Coronavirus updates: Columbus police ask for public’s help, more news for April 1
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in the Chattahoochee Valley. Check back for updates.
Columbus police ask for public’s help to keep officers safe during coronavirus
With a force currently staffed at around 450 sworn officers, Columbus police so far have had only a couple told to self-quarantine at home after showing flu-like symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak.
They want to keep that number to a minimum, so they’re urging residents to avoid requesting face-to-face contacts with police for routine matters that can be handled over the telephone or the Internet.
“We’re still out there. The officers are still patrolling,” said Assistant Chief Gil Slouchick. “We’re still answering 911 calls, and we’re going to make that a priority, to keep answering 911 calls.”
Georgia reporting over 500 new coronavirus cases
The Georgia Department of Public Health at noon Wednesday confirmed 4,638 cases of COVID-19 in the state, up by 521 from the last update at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Statewide, 139 people have now died from the novel coronavirus, an increase of 14 confirmed deaths since Tuesday night. COVID-19’s fatality rate in Georgia is nearly 3%.
Auburn ‘Sewing Guy’ helps make masks to fight COVID-19
Auburn associate athletic director of equipment operations Dana Marquez has sewed for more than a decade. Now, the Tigers’ “Sewing Guy” spends his days making masks for, among other places, East Alabama Medical Center.
Marquez went viral for sewing a jersey during the 2013 Iron Bowl.
He and his staff sewed their 200th mask on Tuesday.
Pressure mounts on Kemp to order statewide shelter-in-place
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has yet to require all Georgians to stay at home.
After a meeting of about 50 Georgia mayors, Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul posted on Facebook that he and other mayors are signing a letter to send to Kemp to request a more aggressive approach. Paul told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the consensus from the meeting was that Georgia needs a statewide stay-at-home order.
List: Areas with free public WiFi for Georgians
Muscogee
- Columbus Public Library - 3000 Macon Road
- Mildred L. Terry Public Library - 640 Veterans Parkway
- North Columbus Public Library - 5689 Armour Road
- South Columbus Public Library - 2034 South Lumpkin Road
- Cusseta-Chattahoochee Public Library - 262 Broad Street
Troup
- LaGrange Memorial Library - 115 Alford
- Hogansville Memorial Library - 310 Johnson Street
Meriwether
- Greenville Area Public Library - 2323 Gilbert Street
- Manchester Public Library - 218 Perry Street Northwest
Macon
- Marshallville Public Library - 106 Camellia Boulevard
- Montezuma Public Library - 506 North Dooly Street
- Oglethorpe Public Library - 115 Chatham Street
Randolph
- Randolph Library - 106 Pearl Street
Sumter
- Pineland Telephone Cooperative - 706 East Jefferson Street
Taylor
- Butler Public Library - 56 West Main Street
- Reynolds Community Library - 208 North Winston Street
MercyMed of Columbus holding drive-thru COVID-19 testing
MercyMed of Columbus is performing a community wide COVID-19 drive-thru screening and specimen collection for testing at Cascade Hills Church. Only patients experiencing the following symptoms will be tested for COVID-19:
- Fever
- Cough
- Direct in-person exposure to someone diagnosed with COVID-19
This is not open testing. Supplies are limited, and testing will be performed only for patients who meet the criteria.
Collected specimen will be sent to a private lab. Results are communicated in 48 to 72 hours.
Instructions to proceed through the process will be provided on site. All attendees should be prepared for long waits. No bathrooms are available, and exiting the vehicle is not permitted. You must bring a picture ID, insurance card (if insured), a pen and a charged working mobile phone.
The testing location is the parking lot of Cascade Hills Church on 727 54th Street.
MercyMed is a Christian nonprofit healthcare center whose mission is to be the medical home for the uninsured and underserved of our community. MercyMed opened in 2012.
This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 10:05 AM.
