COVID-19 cases on the rise in Columbus. The ‘biggest surge’ could come next month, mayor says
A post-Thanksgiving COVID-19 spike has left Columbus with its highest seven-day average of new cases since August, according to data maintained by the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Statewide, cases and test positivity rates mirror the highest summer peak. Public health experts, hospital executives and politicians are preparing for worsening trends but hope that new treatments and vaccines will help stem the tide.
But the Christmas and New Years’ holidays coming on the heels of this latest spike could result in the city’s biggest case surge to date. State coronavirus restrictions were extended through the end of the month, but some federal protection will expire before Jan. 1.
“We kind of anticipated (the rise),” said Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson. “The trends kind of mirror but this one has been much more gradual and the numbers have been a little bit lower.
“I would imagine our biggest surge will be sometime around the middle of January.”
The data
Columbus has lagged behind much of the state as Georgia headed for a COVID-19 resurgence in mid-November. Now, Muscogee County has caught up. The county’s seven-day average is currently 60.6 cases per day.
As of Dec. 21, Columbus has reported 811 confirmed infections at a rate of 423 cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. That is more than four times the rate necessary for a local government to enforce a mask mandate under Georgia law.
Statewide, health officials reported more than 6,000 cases twice this month — a first during the coronavirus pandemic. Columbus hasn’t reported record-breaking case numbers. But health officials confirmed 91 new cases in Columbus on Dec. 17, the most since mid-August.
The city reenacted its mask mandate at the end of November after Muscogee rose back above the case threshold in hopes of repeating previous success. Public officials said the mandate was a factor in preventing a coronavirus surge following Labor Day.
Muscogee County’s 7-day test positivity rate is 12.6%. That is more than double the rate reported at the end of November. Lines at the department’s testing site on Comer Avenue are filling up, something health officials say they haven’t seen in a long time.
“Our number of cases in the past two weeks has gone up quite a bit,” said Pam Kirkland, a spokesperson for the West Central District. The district oversees 16 counties in the Columbus area. “I would think it’s Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping ... I was out (last weekend). It was like everybody was out.”
The spike in cases has caused in a slight rise in hospitalizations at Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown. But it has not reached summertime levels when officials almost resorted to using the recently renovated Doctors Hospital to supplement bed capacity, said the hospital’s President and CEO Scott Hill.
“We’ve seen a slight uptick this week off our two-month run rate,” he said. “It’s up, but not up sharply.”
Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published by the New York Times shows the hospital has 21 COVID-19 patients with 2 ICU beds available. The ICU occupancy is 94%. The state average is 86%.
Hill couldn’t confirm Piedmont’s numbers, saying the patient and occupancy numbers change daily. This is a busy time for the hospital and COVID-19 amplifies that, he said.
“For what day?” Hill said. “I’d have to know from what day. ... I’m not going to speak on behalf of the other health care providers in town. But I know they, like us, are being uber vigilant right now and staying prepared.”
Other Columbus ICUs have lower occupancy levels. St. Francis has 20 COVID patients with 12 available ICU beds. The ICU occupancy level is 63%.
Public health messaging remains the same — wear a mask, social distance and wash your hands, Kirkland said.
Treatments and the vaccine
Piedmont has avoided using Doctor’s Hospital for the extra beds, but the newly renovated space has allowed the hospital to provide advanced treatment for infected people with certain risk factors.
Patients who meet certain criteria established by Piedmont receive the monoclonal antibody treatment. It’s an infusion, and one session lasts three to four hours. A patient receives infusions over a period of days. The first patient in Columbus received an infusion Wednesday morning, and others are being enrolled in the program. The clinic could treat 18 patients a day, Hill said.
The program is also being offered by Piedmont in Henry County and Athens. Piedmont’s Atlanta hospital will soon offer it. The treatment is designed to keep people out of the hospital, Hill said.
“It’s Bamlanivimab and there’s another drug,” Hill said, describing the treatment. “It’s the Regeneron infusion that President (Donald) Trump got when he went to Walter Reed.”
Piedmont gave their first vaccine doses out Monday. St. Francis received the vaccine Friday and began administering its first doses to front line staff over the weekend The West Central Health District is working out the logistics of handling its vaccine supply.
Per recommendations from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine will be offered to healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities first.
“The more people that take the vaccine, the more likely the disease won’t find a place to rest,” Hill said. “It’s something that could make a difference for a lot of people, and this vaccine could be a true difference-maker in our nation.”
Georgia and Columbus COVID-19 restrictions
Georgia’s current coronavirus restrictions remain in effect until at least the end of December, per Gov. Brian Kemp’s latest executive order.
The order, which outlines various safety, sanitation, distancing and other related requirements for bars, restaurants and other businesses across the state, has not changed much in the past several months.
However, other protections could soon go away. The CDC’s federal eviction moratorium is set to expire Dec. 31. The moratorium allows tenants affected by the pandemic to submit paperwork to their landlord and prevent eviction.
Other Georgia mayors have extended those protections. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms extended moratoriums federally sponsored and funded housing units and developments through March 31, WSB-TV reports.
Henderson said his office has not considered extending an eviction moratorium for Columbus residents.
“No, we haven’t focused on that,” he said. “What we have done is contacted some of the active landlords and (we’re) pulling a meeting together.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure that they have a role in how we address some of the issues going forward. ...It involves the evictions, but it also involves property maintenance and some other things as well.”
As of Dec. 21, 512,699 COVID-19 cases and 9,453 deaths have been confirmed statewide.
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 6:00 AM.