The Parent Press: The Coronavirus and Georgia's Response
While we are constantly learning new information about COVID-19, I wanted to share some resources and information my office has received that may be useful during this time. I know many Georgians have legitimate fears and concerns as we cope with the virus and all of the changes it has wrought in our lives. Georgia is taking measurable steps to ensure that Georgians feel safe. We can all do our part in helping stop the spread by following the CDC’s guidelines, and our community will work through this together. Access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks and gloves, and testing capabilities are increasing daily in Georgia.
Georgia’s “State of Emergency”:
Governor Brian Kemp declared a “State of Emergency” on Saturday, and this was ratified by a resolution passed by the Georgia General Assembly on Monday. The Governor now has executive power for the next 30 days, and the General Assembly may vote on whether or not those powers should continue on April 15th. (Per the statute, the Governor may renew the state of emergency once it has been ratified by the General Assembly, but the General Assembly may terminate it at any time.) In addition, the General Assembly passed a resolution for $100 million in emergency funding in response to the pandemic. By declaring a public health emergency, this will allow more of the state’s resources to be used to fight COVID-19.
Information regarding powers granted to the Governor due to the State of Emergency:
State law grants the governor extremely broad powers to handle a declared emergency, both with regard to state funds and state, local, and private resources.
An emergency also triggers other laws allowing the receipt of aid funds and allowing aid workers and medical professionals from other states to work in Georgia.
General Emergency Powers
· Take direct control of GEMA
· Control and direct all state and local law enforcement and other resources
· Condemn or commandeer private property
· Suspend regulations that could delay a response
· Redirect state funds from any agency to disaster mitigation. Funds would be refunded to those agencies when available, such as upon appropriation or receipt of federal funds. Motor fuel revenues could only be redirected upon a specific declaration by the governor that the emergency is a catastrophe.
· Issue disaster relief funds to affected people
· Enter into aid agreements with other states or the federal government
Public Health Emergency Powers
· Assume full control over the Department of Health and local health boards
· Direct health care facilities to assist with disaster aid or even place them under state control
· Create a response plan and coordinate federal, state, and local responses
· Implement a vaccination or quarantine order
COVID-19 Cases in Georgia:
As of Wednesday, March 18th, there are currently 197 cases in Georgia. The DPH, the CDC, and AJC are providing continuous updates on the number of cases and a map of the cases. Out of the 197 cases currently, 18 are from Dekalb County.
What to Do if You Are Sick:
If you are experiencing symptoms like fever and shortness of breath, call your healthcare provider, an urgent care clinic, or your local federally qualified healthcare center. If it is an emergency, call 911. If you can avoid it, please do not show up unannounced to an emergency room or health care facility as they are already overwhelmed. More information can be found here: https://dph.georgia.gov/what-covid-19.
Tips for Prevention:
The CDC is providing measures that we can all take in order to prevent the spread of the virus which you can find here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html This includes washing your hands often.
GA DPH Non-Emergency Hotline:
Georgia DPH has created a COVID-19 hotline for up-to-date information about the virus. This toll-free number is dedicated to non-symptomatic and non-exposure related COVID-19 calls. The number is 844--442-2681 (Monday-Friday 8:00 AM- 5:00 PM EST)
DeKalb County Schools and Food Services:
The Governor has issued an executive order to close all preschools, secondary schools, and post-secondary schools through March 31. DeKalb County public schools are closed until further notice. DeKalb students can receive a free bagged lunch daily from 10 AM to 12 PM (Monday- Friday). The sites are listed here. In addition, DCSD will be providing ‘grab and go’ bags directly to students in the community with buses starting on March 23, 2020.
DeKalb County Dept. of Parks and Recreation will have snacks for students from 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM (Monday-Friday) at the following locations: Gresham Recreation Center, Redan Recreation Center, Tobie Grant Recreation Center, N.H. Scott Recreation Center, Lucious Sanders Recreation Center, Mason Mill Recreation Center, Hamilton Recreation Center, and Midway Recreation Center.
Response from City of Atlanta:
Mayor Keshia Lance Bottoms issued an executive order on Tuesday that halts residential evictions and filings for 60 days. Additionally, she issued an executive order for an emergency fund of $7 million to help Atlantans affected by the novel coronavirus. The City Council ratified the executive order and appropriated $7 million to provide emergency assistance to those affected. Mayor Bottoms also signed an executive order to limit the number of people in public gatherings to 50 people. Mayor Bottoms has been appointed to a task force to help develop protocols on how to keep those facing homelessness safe. At this time, Grady Hospital is already overwhelmed and the Mayor asked us to do our part in staying at home because we simply cannot contribute to the overburdening of hospitals. The City is also looking at setting up additional medical facilities.
Today, I joined colleagues in calling upon Mayor Bottoms to take several actions with regard to our restaurants and hospitality industry, including closing all in-person service, defer penalties and waive fees, extend business license renewals, and allow to-go beer and wine package sales.
Relief for Small Business Owners and Employees:
Governor Kemp sent a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration asking for Economic Injury Disaster Loans for Georgia. In addition, the Georgia Dept. of Labor announced that “Employers are required to file partial claims on behalf of their employers whenever it is necessary to temporarily reduce work hours or there is no work available for a short period.” This should help speed up the process of receiving unemployment benefits in our state.
Giving Blood During a Crucial Time:
In order to help with the blood shortage, please consider donating blood. I wanted to make sure you were aware of a statement made from the American Red Cross regarding blood donation and COVID-19. In the statement, they assure us that donating blood is a safe process. People should not be concerned about giving or receiving blood during this time. If you are interested in donating blood, you can use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, go to RedCrossBlood.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
GA’s Presidential Primary Postponed:
The date for Georgia’s Presidential Primary has been postponed to May 19th. This was done by the Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, with agreement and assistance from the Democratic Party of Georgia. Staying safe is the most important thing and we could not risk exposure of all of our poll workers, in particular. For those that voted prior to the date being moved, your vote will be counted. If you did not vote yet, you may vote in the contests that would have been on the March 24 ballot on the May 19 ballot.
Live News Updates:
The New York Times is providing live updates on the Coronavirus which you can access here: https://www.nytimes.com/news-event/coronavirus
The AJC is also providing updates on the Coronavirus which you can access here:
https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus/
Finally, Johns Hopkins has a very good map tracking the disease that I have been using. It can be found here.
Stay safe.
As always -- thank you for the opportunity to represent you in the State Senate! It is a great honor.