June 30, 2021 Update -

Weekly Updates Pausing after June 30

After 127 editions of this ACCGov COVID-19 newsletter, the Public Information Office is pausing this newsletter production indefinitely after today's June 30, 2021 edition. However, the newsletter will be sent in the future if needed for important COVID-19 information.

The first newsletter posted on March 16, 2020 and was produced daily until June. Since then, it switched to every few days and then weekly in November.

Questions can be directed to the info line at 706-613-3333.

Governor's Executive Order & Public Health State of Emergency Expiring on July 1

On June 22, 2021, Governor Brian P. Kemp issued the final executive order extending the public health state of emergency, which will now expire on Thursday, July 1 at 12:00 AM.

Also on June 22, the governor further extended the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place from June 15-22. These restrictions will now expire on July 1 at the same time as the public health state of emergency.

On June 30, the Governor issued a state of emergency executive order that will continue aiding the state and Georgia job creators as they fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, which will include the suspension of various state rules and regulations.

Read the order extension and the previous order that was extended.

Statewide Judicial Emergency Expiring on June 30

On June 7, the Honorable Harold D. Melton, as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, extended an Order Declaring Statewide Judicial Emergency pursuant to OCGA § 38-3-61 until Wednesday, June 30, at 11:59 PM in anticipation of the expiration of the Public Health State of Emergency.

All Georgia courts shall continue to operate under the requirements set forth in the Order as extended. However, courts and litigants should prepare for the expiration of the statewide judicial emergency.

Read the full 15th extension of the statewide judicial emergency

18th Declaration of a Local Emergency Expiring on June 30 & July 20

The Mayor and Commission approved a 18th declaration of a local state of emergency at their Regular Session on June 15, 2021. The declaration is in effect through July 20, 2021 unless extended, rescinded, superseded, or altered by the Mayor and Commission.

However, some provisions will expire upon the expiration of the Statewide Judicial Order. That order is currently set to expire on June 30 at 11:59 PM.

The sections of the declaration continue to include:

Requiring facial coverings or masks in entities or public places over the mouth and nose at all times where physical distancing measures may be difficult to maintain. However, the requirement is not be enforced unless confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the previous fourteen (14) days are equal to or greater than one hundred (100) cases per one hundred thousand (100,000) according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. That threshold has not been met since May 2. (Expires when Statewide Judicial Order ends - June 30, 11:59 PM)
Allowing establishments licensed to sell beer or wine on premises to sell unopened bottles, cans, or growlers of beer and wine for take-out consumption off premises. (Expires when Statewide Judicial Order ends - June 30, 11:59 PM)
Allowing patrons or employees at restaurants to transport, serve, or consume open container alcoholic beverages in an outdoor seating area within 100 feet of the outer wall of licensed premises or who are transporting alcoholic beverages across public streets, sidewalks or rights-of-way for the purpose of serving or consuming said beverages as described. (Expires on July 20)
Allowing patrons or employees of retail liquor, beer, or wine by the drink establishments that are participating in the Outdoor Retail Area Program to transport, serve, or consume alcoholic beverages in any open container in an approved outdoor retail area or to transport alcoholic beverages across public streets, sidewalks, or rights-of-way for the purpose of serving or consuming in the approved outdoor retail area. (Expires on July 20)
Extending the 2020 Occupation Tax for businesses from the April 1, 2020 deadline and the 2021 Occupation Tax for businesses from the April 1, 2021 deadline to July 9, 2021. (Expires when Statewide Judicial Order ends - June 30, 11:59 PM)

The full 18th declaration of a local emergency is available online.

CDC Extends Eviction Moratorium

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has signed an extension to the eviction moratorium further preventing the eviction of tenants who are unable to make rental payments. The moratorium that was scheduled to expire on June 30, 2021 is now extended through July 31, 2021 and this is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health. Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings — like homeless shelters — by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Read more about the full Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19 Order on the CDC website.

