COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (U.S. state)

The COVID-19 pandemic was first detected in the U.S. state of Georgia on March 2, 2020. The state's first death came ten days later on March 12. As of August 16, 2020, there were 237,030 confirmed cases, 22,087 hospitalizations, and 4,702 deaths.[1] All of Georgia's 159 counties now report COVID-19 cases, with four counties (Gwinnett, Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb) now reporting over 14,000 cases.[1] Three low-population counties (Early, Randolph and Terrell) have higher per capita case rates and death rates than New York City.[1][2]

This article is about cases within the American state of Georgia. For the country of Georgia, see COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (country).

COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia
Map of the outbreak in Georgia by confirmed new infections per 100,000 people (14 days preceding August 15)   500+ confirmed new cases   200–500 confirmed new cases   100–200 confirmed new cases   50–100 confirmed new cases   20–50 confirmed new cases   10–20 confirmed new cases   0–10 confirmed new cases   No confirmed new cases or no data
Map of the outbreak in Georgia by total confirmed infections per 100,000 people (as of August 15)   3,000+ confirmed infected   1,000–3,000 confirmed infected   300–1,000 confirmed infected   100–300 confirmed infected   30–100 confirmed infected   0–30 confirmed infected   No confirmed infected or no data
Disease	COVID-19
Virus strain	SARS-CoV-2
Location	Georgia, United States
Index case	Atlanta
Arrival date	March 2, 2020 (5 months, 2 weeks and 1 day ago)
Confirmed cases	237,030 (as of August 16, 2020)
Hospitalized cases	22,087 (cumulative)
Deaths	4,702 (as of August 16, 2020)
Government website
dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus

The city of Albany became a major hot spot within the state with one of the highest densities of COVID-19 infections in the world based on the size of its population.[3] With approximately 75,000 residents, there have been 973 confirmed cases and 56 deaths at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital[4] in Albany, with many more still awaiting test results, quarantined inside their homes as of April 8, 2020.[3][5] The hospital also received media attention after CEO Scott Steiner said they had exhausted their entire six-month stockpile of medical supplies intended for COVID-19 response in just six days due to the extent of the outbreak.[6] As the hospital rushed to meet supply demands for PPE, they experienced price gouging and received defective equipment from black market medical suppliers in Mexico,[3][6] which resulted in a plan for staff workers to manually sew respiratory masks.[7] In response, Albany and surrounding Dougherty County declared a shelter-in-place order[8] lasting two weeks on March 20.[4]

Governor Brian Kemp declared an "unprecedented" public health emergency on March 14[9][10] and ordered on March 16 that all public schools, colleges, and universities in the state close from March 18 through the start of April.[11] COVID-19 was first detected in a prison inmate on March 20.[12] On March 23, gatherings of over 10 people were banned, bars and nightclubs were ordered to close, and a shelter-in-place order for the "medically fragile" was issued.[13] On April 2, a statewide shelter in place order was announced.[14]

On March 23, Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed a 14-day stay-at-home order to direct all city residents to stay at home except for performing essential tasks through April 7.[15][16] This followed a city-wide state of emergency on March 15 prohibiting "large public gatherings of more than 250 people"[17] and a March 20 order for businesses to close.[18] The city of South Fulton instituted a curfew on March 17, requiring residents to stay at home from 6:00 PM to 7:00 AM (with work and medical exceptions) and barring gatherings of more than ten people.[19] On March 23, DeKalb County enacted a "voluntary curfew".[20] Savannah issued a shelter-in-place order on March 24.[21]

As of August 2020, Georgia has the 5th highest number of confirmed cases in the United States.[22]

