“It’s no secret that here in Georgia, we’re seeing increases in our COVID data all across, really all the key metrics.”
That was Governor Brian Kemp speaking during a hospital roundtable earlier this week.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, there are more than 438,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state with 8,922 confirmed deaths and another 803 probable deaths linked to the disease.
There was a recurring concern among the healthcare facilities gathered.
“The one thing that is terribly problematic for us is staffing. Staffing will continue to be a key area in our nursing homes as well as in our key care settings, home care, and our other areas.”
“Staffing, number one. I am concerned that Georgia’s later into this third surge, which means that we may be on the back of the line in terms of national access to a lot of that contract nursing staff.”
Kemp says the state will spend some $250 million in CARES Act funding through the end of the year on staffing and contract workers.
In Athens-Clarke County, there 6,938 confirmed cases with 55 deaths.
This week, the Northeast Georgia Health System said a record 181 people were admitted into area hospitals Tuesday.
On one positive note, health officials report the people being hospitalized during this surge do not appear to be as gravely ill as those earlier in the pandemic.
For more information on state and local numbers visit the health department's website for the COVID-19 Daily Status Report.
