COVID-19 variant spreads in Georgia

by Wayne Hardy, White County News, and Beau Evans, Capitol Beat News Service

Confirmed COVID-19 cases have recently slowed in White County, but health officials continue to stress the need for safety measures as cases of a new variant of the virus spread in Georgia.

Meanwhile, some local vaccine providers are planning for off-site clinics in the coming weeks.

More cases of a highly contagious COVID-19 variant originating from Europe have been identified in Georgia, leading public health officials to reason the strain is likely spreading fast.

Twenty-three cases of the COVID-19 variant have been reported as of Wednesday, Feb. 3, up from 19 cases confirmed in several metro-Atlanta counties earlier this week, according to Georgia Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey.

The Gainesville-based District 2 Public Health Office, which serves White County, said Monday that no cases of the new variant had been confirmed yet in its 13-count area.

The quick-moving variant is “probably widespread” throughout Georgia since test results lag behind by a week, Toomey said at a news conference Wednesday.

Early studies suggest the COVID-19 variant is “significantly more contagious” than the original coronavirus strain that sparked a global pandemic last March, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). Georgia is among 30 states reporting cases of the variant so far.

Toomey added the COVID-19 variant now spreading in Georgia will likely become the “dominant strain” of coronavirus in the U.S. by March after originating in the United Kingdom.

DPH officials are warning Georgians to follow COVID-19 safety measures even more strictly since laboratories have only tested a small number of samples for the variant so far, giving public health experts a limited view of where the variant might be spreading.

The variant’s discovery in Georgia also comes as state officials, hospitals and pharmacies rush to distribute tight supplies of COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers, nursing-home residents and staff, first responders and people ages 65 and older.

Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have stressed that their COVID-19 vaccines “appear to work” against the variant, according to DPH.

While the seven-day rolling average for confirmed cases in White County has declined in recent weeks, the county is coming off of its second-highest monthly total for reported cases. The 659 listed in January trailed only 688 reported in December, according to DPH data.

At the Wednesday update, and Gov. Brian Kemp urged Georgians to double down on wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing despite positive case rates and hospitalizations from COVID-19 trending down after winter outbreaks.

“The vaccine is here,” Kemp said. “We are getting more shots in arms every day. But we also are still in a deadly race against a highly contagious virus.”

About one million Georgians have received COVID-19 vaccines so far, including more than 500,000 people ages 65 and older who have received their first of two doses, Kemp said. He called those numbers “encouraging milestones” amid the state’s slow vaccine rollout.

Demand for vaccines is still far outstripping supply with only 154,000 doses coming each week from the federal government and more than two million Georgians currently eligible for shots, Kemp said. He added the Biden administration is not expected to increase vaccine shipments for at least a few more weeks.

Teachers and other groups not yet eligible for the vaccine will have to wait until more weekly doses are delivered even as state public-health officials start opening regional vaccine drive-thru sites able to serve thousands of people per day once supplies match demand, Toomey said.

“We want everyone vaccinated,” Toomey said. “I think the problem is always going to be adequacy of vaccine and ensuring a risk-based approach.”

Public health officials are close to launching an online booking portal for scheduling vaccine appointments, Toomey said. It should roll out in mid-February.

More than 755,000 people had tested positive for COVID-19 in Georgia as of Tuesday afternoon, with about 160,000 more reported positive antigen tests indicating likely positive results. The virus has killed 12,772 Georgians.

District 2 Public Health announced Tuesday that its health departments had coordinated with community partners to hold vaccine clinics in larger spaces with more parking. The daily operation sites will still require an appointment.

The Bridge Church at 607 Hulsey Road in Cleveland is White County’s location. That’s expected to begin in March, though a specific start date is to be announced. (A church representative contacted the News to advise visitors to use an alternate entrance via NOK Drive on Hulsey Road due to ongoing road construction.)

“This move will allow our staff to provide both first and second doses at one location,” said Zachary Taylor, M.D., District Health Director. “Having a larger space than the health departments, will also give us flexibility to vaccinate more people each day, especially when vaccine becomes more readily available.”

Essential services such as, immunizations for school, women’s health services, and communicable disease services will be available at the health departments.

Medlink Georgia’s White County office held a vaccine clinic Jan. 27 at The Bridge Church, administering 100 first doses, said Practice Manager Carolina Munoz. Another mass vaccine event is planned for Feb. 24.

Munoz said the clinic will continue to provide vaccines to those eligible under the state’s Phase 1A rollout at its office on Wednesdays and Fridays.

(See the related information box about contacting providers for appointments.)