Timeline

COVID-19 cases in Georgia, United States  ()      Deaths        Active cases Mar Mar Apr Apr May May Jun Jun Jul Jul Aug Aug Last 15 days Last 15 days
Date			# of cases	# of deaths
2020-03-02			2(n.a.)	0(n.a.)
⋮			2(=)
2020-03-06			3(+50%)	0(n.a.)
2020-03-07		​	8(+166%)	0(n.a.)
2020-03-08		​	11(+37%)	0(n.a.)
2020-03-09		​	15(+36%)	0(n.a.)
2020-03-10		​	17(+13%)	0(n.a.)
2020-03-11		​	27(+59%)	0(n.a.)
2020-03-12		​	33(+22%)	0(n.a.)
2020-03-13		​	64(+94%)	1(n.a.)
2020-03-14		​	66(+3%)	1(=)
2020-03-15		​	99(+50%)	1(=)
2020-03-16		​	121(+22%)	1(=)
2020-03-17		​	146(+21%)	1(=)
2020-03-18		​	197(+35%)	1(=)
2020-03-19		​ ​	287(+46%)	10(+900%)
2020-03-20		​ ​	420(+46%)	13(+30%)
2020-03-21		​ ​	555(+32%)	20(+54%)
2020-03-22		​ ​	620(+12%)	25(+25%)
2020-03-23		​ ​	800(+29%)	26(+4.0%)
2020-03-24		​ ​	1,097(+37%)	38(+46.2%)
2020-03-25		​ ​	1,387(+26%)	47(+23.7%)
2020-03-26		​ ​	1,643(+18%)	56(+19.1%)
2020-03-27		​ ​	2,198(+34%)	65(+16.1%)
2020-03-28		​ ​	2,446(+11%)	79(+21.5%)
2020-03-29		​ ​	2,683(+10%)	83(+5.5%)
2020-03-30		​ ​	3,032(+13%)	102(+22.9%)
2020-03-31		​ ​	4,117(+36%)	125(+22.5%)
2020-04-01		​ ​	4,748(+15%)	154(+23.2%)
2020-04-02		​ ​	5,444(+15%)	176(+14.3%)
2020-04-03		​ ​	5,967(+10%)	198(+12.5%)
2020-04-04		​ ​	6,383(+7%)	208(+5.1%)
2020-04-05		​ ​	6,742(+6%)	219(+5.3%)
2020-04-06		​ ​	7,558(+12%)	294(+34.2%)
2020-04-07		​ ​	9,156(+21%)	348(+18.4%)
2020-04-08		​ ​	10,204(+11%)	370(+6.3%)
2020-04-09		​ ​	10,885(+6.7%)	412(+11.4%)
2020-04-10		​ ​	11,859(+8.9%)	425(+3.2%)
2020-04-11		​ ​	12,261(+3.4%)	432(+1.6%)
2020-04-12		​ ​	12,547(+2.3%)	442(+2.3%)
2020-04-13		​ ​	13,621(+8.6%)	480(+8.6%)
2020-04-14		​ ​	14,578(+7.0%)	524(+9.2%)
2020-04-15		​ ​	15,260(+4.7%)	576(+9.9%)
2020-04-16		​ ​	16,368(+7.3%)	617(+7.1%)
2020-04-17		​ ​	17,432(+6.5%)	668(+8.3%)
2020-04-18		​ ​	17,841(+2.3%)	677(+1.3%)
2020-04-19		​ ​	18,489(+3.6%)	689(+1.8%)
2020-04-20		​ ​	19,399(+4.9%)	775(+12.5%)
2020-04-21		​ ​	20,166(+4.0%)	818(+5.5%)
2020-04-22		​ ​	21,102(+4.6%)	846(+3.4%)
2020-04-23		​ ​	21,883(+3.7%)	881(+4.1%)
2020-04-24		​ ​	22,491(+2.8%)	899(+2.0%)
2020-04-25		​ ​	23,216(+3.2%)	907(+0.9%)
2020-04-26		​ ​	23,481(+1.1%)	916(+1.0%)
2020-04-27		​ ​	24,349(+3.7%)	1,000(+9.2%)
2020-04-28		​ ​	24,844(+2.0%)	1,036(+3.6%)
2020-04-29		​ ​	25,623(+3.1%)	1,096(+5.8%)
2020-04-30		​ ​	26,260(+2.5%)	1,132(+3.3%)
2020-05-01		​ ​	27,492(+4.7%)	1,165(+2.9%)
2020-05-02		​ ​	28,332(+3.1%)	1,174(+0.8%)
2020-05-03		​ ​	28,671(+1.2%)	1,179(+0.4%)
2020-05-04		​ ​	29,437(+2.7%)	1,243(+5.4%)
2020-05-05		​ ​	29,839(+1.4%)	1,294(+4.1%)
2020-05-06		​ ​	30,737(+3.0%)	1,317(+1.8%)
2020-05-07		​ ​	31,575(+2.7%)	1,340(+1.7%)
2020-05-08		​ ​	32,171(+1.9%)	1,399(+4.4%)
2020-05-09		​ ​	32,590(+1.3%)	1,404(+0.1%)
2020-05-10		​ ​	33,476(+2.7%)	1,405(+0.3%)
2020-05-11		​ ​	34,002(+1.6%)	1,444(+2.8%)
2020-05-12		​ ​	34,848(+2.5%)	1,494(+3.5%)
2020-05-13		​ ​	35,427(+1.7%)	1,517(+1.5%)
2020-05-14		​ ​	35,977(+1.6%)	1,544(+1.8%)
2020-05-15		​ ​	36,772(+2.0%)	1,588(+2.8%)
2020-05-16		​ ​	37,212(+1.2%)	1,598(+0.6%)
2020-05-17		​ ​	37,552(+0.9%)	1,609(+0.7%)
2020-05-18		​ ​	38,283(+1.9%)	1,649(+2.5%)
2020-05-19		​ ​	38,855(+1.5%)	1,675(+1.6%)
2020-05-20		​ ​	39,801(+2.4%)	1,697(+1.3%)
2020-05-21		​ ​	40,663(+2.2%)	1,775(+4.6%)
2020-05-22		​ ​	41,482(+2.0%)	1,808(+1.9%)
2020-05-23		​ ​	42,242(+1.8%)	1,822(+0.8%)
2020-05-24		​ ​	42,902(+1.6%)	1,827(+0.3%)
2020-05-25		​ ​	43,400(+1.2%)	1,848(+1.1%)
2020-05-26		​ ​	43,983(+1.3%)	1,895(+2.5%)
2020-05-27		​ ​	44,638(+1.5%)	1,933(+2.0%)
2020-05-28		​ ​	45,255(+1.4%)	1,973(+2.1%)
