COVID-19 Rate of Spread Decreasing

As incidence rates of spread for COVID-19 decrease nationwide, that pattern is also being reflected for Jasper County as more are being vaccinated with the Moderna and Pfizer two dose vaccines with the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine on the way.

With 623 confirmed cases and 665 presumptive cases recorded over the past week by the Northeast Central Health District (NCHD), Jasper County’s cases have only increased by 35 or so cases from the previous week. Overall the NCHD has recorded 63 hospitalizations from Covid and 33 deaths.

All of the 13 counties in the local district have reported substantial decreases in their incidence rates of spread of COVID-19. Jasper’s current two week period is down to 359 per 100,000 from 492 during the previous two week period whcih accounts for a 27 percent decrease.

Relative to that data, Jasper County Charter Schools Supt. Kenny Garland reported that over the previous past two weeks, February 12 and 19, that there were zero positivity rates recorded among the employees in the school system. For the week of February 26, three employees cases were reported along with one student case that has led to seven employees and 18 students in quarantine currently.

With regard to educators statewide, Governor Brian Kemp announced last Thursday that school employees had been added to the list of eligible persons for vaccination. School staff members are now allowed to join the group that currently includes those who are 65 and older, first responders, health care workers, and staffers and residents of long-term care facilities.

Vaccine eligibility has also been expanded to the “medically fragile” or Georgians with higher health risks, along with people deemed “critical employees.” The timing is right as the newly FDA approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine makes it envoy to Georgia this week.