As Labor Day approaches, Georgia officials are warning residents to be safe and cautious over the Labor Day weekend.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is doing another flyaround tour of the state stopping in DeKalb County, Valdosta, Savannah and Augusta to remind Georgians again to follow Kemp’s Four Things for Fall to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Earlier this week, Kemp urged Georgia residents not to make the same mistake they made in large numbers over Memorial Day.
“Let’s don’t have a Memorial Day bump after Labor Day weekend. Let’s don’t have a July Fourth bump… Let’s try to avoid that spike,” Kemp said.
While Georgia’s COVID-19 numbers are decreasing, large holiday gatherings have caused spikes in the past and are almost certain to cause a spike after Labor Day if Georgians don’t take precautions.
Leaders in DeKalb County are also concerned about a Labor Day spike and will be sending alerts to phones of residents and visitors in DeKalb County throughout the holiday weekend. The alerts will remind visitors that the pandemic hasn’t ended and the fight against COVID-19 isn’t over.
“Do not allow our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 be undermined during the Labor Day weekend,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. “We must remain vigilant because the fight against the deadly pandemic is not over.”
Since the pandemic began, DeKalb County has worked with its public and private partners to slow the spread of COVID-19 by distributing masks and sanitizer to residents and small businesses. The county also has encouraged businesses to implement a “no mask, no service” policy.
According to Georgia Department of Public Health statistics, DeKalb has recorded the state’s fourth highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, 16,716 and 309 deaths.
As of Thursday, Georgia had 277,288 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5,868 people had died from the virus. There have been 25,249 people admitted to the hospital for coronavirus statewide.
The state’s 7-day average of new cases has been declining since mid-August, but has been flat the last four days. The current 7-day average is 2,089 cases per day.
