Coronavirus Updates: Georgia’s COVID-19 Cases Pass 29,800
A member of the Georgia National Guard enters Provident Village assisted living and memory care home to clean and disinfect hallways and common areas, Tuesday in Smyrna, Ga.
Updated at 7:10 p.m.
The Georgia Department of Health has confirmed more than 29,600 cases of the coronavirus and 1,294 deaths as of 7 p.m. Tuesday.
And a new federal report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that predicted that by June 1 the U.S. could see 200,000 new COVID-19 cases and 3,000 deaths daily may not a complete picture.
NPR reached out to the epidemiologist who came up with the predictions:
NPR contacted the epidemiologist who came up with the projections in the internal document, Justin Lessler of Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. Lessler says the projections cited in the document do not represent his final forecast. Rather they were part of work that’s still very much in progress — in other words, incomplete.
“It’s as if somebody looked over my shoulder when I was halfway through putting the work together and took a picture and put the results out there,” he tells NPR.
The report also showed that some of Georgia’s hard-hit rural areas, like Dougherty County, are still seeing a significant increase in infections.
Crime Reports In Atlanta Are Down
Most crime trends remain low as Atlanta enters a third month of coronavirus lockdowns.
Monthly reports of crimes ranging from murder to robbery to car theft have all dropped significantly since last year, according to the Atlanta Police Department.
Shootings are down, and reports of rape have also dropped by more than 90%. One category that’s risen significantly is reports of domestic violence.
The APD crime statistics are consistent with many other cities across the country since pandemic shutdowns began.
Clayton BOE To Buy Chromebooks For Students
The Clayton County Board of Education says it will lease more than 38,000 new Chromebooks to students for the next school year.
Clayton officials say funds for the laptops will come from the federal CARES Act rescue package.
The state board of education voted yesterday [Monday] to give 400 million dollars in federal aid to the state’s public schools and independent charters.
Schools can spend the money on items like computers, mental health services, and meals for students.
State officials will distribute the money after approving district spending plans.
State Superintendent Richard Woods says the state will keep $46 million for future needs.
FEMA Providing Aid For Mental Health
FEMA is providing federal aid to Georgians dealing with mental health issues like stress, anxiety and depression brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, the presidential disaster declaration for Georgia was amended to include funding for the Crisis Counseling Program.
The federal emergency management agency says that program helps communities recovering from the psychological effects of disasters.
Gulfstream Laying Off Nearly 700 Employees
Georgia-based aerospace company Gulfstream is laying off nearly 700 people as the corporate jet maker struggles during the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
State numbers show it’s the single biggest layoff this year in Georgia.
The company said in a statement that it had tried cost-cutting moves first but that those were not enough. The coronavirus pandemic has forced the Savannah company to cut projected deliveries for this year.
Gulfstream filed with Georgia’s Department of Labor, saying it was cutting 699 jobs across a number of areas but didn’t specify locations.
The company employs more than 13,000 people around the world and had laid off more than 350 employees in October, according to Department of Labor data.
This latest round of layoffs adds to Georgia’s growing COVID-19 related unemployment numbers, which now stands at more than 1.3 million people.
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