2020-05-29		​ ​	45,863(+1.3%)	1,984(+0.6%)
2020-05-30		​ ​	46,331(+1.0%)	2,004(+1.0%)
2020-05-31		​ ​	47,063(+1.6%)	2,053(+2.4%)
2020-06-01		​ ​	47,899(+1.8%)	2,089(+1.8%)
2020-06-02		​ ​	48,207(+0.6%)	2,102(+0.6%)
2020-06-03		​ ​	48,894(+1.4%)	2,123(+1.0%)
2020-06-04		​ ​	49,847(+1.9%)	2,147(+1.1%)
2020-06-05		​ ​	50,621(+1.6%)	2,174(+1.3%)
2020-06-06		​ ​	51,359(+1.5%)	2,178(+0.2%)
2020-06-07		​ ​	51,898(+1.0%)	2,180(+0.1%)
2020-06-08		​ ​	52,497(+1.2%)	2,208(+1.3%)
2020-06-09		​ ​	53,249(+1.4%)	2,285(+3.5%)
2020-06-10		​ ​	53,980(+1.4%)	2,329(+1.9%)
2020-06-11		​ ​	54,973(+1.8%)	2,375(+2.0%)
2020-06-12		​ ​	55,783(+1.5%)	2,418(+1.8%)
2020-06-13		​ ​	56,801(+1.8%)	2,446(+1.2%)
2020-06-14		​ ​	57,681(+1.5%)	2,451(+0.2%)
2020-06-15		​ ​	58,414(+1.3%)	2,494(+1.8%)
2020-06-16		​ ​	59,078(+1.1%)	2,529(+1.4%)
2020-06-17		​ ​	60,030(+1.6%)	2,575(+1.8%)
2020-06-18		​ ​	60,912(+1.5%)	2,605(+1.2%)
2020-06-19		​ ​	62,009(+1.8%)	2,636(+1.2%)
2020-06-20		​ ​	63,809(+2.9%)	2,642(+0.2%)
2020-06-21		​ ​	64,701(+1.4%)	2,643(+0.0%)
2020-06-22		​ ​	65,928(+1.9%)	2,648(+0.2%)
2020-06-23		​ ​	67,675(+2.7%)	2,687(+1.5%)
2020-06-24		​ ​	69,381(+2.5%)	2,698(+0.4%)
2020-06-25		​ ​	71,095(+2.5%)	2,745(+1.7%)
2020-06-26		​ ​	72,995(+2.7%)	2,770(+0.9%)
2020-06-27		​ ​	74,985(+2.7%)	2,776(+0.2%)
2020-06-28		​ ​	77,210(+3.0%)	2,778(+0.1%)
2020-06-29		​ ​	79,417(+2.9%)	2,784(+0.2%)
2020-06-30		​ ​	81,291(+2.4%)	2,805(+0.8%)
2020-07-01		​ ​	84,237(+3.6%)	2,827(+0.8%)
2020-07-02		​ ​	87,709(+4.1%)	2,849(+0.8%)
2020-07-03		​ ​	90,493(+3.2%)	2,856(+0.2%)
2020-07-04		​ ​	93,319(+3.1%)	2,857(+0.0%)
2020-07-05		​ ​	95,516(+2.4%)	2,860(+0.1%)
2020-07-06		​ ​	97,064(+1.6%)	2,878(+0.6%)
2020-07-07		​ ​	100,470(+3.5%)	2,899(+0.7%)
2020-07-08		​ ​	103,890(+3.4%)	2,922(+0.8%)
2020-07-09		​ ​	106,727(+2.7%)	2,930(+0.3%)
2020-07-10		​ ​	111,211(+4.2%)	2,965(+1.2%)
2020-07-11		​ ​	114,401(+2.9%)	2,996(+1%)
2020-07-12		​ ​	116,926(+2.2%)	3,001(+0.17%)
2020-07-13		​ ​	120,569(+3.1%)	3,026(+0.83%)
2020-07-14		​ ​	123,963(+2.8%)	3,054(+0.93%)
2020-07-15		​ ​	127,834(+3.1%)	3,091(+1.2%)
2020-07-16		​ ​	131,275(+2.7%)	3,104(+0.42%)
2020-07-17		​ ​	135,183(+3%)	3,132(+0.9%)
2020-07-18		​ ​	139,872(+3.5%)	3,168(+1.1%)
2020-07-19		​ ​	143,123(+2.3%)	3,173(+0.16%)
2020-07-20		​ ​	145,575(+1.7%)	3,176(+0.09%)
2020-07-21		​ ​	148,988(+2.3%)	3,254(+2.5%)
2020-07-22		​ ​	152,302(+2.2%)	3,335(+2.5%)
2020-07-23		​ ​	156,588(+2.8%)	3,360(+0.75%)
2020-07-24		​ ​	161,401(+3.1%)	3,442(+2.4%)
2020-07-25		​ ​	165,188(+2.3%)	3,495(+1.5%)
2020-07-26		​ ​	167,953(+1.7%)	3,498(+0.09%)
2020-07-27		​ ​	170,843(+1.7%)	3,509(+0.31%)
2020-07-28		​ ​	175,052(+2.5%)	3,563(+1.5%)
2020-07-29		​ ​	178,323(+1.9%)	3,642(+2.2%)
2020-07-30		​ ​	182,286(+2.2%)	3,671(+0.8%)
2020-07-31		​ ​	186,352(+2.2%)	3,752(+2.2%)
2020-08-01		​ ​	190,012(+2%)	3,825(+1.9%)
2020-08-02		​ ​	193,177(+1.7%)	3,840(+0.39%)
2020-08-03		​ ​	195,435(+1.2%)	3,842(+0.05%)
2020-08-04		​ ​	197,948(+1.3%)	3,921(+2.1%)
2020-08-05		​ ​	201,713(+1.9%)	3,984(+1.6%)
2020-08-06		​ ​	204,895(+1.6%)	4,026(+1.1%)
2020-08-07		​ ​	209,004(+2%)	4,117(+2.3%)
2020-08-08		​ ​	213,427(+2.1%)	4,186(+1.7%)
2020-08-09		​ ​	216,596(+1.5%)	4,199(+0.31%)
2020-08-10		​ ​	219,025(+1.1%)	4,229(+0.71%)
2020-08-11		​ ​	222,588(+1.6%)	4,351(+2.9%)
2020-08-12		​ ​	226,153(+1.6%)	4,456(+2.4%)
2020-08-13		​ ​	228,668(+1.1%)	4,538(+1.8%)
2020-08-14		​ ​	231,895(+1.4%)	4,573(+0.77%)
2020-08-15		​ ​	235,168(+1.4%)	4,669(+2.1%)
2020-08-16		​ ​	237,030(+0.79%)	4,702(+0.71%)
Source: Georgia Department of Public Health

