With the state set to roll back distancing restrictions in restaurants, movie theaters, gyms and other businesses, new cases of COVID-19 in Bulloch County continue to remain at their lowest daily levels in almost a year.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order last week that starts on Thursday and ends a ban on large gatherings, eliminates shelter-in-place requirements and reduces any remaining distance requirements at restaurants, bars, and movie theaters and between people at group fitness classes.
And in the weekend prior to local businesses allowing more people to congregate in closer proximity, Bulloch County recorded five new cases over the three-day Easter weekend. Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Wynn said there were three new cases reported Saturday and one each on Sunday and Monday. It was the fewest new cases over a three-day weekend since May 2020.
Bulloch now has a total of 5,166 confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The Bulloch COVID cases have resulted in 62 confirmed deaths and 211 local residents being hospitalized since the pandemic began in March.
At the same time, the state of Georgia recorded its fewest new cases over a three-day period since June 6-8 of 2020. Georgia had 795 cases on Saturday, 655 on Sunday and 547 on Monday.
The 1,997 cases were the lowest in a 72-hour period in Georgia since 1,786 cases were reported June 6-8. The state's total number of confirmed cases is now up to 856,340.
Also, the state reported just one death due to COVID on Sunday and no deaths on Monday.
The state reported 22 deaths on Saturday. Georgia’s death toll now stands at 16,749 since March 2020.
Vaccinations
All residents of Bulloch County and the state of Georgia aged 16 and older are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination.
Bulloch residents are urged to contact private providers such as East Georgia Regional Medical Center and local pharmacies directly to see if a vaccine appointment is available. Vaccines also are available at Walgreen’s, CVS and Walmart.
To schedule an appointment at the Bulloch Health Department, call (855) 473-4374. If an appointment is not available at the Altman St. office in Statesboro, they can schedule an appointment at any of the health departments in the area through the same appointment number
National death toll
According to statistics from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, as of Monday afternoon, 555,273 Americans had died from coronavirus. Also, Johns Hopkins reported the U.S. has had 30,755,089 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.
Hospitalizations
Wynn said East Georgia Regional Medical Center staff on Monday were caring for four COVID patients, with two patients on ventilators.
Bulloch Schools
The Bulloch County Schools system reported five new cases last week, and a total of 621 COVID cases since classes started on Aug. 17. Schools are on Spring break this week.
Local colleges
Georgia Southern had 12 total cases reported March 29-April 4 – seven self-reported and five university- confirmed cases. GS reported 27 total cases for the week of March 22-28.
Of the cases reported last week, 10 were on the Statesboro campus and two on the Armstrong Savannah campus.
East Georgia State College has reported no new cases across its three campuses since March 22. The college has had a total of 157 cases across its three campuses since Aug. 17.
Ogeechee Technical College has not updated its number of COVID cases since March 22. Ogeechee Tech has had a total of 70 cases across its campuses since Aug. 17.