The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to reach new heights in the U.S.
Georgia had 17,934 reported on Dec. 30 and a positivity rate of 10.3%
Gov. Brian Kemp said he spoke with hospital leadership across Georgia on Dec. 29 and was told they are being inundated with people who need to be tested.
Kemp announced several steps, including $100 million towards increasing health care staff across the state and activating up to 2,500 National Guard troops.
MORE: Kemp commits $100 million to fight newest COVID-19 surge
Augusta University Health CEO Katrina Keefer was among those who spoke with the governor. Spokeswoman Lisa Kaylor said the governor confirmed National Guard troops will come to Augusta, but specifics were still being finalized.
Soon after the governor’s announcements, the six major healthcare providers in metro Atlanta released a joint statement.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory Healthcare, Grady Health System, Northeast Georgia Health System, Piedmont and Wellstar Health System said they are having a “staggering surge” with up to 200% increases in both adults and children with COVID-19 symptoms and diagnoses. The statement asks individuals get testing at primary care locations, public health and mass testing sites or by using at-home testing kits.
The Augusta-Aiken area is also continuing to report spikes of both new cases and hospitalizations. The New York Times Data Tracker said the average number of new cases in Richmond County reached 138 on Dec. 29. That represents a 30% increase from the day before. The average number of new cases in Columbia County was 85 on Dec. 29, a 26% increase over a day earlier.
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At University Hospital, spokeswoman Rebecca Sylvester said the state’s record-breaking number of positives is being reflected at their Prompt Care locations, causing them to stop accepting patients earlier than normal.
“Thankfully, a lower percentage of those patients are requiring hospitalization, but we don’t believe we have seen this new peak yet, and today we are reopening a COVID-19 unit despite staffing challenges,” said Sylvester.
The influx also triggered a change in visitation policy for inpatients. Effective immediately, inpatients are limited to one visitor per day from noon to 6 p.m. Visitors must be aged 18 and older and are required to wear a mask.
South Carolina has had the same spike in new COVID-19 cases being seen across the country.
During its weekly briefing, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Public Health Director Dr. Brannon Traxler said the Palmetto State had nearly 6,000 new cases in one day. She expects the numbers to continue to climb.
“This is no time to mince words. This is flat-out alarming for our state. We recognize at this point that people are numb to the data, but these stats aren’t simply numbers,” she said. “They represent people who are family members or friends or loved ones who are sick, hospitalized and unfortunately, some of whom are dying from this disease.”
MORE: COVID-19 case numbers are rising in the Augusta area
She added, “We are at a crucial moment in the pandemic. We did not want to start 2022, our third year of COVID-19, with record numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. But we’re unfortunately headed in that direction if we don’t change things.”
The agency has issued new guidelines for when it is necessary to isolate or quarantine.
Anyone who tests positive needs to isolate at home for five days, regardless of their vaccination status. After five days — and without any symptoms — the isolation can end, but mask-wearing is required for another five days.
If a fully vaccinated person is exposed to COVID-19, there is no need to quarantine, but the health agency recommends wearing a mask around others and getting tested after day five. Anyone not fully vaccinated, which is defined as having received all vaccination shots — including boosters, if eligible — must quarantine for five days, get tested on day five and wear a mask around others for another five days.
These changes follow updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, issued earlier in the week.
On Dec. 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the U.S. set a new record and is averaging 267,000 cases daily. The previous record was 250,000, set in January 2021.
The health agency said the increase is being driven by both the omicron and delta variants. However, the CDC also lowered the prevalence of omicron to 59% of new cases in this country. On Dec. 20 it estimated 73% of new cases were the omicron variant.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