February to March 2020

On February 29 and March 7, about 20 people contracted the virus at funerals in the same funeral home in Albany. The state health department notified the funeral home about potential exposure to the virus on March 13. The city went on to lead the state in COVID-19 deaths and to have one of the highest infection rates in the country, with the outbreak linked to the funerals.[23][24][25]

On March 2, state officials announced the first two known cases in Georgia: a Fulton County man in his 50s and his teenage son who had returned on February 22 from a trip to Milan, Italy.[26][27]

On March 6, public health officials reported a presumptive positive case involving a 46-year-old woman in Floyd County that appeared unrelated to international travel.[28][29]

On March 8, Governor Brian Kemp announced that a number of Americans on the cruise ship Grand Princess — including 34 Georgians — would be "securely transferred" to Dobbins Air Reserve Base for testing and quarantine on March 9 or 10. That night, Kemp said four currently hospitalized Georgians had been tested for COVID-19, with the Georgia Department of Public Health waiting for confirmation from the CDC; one person was a resident of Cherokee County, two were residents of Cobb County, and one a resident of Fulton County.[30][31]

On March 10, the Department of Public Health reported five additional cases, bringing the state total to 22. The majority of cases were in Cobb County (7 cases) and Fulton County (6 cases).[32] On March 11, the state announced nine more cases, making the total 31 presumed, with twelve confirmed.[33]

On March 12, the Governor's office reported the first death in the state of Georgia related to the pandemic — the 67-year-old man who had underlying health conditions.[34] He had attended the funeral held in Albany on February 29.[23] A dining facility worker at Moody Air Force Base, near Valdosta, tested positive for the virus, prompting the temporary closure of the facility for cleaning.[35]

On March 15, Atlanta mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, declared a state of emergency in the city, and banned public gatherings of more than 250 people.[36]

On March 24, Governor Brian Kemp ordered all bars and clubs to close.[37]

April to June 2020

An empty aisle of shelving after widespread panic buying of paper towels at a CVS in Valdosta

On April 1, 2020, Governor Kemp ordered that all K-12 schools close through the end of the 2019–20 academic year.[38] On April 2, Kemp issued a statewide shelter in place order, saying he had just learned "within the last 24 hours" that asymptomatic carriers could transmit the disease even if they were not exhibiting symptoms. However, documents show that state officials were warned about so-called community transmission as early as March 2.[14]

Governor Kemp issued an order effective April 3 suspending local shelter-in-place mandates, reopening beaches so long as people stay six feet apart.[39]

On April 8, Governor Kemp extended the statewide shelter in place order through the end of April.[40]

From June 17-27, the YMCA’s Camp High Harbor on Lake Burton in Rabun County held an orientation and a camp session for 597 Georgia residents. On June 24, a teenage counselor tested positive and the camp started sending campers home, shutting down the camp on June 27. Of the 344 people tested, 260 (44%) were positive for COVID-19.[41][42]

July 2020 to present

By July 20, there were COVID-19 outbreaks at several nursing homes and senior care facilities in northwest Georgia. Across eleven facilities, there were 248 infected residents, 130 infected staff members, and 32 deaths.[43] 12 August: Georgia reports highest death toll since start of the pandemic.[44]

State and local government responses

State government

Brigadier General Dwayne Wilson, director of joint staff of the Georgia National Guard, speaks with reporters from 11 Alive about the Georgia Guard's response to COVID-19 in the joint operations center at the Clay National Guard Center on March 17, 2020.

All state lawmakers and their staff members were urged to self-quarantine on March 18 after state Senator Brandon Beach tested positive. Beach had displayed symptoms for nearly a week, and despite knowing his coronavirus test was pending, he went to work at the state capitol on March 16 when emergency legislation was passed. Beach explained in an interview that he "was cleared to go back to normal duties" and added that "[i]n no way, shape or form would [he] ever intentionally expose anyone".[45] Governor Kemp, who was also potentially exposed, said he would not self-quarantine or be tested because his time around others was "severely limited" and he "never interacted with any legislators".[46]

Kemp has faced criticism that his efforts to stop the virus' spread are not forceful enough.[47] In a primetime television "town hall" on March 26 simulcast on all of Atlanta's major network stations as well as by statewide PBS member Georgia Public Broadcasting and over 140 radio stations across the state[48] — Kemp appeared with members of the state coronavirus task force, including Atlanta mayor Bottoms, DPH commissioner Kathleen Toomey, Georgia Emergency Management Agency director Homer Bryson, and Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire commissioner John King.

On March 28, Governor Kemp's top aide Tim Fleming said on social media that "[t]he media and some in the medical profession are peddling these doomsday models and projections... This has in turn resulted in people panicking and local governments across our state overreacting. As a result of their overreach, many small businesses will struggle and some will not reopen." Around the same time, Atlanta mayor Bottoms warned that city hospitals were projected to be "filled beyond capacity" by May 3, and Toomey said the situation would "get much worse".[49]

State announces reopening

As of April 21, the state had over 20,000 confirmed cases[50] and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicted on that day that June 19 would be the earliest safe date for Georgia to relax its social distancing measures.[51]

Nonetheless, on April 20 Governor Kemp announced that many businesses could reopen on April 24, including "gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors", with restaurants and movie theaters allowed to reopen on April 27.[52]

Reactions to the reopening

The governor's reopening decision brought widespread condemnation from inside and outside of Georgia,[52][53] with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms saying she would "continue to ask Atlantans to please stay at home"; Stacey Abrams, the 2018 Democratic Party candidate for governor, calling reopening "dangerously incompetent";[52] and even President Trump (who otherwise had generally been advocating for lifting stay-at-home orders, especially in states with Democratic governors) saying at the April 22 press briefing that Georgia "can wait a little longer... safety has to predominate."[54]

