of 195 positive cases and 3 deaths since Wednesday, February 24.
For reference, here are the cumulative numbers from the beginning of each month:
- March 1, 2021 - 12,004
- February 1, 2021 - 11,162
- January 1, 2021 - 8,580
- December 1 - 6,732
- November 1 - 5,872
- October 1 - 5,121
- September 1 - 3,082
- August 1 - 1,694
- July 1 - 574
- June 1 - 293
- May 1 - 155
- April 1 - 54
- March 1 - 4
The Daily Status Report is now updated once daily at 3:00 p.m. to allow time to process and validate laboratory and case reports. The Daily Status Report is available at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report. |
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Positive UGA COVID-19 Tests Reported Through DawgCheck - Week 28 (Feb. 22-28)
The University of Georgia DawgCheck tool gives members of the campus community the ability to self-monitor and to facilitate information sharing internally and with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). Any student or employee with a positive COVID-19 test is required to report the test in DawgCheck.
Last Five Weeks of Tests
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The table above reflects the total number of positive test results reported through DawgCheck each week. It is updated every Wednesday. Please note the following: - Positive tests reported through DawgCheck are from any of the approximately 50,000 faculty, staff, and students connected to the University of Georgia, whether located in Athens, extended campuses, extension offices across the state, or even other states and countries for students who elected to take online classes.
- The totals may include reports from individuals who have not been on campus recently, there may be delays in reporting, and the totals may even include individuals who have recovered.
- Therefore, the data does not serve as an accurate barometer of the current status of COVID-19 at any point in time at any one of UGA’s campuses.
- Since August 10, UGA has supported surveillance testing (Legion Field) for asymptomatic individuals and clinical (Health Center) testing resources for symptomatic students as a means of distancing the two populations and optimizing the use of Health Center staff and the facility. Because students are showing symptoms when they request a test at the Health Center, it is expected that it’s tests would have a significantly higher positivity rate than would be the case for those who are asymptomatic when tested.
- Results of testing at the University Health Center for the week of February 22 include a total of 206 COVID-19 tests; 5 were positive and 201 were negative. The positivity rate was 2.4%.
- For the week of February 22, 55% of the tests in the “Other” category were performed in Athens-Clarke County and its five adjoining counties, and the remaining 45% were located elsewhere in the state. One student reported a positive test done outside of the state. Two instructional faculty members reported a positive test.
DawgCheck and other University of Georgia-related COVID information is available at the University Health Center website at https://uhs.uga.edu/healthtopics/covid-19-health-and-exposure-updates. |
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Northeast Health District Weekly Report - March 1
The Georgia Department of Public Health's (DPH) Northeast Health District produces a weekly COVID-19 testing report for the 10-county district that covers Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties.
Athens-Clarke County's page of the report is shown in the first of the two charts below, while the second one shows the previous week's report for comparison purposes.
Current and Previous Week's Reports
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The newest weekly report for March 1 was released on Wed., March 3
The report includes county-by-county information about: - Total number of PCR tests performed by all providers reported to DPH
- Percent of total tested with positive results
- Positive cases per 100,000 total population
- Cumulative number hospitalized
- Percent of positive cases requiring hospitalization
- Cumulative deaths
- Percent of positive cases who died
- Deaths per 100,000 total population
- Positive cases by race/ethnicity and age (from tests performed by the Northeast Health District only - does not include other providers)
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Frequency of Updates
This coronavirus email / text update is sent weekly during normal weeks, usually on Wednesdays, with other updates as necessary with important information.
Questions can still be directed to www.accgov.com/coronavirus, which will be updated regularly, the info line at 706-613-3333, or coronavirus@accgov.com.
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