UPDATE: 2/26/2020
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 26, 2020
DPH Preparations for Potential Spread of COVID-19
ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is working closely with the CDC, and state partners to prepare for a potential outbreak of COVID-19 in the U.S., including Georgia. The goal is to quickly identify cases of COVID-19 and take the appropriate public health action to reduce its spread and protect the general public. It is important to note that at this time, the overall risk of COVID-19 to the general public remains low.
“We urge Georgians to prepare for hurricanes or flooding or take measures to prevent flu, so preparing for an outbreak of COVID-19 is no different,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., DPH commissioner. “DPH is working to make sure our health systems, first responders and county health departments have the resources they need to respond to a COVID-19 outbreak.”
DPH already has a detailed pandemic flu plan that was developed in partnership with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the Georgia Department of Education and other state agencies, and will be adapted for a COVID-19 outbreak in the state. DPH has responded to other serious disease outbreaks, including Ebola and Zika virus and each instance has provided new insight and guidance and highlighted the need to be as prepared as we can be.
DPH Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) is providing CDC information and guidance about COVID-19 to all health care and hospital facilities throughout Georgia, and holding weekly calls with the entire public health and hospital/health care community to update information and answer questions.
DPH epidemiologists are on-call 24/7 to help health care providers evaluate individuals presenting with symptoms of COVID-19 to ensure that possible cases are managed safely, support laboratory testing and implement recommendations from the CDC. In the event of COVID-19 in Georgia, epidemiologists would also be monitoring outbreaks and recommending control strategies, including guidance regarding testing and isolation.
Should it become necessary, DPH may recommend appropriate community mitigation measures for affected communities, such as temporary closure of child care facilities and schools/colleges and universities, school and workplace social distancing measures, and postponement or cancellation of mass gatherings. Additionally, businesses should consider ways to implement strategies to reduce the impact of a potential COVID-19 outbreak on their workforce, including teleworking and cross-training employees on essential job functions.
The same measures that are urged to prevent the spread of any respiratory virus are increasingly important for all Georgians:
-
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
The best prevention against the flu is vaccination. Flu is still widespread and active in Georgia - it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
Passenger screening at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport is ongoing. This is to identify people coming from China who may have been exposed to and are at risk of developing COVID-19, and to provide appropriate assessment and monitoring to protect the general public.
COVID-19 is rapidly evolving and guidance is subject to change. The preparations currently underway in Georgia are based on the best scientific information we have from the CDC. DPH will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation, and work with state partners and health care communities to incorporate the most up to date guidance in our planning and preparation efforts.
DPH will continue to update Georgians through our website https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus, our Facebook page and our Twitter account. It is important to remember that the most accurate and timely information regarding this outbreak is available through DPH or the CDC’s website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
###
UPDATE: 2/11/2020
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Feb.11, 2020
Travelers Returning to Georgia from China Self-Monitoring for
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Symptoms
ATLANTA – Under the supervision of the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), about 200 individuals who have recently returned from China are self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). These travelers arrived in the U.S. from mainland China outside Hubei Province with no known high-risk exposure. These individuals are asymptomatic (no symptoms) and are self-isolating at home.
DPH receives a list every day from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with the names of Georgia travelers coming from China. DPH epidemiologists contact the individuals by phone to establish a plan for self-monitoring and provide instructions on how to contact DPH before seeking health care if they develop fever, cough or shortness of breath.
There are no Georgia travelers who have returned from Wuhan or Hubei Province requiring quarantine.
To slow the potential spread of COVID-19 to the United States, on January 31, President Trump issued a federal proclamation that included a travel ban for non-U.S. citizens entering the country from China and funneling flights from China to one of 11 airports in the U.S., including Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.
In addition, the proclamation requires mandatory 14-day quarantine for returning travelers who have been in the Hubei Province (high risk) and 14 days of supervised self-monitoring for returning travelers from anywhere else in China (medium risk).
The CDC says the overall risk of coronavirus to the general public is low, but the best way to prevent infection of any respiratory virus is:
-
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Flu is still widespread and active in Georgia. The best prevention against the flu is vaccination – it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
For more information about coronavirus, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus
or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Guidance for travelers can be found at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/novel-coronavirus-china.
###
_________________________________________________________
UPDATE: 1/27/2020
NEWS ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jan. 27, 2020
DPH Release of Coronavirus Information
ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Public Health, in consultation with the CDC, is evaluating patient information received from healthcare providers about potential cases of coronavirus. To date, DPH has not confirmed any cases of coronavirus in Georgia, however the situation could change as additional patients are evaluated.
DPH will not provide information about the number of patients being tested for coronavirus, but will release limited information about confirmed cases of coronavirus in Georgia. This is a fluid situation where numbers will change and may not reflect the level of risk to the general public, which at this time remains low.
Advice to the general public is the same as every cold and flu season. Wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, and stay away from people who are sick. If you’ve traveled from Wuhan City, China into the U.S. and you have symptoms of coronavirus (runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever, a general feeling of being unwell), seek advice from your health care provider. If you don’t have a health care provider, contact your local health department.
###
_________________________________________________________
UPDATE: 1/24/2020
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jan. 24, 2020
DPH Working to Identify and Prevent Spread of Coronavirus in Georgia
ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is closely monitoring the outbreak of 2019-nCoV (coronavirus) occurring in China and regularly coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DPH has not confirmed any novel (new) coronavirus cases to date, however the situation could change.
DPH is advising healthcare providers statewide to be alert for patients who have traveled from Wuhan, China and present with fever and respiratory symptoms. The Department sent out a detailed medical advisory to healthcare providers on reporting, testing, specimen collection and healthcare infection control recommendations for potential coronavirus cases. Healthcare providers who suspect 2019-nCoV infection in a patient should report them immediately to DPH by calling 1-866-PUB-HLTH (1-866-782-4584).
To detect possible cases of coronavirus infection early and prevent further spread, the United States began actively screening incoming travelers from Wuhan at five select airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. DPH has protocols for transport, evaluation and testing of potential coronavirus patients, and will work with the airport quarantine station to facilitate and coordinate referrals.
This outbreak of coronavirus began in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and continues to spread. The outbreak now includes hundreds of confirmed infections and a growing number of deaths in several countries. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing respiratory illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. The beginning of this outbreak has been linked to a large seafood and animal market in Wuhan. A growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to the animal markets and many healthcare workers have become infected, indicating person to person spread is occurring.
Because this is a novel coronavirus, we do not know everything about it yet. Based on patients with confirmed coronavirus, symptoms include fever and signs of lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); case-patients also develop pneumonia. The CDC says symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure. There is currently no specific antiviral treatment for 2019-nCoV infection or vaccine to prevent coronavirus infection.
Currently there are two confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States (Illinois and Washington) and more cases are expected. The CDC says the overall risk of coronavirus to the general public is low, but the best way to prevent infection of any respiratory virus is:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
For more information about coronavirus, log on to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Guidance for travelers can be found at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/novel-coronavirus-china.
###
See Attached Press Release in PDF
_________________________________________________________
About the Georgia Department of Public Health
The Georgia Department of Public Health is the lead agency in preventing disease, injury and disability; promoting health and well-being; and preparing for and responding to disasters from a health perspective. For more information about DPH, visit www.dph.ga.gov.