May surge in cases

As a result of the state's reopening, COVID-19 cases and deaths were predicted to rise in Georgia.[55] In the first two weeks following the April 24th reopening, the gradual downward trend in new daily cases and deaths continued.[56] On May 9 the decline trend of new cases dissolved, and May 13 began a "second wave" of increasing daily rates of new cases.[57]

Coronavirus task force

Governor Kemp first announced the creation of an 18-member coronavirus task force on February 28.[58][59]

On March 12, Kemp announced that he was expanding the task force to include four new committees: the Emergency Preparedness Committee, chaired by John King; the Economic Impact Committee, chaired by Jeffrey Dorfman; the Primary Care Physicians Committee, chaired by Ben Watson (R–Savannah); and the Committee for the Homeless and Displaced, chaired by Keisha Lance Bottoms, mayor of Atlanta.[60] This increased the task force's size to 66 members.[61] On March 20, Kemp revealed the complete list of committee members.[62]

Kemp added a fifth committee on April 5, the Community Outreach Committee, co-chaired by Bernice A. King and Leo Smith.[63]

Quarantine sites

On March 9, Governor Kemp announced the preparation of Hard Labor Creek State Park, located in Morgan County, as a quarantine destination for diagnosed individuals "without other options".[64][65] On March 10, a coronavirus patient from Cherokee County, who did not need hospitalization but lacked adequate quarantine conditions at home, became the first to be relocated to the park; he was released on March 15.[66] A second person arrived on March 17.[64] Georgia stopped using this location on March 24.

A second quarantine site was constructed at the Georgia Department of Public Safety in Forsyth, Monroe County. The area houses twenty trailers[67][68] with room for up to 40 patients. This site opened on March 24, replacing the old site.[69]

Prisons

The Georgia Department of Corrections (DOC) suspended visitations and announced additional sanitation measures, but the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that inmates had seen no extra soap.[70] A prison worker was confirmed to have the coronavirus on March 18 — the DOC, citing "security and HIPAA restrictions", declined to name the affected prison. The first detected case on COVID-19 in a prison inmate was at Lee State Prison two days later, on March 20.[12]

Department of Public Health

Georgia Army National Guard Lt. Col. Pervis Brown and 2nd Lt. Austin Brumby track mission assignments from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency at the Joint Force Headquarters in Marietta, March 23, 2020.

The Department of Public Health (DPH) releases daily coronavirus statistics, including the number of confirmed cases, deaths, positive tests, and total tests, as well as breakdowns by age, sex, and county. DPH recently began releasing numbers twice a day at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm, and starting on March 24 included the number of hospitalizations. On March 27, the DPH updated the state map on its website. The DPH does not release figures regarding its backlog of tests, a measure that other states have taken.[71]

On May 13, the DPH pulled a bar graph showing trends in new cases among Georgia's counties, that had been published with its bars not properly placed in chronological order (giving the false impression of descending case counts).[72][73]

County and city governments

Sign in Glynn County

In addition to Atlanta, the cities of Brookhaven, Clarkston, Sandy Springs and Dunwoody have approved plans to ban dine-in service at restaurants. Clarkston also banned gatherings of more than ten people.[18] South Fulton on March 17 instituted a curfew from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM, with work and medical exceptions.[19]

Athens–Clarke County declared on March 19 that "all individuals... shall shelter at their place of residence", though with exceptions.[74][75]

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond declared a state of emergency on March 23[76] and later issued a stay-at-home order effective from March 28 and to last indefinitely. The order does not affect cities within DeKalb County,[77] but the order "invites all of the cities to adopt this Order so that the [r]ules within all of DeKalb County are uniform".[78]

The city of Savannah declared a state of emergency on March 19, and mayor Van Johnson issued a stay-at-home order on March 24, effective through April 8. Johnson said that the order was "necessary and prudent to enhance and escalate our action plan to minimize the exposure of Savannahians to this virus".[21]

On March 26, Effingham County declared a state of emergency and "urged" residents to shelter in place.[79] Springfield declared an emergency the same day.

Tybee Island mayor Shirley Sessions ordered all non-essential businesses on the island to close and banned large groups from March 28 through April 9.[80][81]

Gwinnett County issued a stay-at-home order effective March 28 through April 13. The order covers the county as well as its 16 cities.[82]

Georgia cities and counties under executive orders

Municipality	Emergency	Stay-at-home	Curfew	Date	Length
Athens–Clarke County		Yes		March 19, 2020
Atlanta	Yes	Yes		March 23, 2020
Cobb County[83][84]	Yes			March 24, 2020	April 15, 2020
DeKalb County	Yes	Yes		March 28, 2020	indefinite
Dougherty County		Yes		March 20, 2020
Effingham County	Yes			March 26, 2020
Gwinnett County		Yes		March 28, 2020	April 13, 2020
Savannah	Yes	Yes		March 24, 2020	April 8, 2020
South Fulton			Yes	March 17, 2020

Mask mandate conflict

Amidst a rise in cases in July, a number of areas enacted mandates requiring the wearing of face coverings in public spaces when social distancing is not possible, including Atlanta (whose mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has been among Georgians who have tested positive; Bottoms also rolled back the city to Phase 1 guidance, discouraging dine-in restaurants).[85][86] However, Governor Kemp declared such orders to be unenforceable as they are a stricter mitigation than those specified by the state. On July 15, Kemp signed an executive order overruling all mask mandates not issued by the state, and prohibiting any future mandate.[87][88][89]

Furthermore, Kemp filed a lawsuit against the city council of Atlanta and Mayor Bottoms, asserting that she "does not have the legal authority to modify, change or ignore Governor Kemp's executive orders". Bottoms criticized Kemp's action, saying that her order was enforceable and stands, and that "public health experts overwhelmingly agree that wearing a face covering helps slow the spread of this sometimes deadly virus".[90]

