COVID-19 cases continued to decline in Clarke County last week, with an average of 16 new cases per day over a seven-day period as of Oct. 12, down from 100 at the peak of the Delta surge in late August.
However, COVID continues to kill Athens residents—three on Oct. 7 alone, the deadliest day of the pandemic since March. The virus has killed five Clarke County residents so far this month, bringing the total to at least 164. Nearly 20,000 residents have been infected with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID so far, with 736 of them winding up in the hospital.
Local hospitals remain busy with COVID patients. About 84% of hospital beds are occupied, including 71 of 74 ICU beds. Of those patients, 109, or 18%, have COVID, and 52 are on ventilators.
By another measure, Clarke County had a total of 211 new cases per 100,000 people over a 14-day period. That’s below the threshold of 300 for the Athens-Clarke County government to cancel permits for special events, so any remaining events on public property this fall, such as the UGA homecoming parade and Wild Rumpus Halloween celebration, should be able to move forward.
As further evidence that the Delta surge is receding, wastewater data collected by UGA infectious diseases professor Erin Lipp showed that viral loads in the wastewater continued to decline last week, “reaching the lower third of levels recorded to date.”.
The University of Georgia reported 28 cases among students, faculty and staff last week, down from 47 the week of Sept. 27. At the University Health Center, 471 vaccine doses were administered last week, bringing the total to 27,499, with 14,687 individuals fully vaccinated.
According to DPH, 45% of Clarke County residents overall are fully vaccinated, and 48% have received at least one dose. Those numbers could improve later this month, as the Federal Drug Administration is expected to meet to discuss authorizing the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11.
The Clarke County School District reported 307 cases in September, down from 503 in August. At their Oct. 7 work session, school officials discussed a mandatory vaccination policy for CCSD employees. Teachers and other staff who are not vaccinated would have to submit to testing twice a week and follow policies like social distancing. The Athens-Clarke County government also requires employees to be vaccinated, although there are no penalties for disobeying the policy. At CCSD, employees who don’t comply could be fired.
The University System Board of Regents still refuses to implement mask or vaccine mandates at UGA and other public colleges and universities despite continuing pleas from faculty and staff. Last week, the University Council, made up of faculty and staff representatives, passed a resolution calling on the USG to mandate vaccination and require masks to be worn indoors, and another one asking the USG to let individual institutions set their own policies. More than 50 UGA professors are requiring masks in their classrooms in defiance of USG rules prohibiting mask mandates.
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