CDC: Temporary Halt on Residential Evictions Page

Georgia Department of Public Health - Northeast Health District

Free COVID-19 Vaccine Events

Below are some upcoming opportunities for free vaccinations from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Northeast Health District (NEHD). (Schedules subject to change by NEHD - verify information on the NEHD website.)

No appointment needed
Walk-ups welcome
No insurance required
No ID required

Friday, July 2
Casa de Amistad Food Distribution (Gaines Elementary School)
900 Gaines School Rd., Athens, GA 30605
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Upcoming event listings are updated every Friday online on the NEHD website

Resources:

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines at bit.ly/NEHDCOVIDVaccine.
PublicHealthIsForEveryone.com
Clarke County Health Department on Facebook

Request a Mobile COVID-19 Outreach Event

The Georgia Department of Public Health offers free COVID-19 vaccination services in 10 Northeast Georgia counties (Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton).

Vaccinations can be provided in a variety of settings: places of employment; in partnership with churches, other community groups and agencies; at community-wide events; and even in grocery store or shopping center parking lots.

If you are interested in a mobile vaccine clinic, complete and submit a form at http://bit.ly/NEHDMobileCOVIDVaccineRequest.

June 30 Case Update for Athens-Clarke County

The Wednesday, June 30 update shows an increase of 12 positive cases and 0 deaths since Wednesday, June 23.

As of June 29, 38% of ACC residents were fully vaccinated.

For reference, here are the cumulative numbers of positive cases from the beginning of each month:

June 1, 2021 - 12,893
May 1, 2021 - 12,752
April 1, 2021 - 12,439
March 1, 2021 - 12,004
February 1, 2021 - 11,162
January 1, 2021 - 8,580
December 1 - 6,732
November 1 - 5,872
October 1 - 5,121
September 1 - 3,082
August 1 - 1,694
July 1 - 574
June 1 - 293
May 1 - 155
April 1 - 54
March 1 - 4

The Daily Status Report is now updated once daily at 3:00 p.m. to allow time to process and validate laboratory and case reports. The Daily Status Report is available at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report. The statewide Vaccination Dashboard is available at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3d8eea39f5c1443db1743a4cb8948a9c.

Positive UGA COVID-19 Tests Reported Through DawgCheck - Week 45 (June 21-27)

The University of Georgia DawgCheck tool gives members of the campus community the ability to self-monitor and to facilitate information sharing internally and with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). Any student or employee with a positive COVID-19 test is required to report the test in DawgCheck.

Last Five Weeks of Tests

Positive COVID-19 Tests Reported Through DawgCheck

Visit the UGA Health Center Website with these graphs and other updates.

The table above reflects the total number of positive test results reported through DawgCheck each week. It is updated every Wednesday. Please note the following:

Positive tests reported through DawgCheck are from any of the approximately 50,000 faculty, staff, and students connected to the University of Georgia, whether located in Athens, extended campuses, extension offices across the state, or even other states and countries for students who elected to take online classes.
The totals may include reports from individuals who have not been on campus recently, there may be delays in reporting, and the totals may even include individuals who have recovered.
Therefore, the data does not serve as an accurate barometer of the current status of COVID-19 at any point in time at any one of UGA’s campuses.
Since August 10, UGA has supported surveillance testing (Legion Field) for asymptomatic individuals and clinical (Health Center) testing resources for symptomatic students as a means of distancing the two populations and optimizing the use of Health Center staff and the facility. Because students are showing symptoms when they request a test at the Health Center, it is expected that its tests would have a significantly higher positivity rate than would be the case for those who are asymptomatic when tested.
Results of testing at the University Health Center for the week of June 21 include a total of 27 COVID-19 tests; there were no positive tests. The positivity rate was 0%.
For the week of June 21, no tests were submitted from the “Other” category. No students reported a test done outside of the state. No instructional faculty members reported a positive test.

DawgCheck and other University of Georgia-related COVID information is available at the University Health Center website at https://uhs.uga.edu/healthtopics/covid-19-health-and-exposure-updates.