School closures

Emory University became the first college in the state on March 11 to announce it was closing its campus and moving classes online for the remainder of the semester.[91] The University System of Georgia announced that its 26 public institutions would remain open based on the current advice of the Georgia Department of Public Health.[92] Three hours later the decision was reversed and the University System of Georgia has temporarily suspended instruction for two weeks starting on March 16.[92] On March 14, Gwinnett Technical College decided to close both of its campuses from March 16 through March 22, after announcing on March 13 that from March 23, to resume all currently 100% online courses as usual, and to convert all other courses to online instruction where possible.[93]

Also on March 12, 2020 many school districts in the state of Georgia decided to cancel classes for at least two weeks, such as Cobb County School District, who had an elementary school teacher test positive for the coronavirus.[94]

On April 1, 2020, Kemp ordered that all K-12 schools close through the end of the 2019–20 academic year. School districts will continue to educate students remotely. State officials have delayed the high-stakes testing that guides much of the instruction and are expecting approval from the federal government to scrap the tests altogether.[38]

Senators and Representatives

Votes on response bills

Congress has so far debated and enacted three bills meant to help the nation respond to the pandemic: the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (signed March 6), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (signed March 18), and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (signed March 27).

Both of Georgia's Senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, supported all three bills.

Representatives Jody Hice and Barry Loudermilk voted against the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Hice told reporters that the House was "not given the opportunity to even read the legislation before [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi forced a vote, and no cost estimate had been prepared," and also falsely claimed[95] that the law would repeal the Hyde Amendment, calling it "par for the course for the left, the activist left".

Representative John Lewis did not vote on the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Act or on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act;[96] Representative David Scott did not vote on the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Act; and Representative Tom Graves did not vote on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Loeffler stock sell-off controversy

Further information: 2020 Congressional insider trading scandal

Senator Loeffler, after a private briefing on the coronavirus from the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on January 24, 2020, began to offload various stocks[97] — by February 14, she had sold between $1.2 million and $3.1 million worth of holdings.[98] These actions attracted widespread condemnation — Democratic Senate contender Raphael Warnock called her actions "unconscionable", Republican Senate contender, US Representative Doug Collins said he was "sickened just thinking about it", and Georgia Speaker David Ralston said he was "absolutely worried about the down-ticket damage".[99]

Public transportation

Street sign in Brunswick

MARTA

In an effort to reduce exposure between bus drivers and riders, MARTA starting requiring passengers to use the rear door. Since the fare box is at the front near the driver, MARTA stopped collecting fares on buses.[100]

By the end of March, ridership on trains had fallen 67% and bus ridership dropped by 55% compared with the previous month,[100] reflecting national trends. A coalition of public transportation systems across the country — MARTA, along with Bay Area Rapid Transit, the Chicago Transit Authority, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, King County Metro, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NJ Transit, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority — requested at least $25 billion in relief from the federal government.[101]

As of July 11, a policy has been put in place by the company to require masks for all transportation run by MARTA.[102]

Other public transport

In Cobb County, CobbLinc blocked access to seats near the front of the bus to maintain distance between the drivers and passengers.[103]

Gwinnett County Transit, similar to MARTA, stopped bus fare collection and only use the rear door.[103]

Private sector responses

Sign in Brunswick, May 11, 2020

Outside service at a tavern in Savannah, May 22, 2020

Commercial entities

Six Flags Over Georgia announced that the theme park would close temporarily from March 13 to April 1.[104] On March 30, it reported that it would not open until mid-May.[105]

Emory Healthcare announced the postponement of "all inpatient and outpatient elective surgical and procedural cases" starting on March 16.[106] Furry Weekend Atlanta, a furry convention held in Atlanta, announced that the 2020 iteration of the convention scheduled for May had been cancelled in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[107]

Other attractions in Atlanta that have closed temporarily include the Children's Museum of Atlanta, the World of Coca-Cola, the College Football Hall of Fame, Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Georgia Aquarium, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and Zoo Atlanta.[108]

Foundations and charities

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation announced on March 20 that it would donate $5 million to an Atlanta coronavirus fund set up by United Way of Greater Atlanta, and Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia in Atlanta, in addition to $400,000 in other grants for non-profits in Georgia and Montana.[109][110]

In an effort to support local artists, non-profit CREATE Dunwoody created "Everything Will Be OK" yard signs which became popular.[111][112][113]

Impact

Airline passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport wearing facemasks

Economy

During the week of March 16–20, unemployment benefit filings in Georgia increased by 400%.[114] Businesses and workers from all over have been affected.[115]

Politics

Georgia's Democratic presidential primary elections were originally scheduled for March 24, 2020, but they were moved to May 19.[116] On March 24, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that all registered voters would receive absentee ballot request forms in the mail.[117][118] Georgia House Speaker David Ralston wanted to further postpone the election to at least June 23, but Raffensperger insisted the May date would proceed, saying that his plan "keeps the integrity of the vote, while also prioritizing the health and safety of Georgia voters".[119]

On March 10, state senator Brandon Beach started showing symptoms of COVID-19 and was tested on March 14. However, he attended a special session of the legislature on March 16 before his test results arrived on March 18 showing that he had tested positive. The entire Georgia state senate, their staffs, and Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan went into quarantine until March 30.[120]

Sports

Most of the state's sports teams were affected. Several leagues began postponing or suspending their seasons starting March 12. Major League Baseball cancelled the remainder of spring training on that date, and on March 16, they announced that the season will be postponed indefinitely, after the recommendations from the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks, affecting the Atlanta Braves.[121] Also on March 12, the National Basketball Association announced the season would be suspended for 30 days, affecting the Atlanta Hawks.[122]

The NCAA also cancelled all of its remaining tournaments for the academic year, including the 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament — whose semi-finals and championship game were originally to be hosted by Atlanta.[123]

