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National and/or State News Updates-Ben Moser

Ben gave the following updates concerning the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 from national, state, and local news sources:

The New York Times: 

• The daily death total in the United States from COVID-19 exceeded 1,000 for the first time in weeks on Tuesday, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were likely far more infections than have been reported.
• The seven-day average of deaths in the United States reached 810 on Tuesday, up from an average of about 475 in early July, though still far below the country’s April peak of 2,232. Public health experts have warned for weeks that deaths would trail new cases by about a month and case counts have risen substantially since mid-June, when states began lifting stay-at-home orders and reopening businesses.
• There were 65,449 new cases on Tuesday. But the number of people infected with the coronavirus in different parts of the United States has been anywhere from two to 13 times higher than the reported rates for those regions, according to data released Tuesday by the C.D.C.
• These data continue to show that the number of people who have been infected with the virus that causes Covid-19 far exceeds the number of reported cases,” Dr. Fiona Havers, the C.D.C. researcher who led the study, said in an email. “Many of these people likely had no symptoms or mild illness and may have had no idea that they were infected.

Elevated Issue of Local Concern or Awareness-Ben Moser

• And for this I’m sticking with masks, and I know that the Mayor, Dr. Lewis and others will likely speak to masks so I’m not going to spend much time here, but I do want to read a quote that I believe says it all: This is from Dr. Robert Redfield the Director of the CDC: The Centers for disease control and prevention in Atlanta:
• Quote: “If we all wore face coverings for the next four, six, eight, 12 weeks across the nation, this virus transmission would stop” end quote.
• Many of our grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, colleagues, neighbors and likely a few of us on this call have gone to war to defend our country. We are now in a struggle against an invisible enemy and are being asked to put a piece of cloth across our faces at the grocery store. Let’s do it.

Economic Sector and Impact Area Updates 

Public:

Columbus Consolidated Government Update-Mayor Skip Henderson

Mayor Henderson gave the following updates:

• As of yesterday, the number of positive cases is 3,520; total deaths are 67
• Last week, the seven-day rolling average was 110 new cases a day; today it is 78
• Local hospitals are doing an amazing job managing resources that are being stretched thin
• Even though the total COVID-19 count is high it has remained flat over the past five days
• This past weekend, the Mayor along with fire medics handed out 20,000 free masks to the public at a big box store in North Columbus and South Columbus and at Market Day
• Thanked citizens who been wearing mask; continue to encourage and urge others to wear them when going out
• Judge McBride issued a judicial order as of 5:00pm yesterday, that anyone entering any facility housing a court room must wear a mask
• Mask will be enforced per Judge McBride’s order; citizens will not be turned away; want citizens to be able to get their business handled; mask will be made available
• Ask citizens to help keep city employees safe so that they can provide the services that are needed and expected
• Just like any other industry, members of the city’s workforce have been diagnosed with COVID-19. As a result, they had to take a couple of weeks off to quarantine, which impacts the delivery of city services

Muscogee County School District Update-Dr. David Lewis

Dr. Lewis gave the following updates:

• Based on the COVID-19 numbers in our area and the advice of medical experts, the school district has decided to go virtual for the first 3 1/2 weeks of the school year
• School will start on August 17, 2020. This will give the teachers an additional five days to prepare and plan accordingly
• It is important that everyone in the community help get children back in school by continuing to come together and adhering to the guidelines
• The district will receive a supply of mask that they will be using for fill ins; asking everyone to bring their own
• School supply list have been distributed
• Parents can contact schools next week for specific virtual scheduling
• The district has been working with the housing authority concerning hot spots in housing developments

Non-Profit:                                                

Food

Feeding the Valley Update-Frank Sheppard

Frank gave the following updates:

• The food bank is caught up and operating at full strength this week
• They are working with United Way and other community partners to help fill the gap in the student feeding program
• Tomorrow, July 23, 2020, there will be a milk giveaway (2% and whole) at Spencer High School beginning at 8:00am for Georgia and Alabama residents
• Regular monthly food distribution at the Central Activity Center in Phenix City, Alabama will be this Saturday, July 25, 2020 beginning at 9:00am for Alabama residents only

Health

St. Francis Emory Healthcare Update-Melody Trimble

Melody gave the following updates:

• Stressed that mask, social distancing and hand washing will make a difference in slowing the spread of the virus
• The hospital is very busy treating COVID-19 patients and continuing to care for everyone in the community
• Shout out to everyone who is working hard to ensure the safety of our community and reaching out to them for guidance
• Continuing their screenings and limiting who has access to the hospital
• Will plan to do a Public Service Announcement to the community to assure them that it is safe to come to the hospital to seek the care they need in addition to COVID-19
• Appreciates everyone in the community as well as her St. Francis team

Grants/Projects Update-Betsy Covington

Betsy gave the following updates:

• This week grant award is to Home for Good, A Program of United Way
• Grants to date from the fund total $1,030,112; thanks to everyone who has made this possible
• They are continuing to monitor needs; asked callers to keep contributing as they are able

Making Connections (Open Forum) Updates

New Hope Presbyterian Church Update-Coleen Cook

Coleen gave the following updates:

• The American Red Cross and New Hope Presbyterian Church are hosting an upcoming blood drive
• Drive Details:
• Site: New Hope Presbyterian Church
• Address: 4142 Weems Road, Columbus, GA, 31909
• Room Name: Fellowship Hall
• Date: Thursday, August 6, 2020
• Time: 02:00 PM – 07:00 PM
• Please go to redcross.org to register/ make an appointment
• You will receive an antibody test for COVID-19 if you donate (does not diagnose current infection but can tell you if you have created antibodies to the virus)

Georgia Department of Public Health (Columbus Health Department) Update-Jack Lockwood

Jack gave the following updates via email:

• First, there is now a “one stop shot for COVID-19 toolkits”
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/toolkits/index.html

• CDC’s press release on wearing masks
  https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0714-americans-to-wear-masks.html

• Guidance for Healthcare Workers about COVID-19 testing
  https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0714-americans-to-wear-masks.html

• Key Considerations for Transferring Patients to Relief Healthcare Facilities when Responding to Community Transmission of COVID-19
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/relief-healthcare-facilities.html

• Guidance for U.S. Healthcare Facilities about COVID-19 (various guidance reorganized)
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/us-healthcare-facilities.html

• Duration of Isolation and Precautions for Adults with COVID-19
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/duration-isolation.html

• Criteria for Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/duration-isolation.html

• Discontinuation of Isolation for Patients with COVID-19 Not in Healthcare Settings
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html

• Training for Healthcare Professionals
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/training.html

• Public Health now has a data tracking site for COVID 19 now.  It can be viewed here: https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report