There’s confusion over state health department reports that COVID-19 was confirmed in Habersham County.
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) on Friday included Habersham County on its list of counties with confirmed cases. At 7 p.m., DPH posted a second report indicating the same. The state agency then amended that report and removed Habersham County from its list.
Habersham County public safety and elected officials say they don’t know why Habersham County was removed from the official list. “We still don’t know, and may not know if we actually had a positive case or not, in regards to this specific case,” says Habersham County Emergency Services Director Chad Black. “We, of course, are surprised at the change, but it’s very much good news for our county if we don’t have a positive case at this point in the pandemic.”
Regardless of the change, county commissioners are pushing through with their plan to hold an emergency called teleconference at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March to consider a temporary order declaring a state of emergency in Habersham County.
“We still have some test results that are outstanding. We’re surrounded by counties that have confirmed cases and we all feel it’s just a matter of time,” Commissioner Natalie Crawford tells Now Habersham.
Crawford says the county needs to be more proactive in its response to COVID-19 and this gives them an opportunity to do that in order to protect citizens and businesses.
Commissioner Crawford anticipates the commission will declare a temporary state of emergency and provide some clarifying language for what that means for the county. “I am adamantly opposed to shuttering businesses, as is the rest of the commission,” Crawford says, “but we do feel that we need to address the ever-growing concern.”
County officials continue to urge the public to abide by social distancing guidelines and to limit themselves to gatherings of no more than ten people at a time. Addressing residents Crawford says “We’re asking you to do your part to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
READ Habersham County Commission expected to declare state of emergency
The teleconference is an open meeting. Residents may listen in by phone by dialing 1-470-588-9497 then punching in access code 369 714 356. If you do join, be sure to mute your phone to eliminate background noise.
Now Habersham will live stream the teleconference from the county administration building beginning at 9 a.m. here on nowhabersham.com and on the Now Habersham Facebook page.
White County and the City of Cleveland declared states of emergency on March 26, one day after DPH confirmed a case of COVID-19 there.
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Slow spread into Northeast Georgia
Ever since Gov. Kemp first announced on March 2 that the coronavirus disease had hit Georgia, counties across the state have been preparing. Those preparations accelerated last week in Northeast Georgia as cases were confirmed in Athens-Clarke County and Hall County. The disease slowly encroached on the region moving, in most cases, one patient at a time into Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Franklin, and Hart.
As of Friday, DPH – the state agency in charge of collecting and disseminating all COVID-19 related statistics in the state – reported that two people have died from the coronavirus disease in Athens-Clarke County.
Despite the confusion regarding DPH’s reporting on Habersham, emergency and medical personnel remain vigilant.
“We’re running at least three to four calls a day now with people exhibiting symptoms,” says Black. HCES stepped up its protocol three weeks ago. Habersham E-911 began screening patients over the phone and additional steps are now being taken to ensure the safety of patients, first responders, and healthcare workers.
Dispatchers are still screening patients who call 911 and Habersham Medical Center is giving them a complete screening once they arrive at the hospital in Demorest. “Every patient gets a mask now,” adds Black. “I feel very good about where we are in our preparedness.”
Black is closely managing his department’s medical supplies. Right now HCES has enough patient masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for personnel to last several weeks. “We’re good for 3-4 weeks if we continue running the number of calls we’re running,” he says.
As of March 27, Habersham Medical Center had performed 21 COVID-19 tests, 18 have been negative and 3 are waiting for results. “To date, Habersham Medical Center has not had a positive case of COVID-19,” says Habersham Medical Center spokesperson Kesha Clinkscale. “We are still maintaining all of the necessary operations to protect our patients and our staff.”
District 2 DPH Public Information Officer Dave Palmer says some physicians may refer patients for testing to the regional public health drive-thru testing site where tests are administered by referral only.
Like Commissioner Crawford, the medical community continues to encourage the public to do its part to slow the spread of the virus. On Friday the Northeast Georgia Health System, along with the governments of Hall County and Gainesville issued a joint resolution and statement urging the public to “Stay Home to Save Lives.”
This article has been updated