The Masters, held annually in Augusta, were postponed and are tentatively rescheduled for November 12–15, 2020.[124]

NASCAR was Scheduled to Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 13-15, On March 12 NASCAR announced that the events would be held with out crowds in the stand, but however 24 hours later the races were cancelled and was later reschedule for June 6-7

Entertainment

The touring production of Hamilton, originally scheduled to play at the Fox Theatre in April, moved its dates to August 4 – September 5, causing a production of Ain't Too Proud to be moved to later in the season and for a concert by Blackberry Smoke with The Wild Feathers and an appearance from Iliza Shlesinger to be postponed.[125]

Judicial system

Grand juries were not allowed to convene through June 12, which consequently delayed a review over whether charges should be filed in the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in February.[126][127]

Per-county case statistics

COVID-19 pandemic medical cases in Georgia by county

County [lower-alpha 1]	Cases [lower-alpha 2]	Deaths	Hosp.	Pop (2020)	Cases / 100k	CFR
159 / 159	127,834	3,091	14,102	9,983,595	1,113.9	2.7%
Appling	376	15	49	18,368	2,025.8	4.4%
Atkinson	210	2	27	8,284	2,521	1.1%
Bacon	317	5	27	11,198	2,779.7	1.7%
Baker	45	3	12	3,366	1,444.2	7.0%
Baldwin	701	35	82	46,367	1,577.8	5.5%
Banks	166	3	25	18,316	830.8	0.7%
Barrow	681	28	133	70,169	788.4	4.3%
Bartow	1058	45	165	100,661	955.1	4.8%
Ben Hill	244	1	18	17,538	1,465.9	0.4%
Berrien	186	0	9	19,041	964.9	0.0%
Bibb	1,972	43	342	156,462	1,296.1	2.5%
Bleckley	100	1	8	12,913	778.9	1.2%
Brantley	152	3	8	18,587	791.6	2.3%
Brooks	238	12	25	15,403	1,513.3	5.0%
Bryan	300	5	35	32,214	766.5	2.2%
Bulloch	699	6	54	72,694	879.6	0.9%
Burke	232	7	41	23,125	1038.4	4.2%
Butts	352	35	32	23,524	1,398.3	10.5%
Calhoun	170	6	35	6,504	2,691.2	3.6%
Camden	320	2	12	51,402	593.4	0.8%
Candler	103	0	6	11,117	950.5	0.0%
Carroll	1,145	40	120	111,580	953.2	4.0%
Catoosa	371	8	28	65,046	539.5	2.3%
Charlton	147	2	12	13,295	1109.4	2.1%
Chatham	2,907	39	309	276,434	995	1.6%
Chattahoochee	490	1	8	13,037	4,558.6	0.3%
Chattooga	84	2	5	25,725	339.2	2.5%
Cherokee	1,868	48	212	221,315	700.6	2.8%
Clarke	1045	15	74	120,266	805.2	1.7%
Clay	64	2	5	3,116	2,241.68	3.4%
Clayton	3,060	84	320	265,888	1,003.8	3.0%
Clinch	124	4	11	6,718	1,863	2.6%
Cobb	7,571	256	1,024	707,442	957.6	3.7%
Coffee	967	17	132	43,170	2,246.6	1.9%
Colquitt	1,306	20	96	46,137	2,877.1	1.6%
Columbia	1,044	12	84	131,627	658.1	1.5%
Cook	262	4	27	16,923	1,502.6	1.7%
Coweta	927	16	68	130,929	609.9	1.9%
Crawford	56	0	7	12,600	458	0.0%
Crisp	322	13	46	23,606	1,444.7	4.2%
Dade	79	1	5	16,490	488.8	1.3%
Dawson	187	3	28	22,422	692.1	1.8%
Decatur	337	8	34	27,509	1,280.3	2.7%
DeKalb	8,980	186	1,154	707,089	1,132.2	2.2%
Dodge	155	2	14	21,329	760.4	1.5%
Dooly	225	13	45	14,318	1,679.1	5.9%
Dougherty	2,195	156	480	94,501	2,441.5	7.2%
Douglas	1,545	40	242	133,971	1,017.1	2.9%
Early	325	31	29	10,594	3,203.2	10.5%
Echols	199	0	6	3,988	5,013.9	0.0%
Effingham	360	1	30	53,293	562.3	0.4%
Elbert	197	0	11	19,684	1,039.9	0.0%
Emanuel	226	3	17	22,898	997.2	1.6%
Evans	68	0	5	10,689	636.3	0.0%
Fannin	137	1	12	23,492	520.5	0.8%
Fayette	565	20	51	107,524	480.7	3.8%
Floyd	784	15	60	96,177	784.7	2.2%
Forsyth	1,257	15	139	187,928	497.8	1.4%
Franklin	272	1	18	21,894	1,165.9	0.4%
Fulton	21,993	474	1,992	1,099,181	2000.85	2.2%
Gilmer	311	2	27	28,190	989.9	0.9%
Glascock	15	0	0	3,142	495.9	0.0%
Glynn	1,653	10	94	81,022	1,921	0.6%
Gordon	598	18	48	55,766	1,030.2	3.7%
Grady	258	4	42	25,440	1,051.3	1.6%
Greene	136	10	21	16,092	726.6	8.1%
Gwinnett	12,217	189	1,442	842,046	1,258	1.7%
Habersham	813	41	114	43,520	1,775.1	5.5%
Hall	4,012	65	524	185,416	1,944.3	1.7%
Hancock	237	33	39	8,996	2,892.7	14.6%
Haralson	120	5	18	28,400	390.6	4.8%
