It was a Wednesday night prayer meeting of a different sort as hundreds of people gathered outside Habersham Medical Center in Demorest. Most sat in their vehicles, some stood outside as they offered up a community prayer for the local hospital staff and patients, medical professionals, and first responders.
Habersham emergency services personnel and local law enforcement joined in on the ground. The AirLife medical crew, based in Baldwin, joined from the air. Several hospital employees stood on the roof. They watched and listened as speakers and car radios tuned to the same station blared praise and worship music throughout the hospital grounds.
Some criticized the event as being socially irresponsible, others leaned into as a way to express hope and community in a time when both are being sorely tested.
Photos by Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham
“It was heartwarming and it just moved me to tears just seeing all the folks out there worshiping and praising Jesus,” says Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell. “It just reminds us who’s in charge and who’s in control.”
Perhaps no one understands better what local healthcare professionals are going through than county emergency services director Chad Black. The paramedics and firefighters he oversees are on the front lines fighting this pandemic with them.
“People inside those doors and throughout this hospital are working diligently taking care of people. Everybody’s nervous, for obvious reasons, but there’s some fantastic work going on inside those doors there. We’re very fortunate with this hospital,” Black says.
Currently, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Habersham County, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Neither patient was tested at Habersham Medical Center (HMC) nor are they being treated at the hospital. To date, HMC has administered 39 coronavirus tests – 29 came back negative, 10 others are pending. Black says EMS continues to run between 3-4 calls daily of patients exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
There now are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in all but 17 of the state’s 159 counties. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says if things continue as they are, the state will reach peak hospital capacity on April 23.
As the virus tightens its grip on Georgia, healthcare workers are drawing strength from those around them.
“The support we are receiving from our community as we prepare to respond to the COVID-19 crisis is beyond amazing,” says HMC spokesperson Kesha Clinkscale. “Hope. Encouragement. Resources. Prayers. There is no shortage of these critical necessities from Habersham county and our neighbors in surrounding communities. She adds, “It is wonderful to see so many people helping our hometown hospital. In the days and weeks to come. We will need them. More than ever.”
This article has been updated to include comments from HMC spokesperson Kesha Clinkscale
