Gov. Kemp says COVID cases, hospitalizations dropping, but warns of a winter wave
Hospitalizations and COVID-19 cases have significantly dropped across Georgia in recent weeks, Gov. Brian Kemp said in a Thursday press conference before encouraging residents to get vaccinated before winter.
COVID cases have dropped by 32% over the last two weeks, Kemp said, and hospitalizations have dropped by a third in the past seven days. Additionally, he reported that PCR positive tests have decreased by 16% over the last week
Over 53% of Georgians over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated, he said, and over 64% have received at least one dose.
Kemp also announced changes made to the allocation process of monoclonal antibody treatments, which can help prevent severe COVID symptoms in people who are at high risk. Instead of providers ordering directly from distributors, Georgia will be given a weekly allocation and must determine where the treatment doses go based on utilization, Kemp said.
He said the new process has limited the number of treatments allocated to the state. However, the state has more than enough doses to care for patients, said Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey.
The state will continue to distribute treatments and urge people who test positive and are vulnerable to severe effects of COVID-19 to utilize the resource, Kemp said, but add that monoclonal antibody treatments are secondary to getting vaccinated.
“Today I want to emphasize the importance of not waiting until the next wave of COVID cases to get vaccinated,” Kemp said. “During our summer surge many Georgians saw first-hand how the delta variant spread more quickly and still led to the deaths of our fellow citizens.”
He warned that — given the increases in cases and hospitalizations in 2021 was similar in timing to surges in 2020 — it is reasonable to assume winter increases are possible. He encouraged people who are unvaccinated to speak with their doctors or a medical professional before the next wave begins.
Although he strongly encourages Georgians to get vaccinated, Kemp would oppose a possible vaccine mandate for private employers coming from the U.S. Department of Labor, he said.
“We’re certainly working with the Attorney General’s office and General [Chris] Carr on that issue along with a lot of other states and other attorneys general,” Kemp said. “I think you’re going to see a multitude of lawsuits.”
Who is eligible for the Pfizer booster shot?
Toomey took time during the press conference to clarify who is eligible for the booster doses, which are different from the third dose that’s been recommended for people who are immunocompromised.
The boosters being offered are only for those who have received a Pfizer vaccine, Toomey said, adding that boosters for those who received the Johnson & Johnson or Moderna will have to wait for recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
She emphasized the booster shot is meant to ensure that there is still a strong immune response for those who have been vaccinated.
“All of us who are vaccinated still get good protection from severe illness and hospitalization with our current vaccinations,” Toomey said. “And we have plenty of vaccines now, which is a different situation than when we first rolled out the vaccination program a year ago.”
She said not having a booster shot does not mean a person isn’t fully vaccinated, as long as they have two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson, they are fully vaccinated.
Here are the categories of individuals Toomey said are eligible for the Pfizer booster vaccine:
Individuals 65 and older
Any individual in a long-term care facility
Any individual 18 to 64 with underlying medical conditions that may put them at risk, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease and others.
Any individual that is pregnant or recently pregnant
Individuals with occupational exposure
Toomey warned that Georgia’s vaccination rate is still too low and most experts believe that the rates are not sufficient to combat future surges.
“The single most important thing we can do as a state is get additional people vaccinated for the first time,” Toomey said.
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 2:39 PM.
