COVID-19

As COVID cases rise, area vaccinations lag behind state

By Martin Matheny • 2 hours ago
Georgia Department of Public Health

As COVID-19 case numbers continue to tax area hospitals, Athens-Clarke County continues to lag behind the state as a whole in vaccinations.

The most recent data from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows that just 43 percent of Clarke County residents are fully vaccinated, compared with 46 percent of Georgians. Clarke also underperforms the statewide percentages in terms of residents with at least one shot.

UGA Researcher Offers Hope for COVID with Gout Drug

By Alexia Ridley • Sep 10, 2021
research.uga.edu

COVID-19 case continue to climb across the nation and the around the globe, with no cure on the horizon and limited treatment options for patients. New research at the University of Georgia shows promise in combatting the disease. Dr. Ralph Tripp is lead author of the study and GRA Eminent Scholar of Vaccine and Therapeutic Studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine. He says a gout medicine, already in use for more than 40 years seems to stop all the virus, and potentially many others, in its tracks.

US Hospitals Hit with Nurse Staffing Crisis Amid COVID

By AP • Sep 3, 2021
Nathan Papes/The Springfield News-Leader via AP

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a nurse staffing crisis that is forcing many U.S. hospitals to pay top dollar to get the help they need to handle the crush of patients this summer.

The problem, health leaders say, is twofold: Nurses are quitting or retiring, exhausted or demoralized by the crisis. And many are leaving for lucrative temporary jobs with traveling-nurse agencies that can pay $5,000 or more a week. The explosion in salaries has wreaked havoc on hospitals without deep enough pockets.

ANM: Delta variant placing heavy burden on Georgia schools

By • Aug 28, 2021

Only a few weeks into the school year, the Delta variant of the coronavirus is already upending life for some Georgia students. Some districts, especially in rural areas, have paused face to face instruction. Others are striking a tricky balance between following public health guidelines and keeping kids in school after losing a lot of ground in 2020. GPB’s Grant Blankenship has more.

What Happens When an ICU Reaches Capacity?

By AP • Aug 27, 2021
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The latest surge in coronavirus cases is overwhelming many of the nation’s intensive care units. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday that nearly 80% of the country’s ICU beds were in use. 

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