Harris	477	13	51	32,550	1,374.2	2.9%
Hart	125	0	8	25,518	478.8	0.0%
Heard	90	3	9	11,633	727.6	3.8%
Henry	1,932	34	124	209,053	805.5	2.0%
Houston	1,060	32	167	146,136	675	3.2%
Irwin	107	1	14	9,600	1,134.3	1.0%
Jackson	559	12	65	60,571	748.3	2.2%
Jasper	92	1	8	13,630	647.9	1.2%
Jeff Davis	175	3	14	15,156	1,155.3	2.1%
Jefferson	246	2	29	16,432	1,606.5	1.2%
Jenkins	169	14	32	9,213	1,970.6	8.8%
Johnson	141	2	21	9,897	1,459.5	1.7%
Jones	152	1	9	28,577	531.6	0.0%
Lamar	154	6	16	18,057	796	4.2%
Lanier	172	3	11	10,400	1,661.7	1.8%
Laurens	412	1	33	48,041	871.1	0.3%
Lee	436	22	73	28,746	1,454.1	5.3%
Liberty	302	2	27	65,471	487.9	0.5%
Lincoln	76	2	12	7,737	935.4	1.7%
Long	75	1	2	16,048	376.6	1.6%
Lowndes	1,997	18	108	114,552	1,694.1	0.9%
Lumpkin	188	4	36	30,611	556.2	2.5%
Macon	146	10	36	14,263	1,124.1	6.6%
Madison	192	4	21	27,922	636.3	2.5%
Marion	105	3	13	8,711	1,266.1	3.1%
McDuffie	175	8	37	21,663	810.3	5.5%
McIntosh	92	1	6	13,839	631.6	1.3%
Meriwether	262	3	29	21,273	1,246.4	1.2%
Miller	61	0	3	5,969	1,058.3	0.0%
Mitchell	506	41	107	23,144	2,294.2	8.2%
Monroe	261	20	33	26,637	941.3	8.3%
Montgomery	65	0	8	8,913	704.7	0.0%
Morgan	91	0	8	17,881	475.5	0.0%
Murray	326	2	23	39,392	809.7	0.7%
Muscogee	3,061	64	324	198,413	1,597.4	2.1%
Newton	1,010	16	126	101,505	898.9	1.6%
Oconee	257	14	35	33,619	615.8	5.4%
Oglethorpe	122	7	19	14,618	800.5	6.7%
Paulding	912	16	102	144,800	528.6	2.0%
Peach	170	10	35	27,622	621	6.9%
Pickens	130	5	17	29,268	387.7	4.5%
Pierce	278	5	35	18,844	1,422.4	2.1%
Pike	124	3	13	17,810	657.5	2.7%
Polk	372	1	20	41,188	855.5	0.3%
Pulaski	61	2	8	11,720	560	3.3%
Putnam	229	12	24	21,198	1,046.4	5.9%
Quitman	23	1	5	2,404	1,002.6	5.0%
Rabun	97	3	17	16,297	571.1	4.5%
Randolph	214	25	37	7,327	3,168.5	11.8%
Richmond	1,922	62	278	202,587	950.4	4.0%
Rockdale	756	11	122	85,820	796.1	1.7%
Schley	37	1	7	4,990	701.4	3.4%
Screven	123	8	22	14,202	884.9	6.5%
Seminole	61	2	8	8,947	749.4	3.7%
Spalding	601	33	82	63,865	869.6	6.1%
Stephens	375	6	39	25,891	1,424.3	2.0%
Stewart	233	4	49	6,042	3,801.6	1.4%
Sumter	642	52	155	31,554	2,183.8	8.3%
Talbot	97	3	15	6,517	1,575.2	3.2%
Taliaferro	2	0	0	1,680	122.6	0.0%
Tattnall	210	0	13	25,384	826.4	0.0%
Taylor	47	2	12	8,420	415.7	5.7%
Telfair	193	3	16	16,349	1,052.1	1.7%
Terrell	252	29	61	9,045	2,976.3	11.8%
Thomas	620	33	92	44,724	1,395.4	5.5%
Tift	1,013	29	126	41,064	2,481	2.9%
Toombs	354	5	28	27,315	1,311.9	1.6%
Towns	71	1	11	10,495	590	1.6%
Treutlen	51	2	11	6,769	746.8	2.2%
Troup	1,802	39	195	68,468	2,559.2	2.2%
Turner	206	18	35	8,410	2,550.8	9.0%
Twiggs	48	1	11	8,447	593.6	2.4%
Union	123	4	29	21,451	485.5	3.1%
Upson	393	45	49	26,630	1,495.6	11.7%
Walker	389	14	19	68,094	558.8	3.3%
Walton	591	32	72	84,575	616.8	5.3%
Ware	734	17	84	35,821	2,047.3	2.7%
Warren	36	0	16	5,578	691	0.0%
Washington	205	1	15	20,879	1,009.8	0.6%
Wayne	204	0	24	30,305	680.6	0.0%
Webster	34	2	7	2,793	1,333.3	6.2%
Wheeler	66	0	2	7,888	834.5	0.0%
White	190	5	34	27,556	598.3	2.4%
Whitfield	1,978	17	88	103,359	1,889.7	0.9%
Wilcox	144	15	20	9,068	1,638.2	11.2%
Wilkes	124	3	19	10,076	1,238.3	1.1%
Wilkinson	126	9	32	9,577	1,412.7	8.3%
Worth	360	22	58	21,741	1,787.3	6.3%
Non-resident	7,614	50	256	—	—	0.7%
Unknown	1,363	1	35	—	—	0.1%
Updated July 15, 2020 Data is publicly reported by Georgia Department of Public Health[128]
County where individuals with a positive case reside, not where they were diagnosed. Location of original infection may vary. Reported confirmed cases. Actual case numbers are probably higher.

See also

• Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
• COVID-19 pandemic in the United States – for impact on the country
• COVID-19 pandemic – for impact on other countries

References

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External links

• Coronavirus information from Georgia Department of Public Health