The spike in new cases of COVID-19 that began in Georgia around the middle of December is now prevalent in all parts of the state, including Bulloch County.
The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 710 new cases of COVID-19 in Bulloch over the past week, and the county has seen an increase of more than 1,100 cases since Dec. 27.
And, the day before classes began Monday at Georgia Southern for the spring 2022 semester, the university reported 228 new cases on the Statesboro campus for the week of Jan. 3–9. It was the most weekly cases since 230 were recorded for Aug. 23–29 in 2021.
Health officials say the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant is behind the massive rise in cases locally and around the world. Omicron appears to replicate much more efficiently than previous variants. And if infected people have high virus loads, there's a greater likelihood they'll pass it on to others, especially the unvaccinated.
The vaccinated are vulnerable, too, but are far more likely to experience mild symptoms or none at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Hospitalizations
Ted Wynn, director of the Bulloch Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency, said 26 COVID patients were hospitalized at East Georgia Regional Medical Center on Monday. It is the most daily COVID patients at EGRMC since 30 were hospitalized on Sept. 28 last year. The hospital has seen an increase of 20 COVID patients in the past two weeks.
Also, after announcing a policy change on Dec. 29 limiting visitors to one per patient, beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 11, no visitors will be allowed in the Emergency Department.
Erin Spillman, director of Marketing for East Georgia, said the “no visitor” policy has exceptions, including end of life situations, individuals with a significant disability are limited to one support person and pediatric/minor patients under 18 may have one parent or guardian with them.
Cases across Georgia, U.S.
The Department of Health said Georgia has recorded more than 100,000 new cases in the past five days and is now averaging 20,409 cases per day. The state set a pandemic single-day record of 27,849 new cases reported last Friday.
The U.S. as whole has seen the average number of cases per day rise from 94,930 on Dec. 2 to 678,271 on Sunday, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Bulloch County Schools
In the first week back in classrooms following Christmas break, Bulloch County Schools reported 81 new cases for the week of Jan. 2–8. Every school reported at least one case and Statesboro High — the largest school — reported 23 cases.
The 81 cases were the most new cases in one week since 123 were reported Aug. 29–Sept. 4.
Vaccinations
Vaccines are still doing their job in preventing serious illness, particularly for people who've gotten boosters, according to the CDC.
Two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine still offer strong protection against serious illness from omicron. While health officials have determined those initial doses aren’t very good at blocking omicron infection, boosters — particularly with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines — rev up levels of the antibodies to help fend off infection.
COVID vaccines and boosters are free and available at doctors’ offices and pharmacies around Bulloch and at the Bulloch County Health Department.