More than 1,400 Georgia health workers have petitioned the state governor to place more restrictions on him to curb the spread of Covid-19.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 27: Georgia Governor Brian Kemp speaks to the media during a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol on April 27, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. The press conference was held to brief the media on the current state of the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) in Georgia as the state reopens restaurants for dinner customers. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
Georgia has seen the virus rise in the past week, and the number of new cases has increased by more than 50%.
In a letter dated Thursday, health workers request that Governor Brian Kemp close bars and nightclubs and ban indoor gatherings of more than 25 people, including in places of worship.
The letter also recommends a state-wide facial coverage requirement and requests that the governor allow mayors and county officials to establish appropriate requirements for their jurisdictions.
“Over the past week, we have seen a sharp increase in cases that cannot be explained by increased testing. We are also seeing a very worrying increase in hospitalizations that, if it continues, will overwhelm our health care infrastructure, not just in the metro Atlanta area but also in rural Georgia, “the letter says. “Georgia simply is not prepared for an increase in cases and hospitalizations. You have the power to do much more to save lives and protect our citizens from preventable diseases.”
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Dr. Jesse Couk, an Atlanta-based infectious disease specialist, told CNN by phone Friday night that he worked with other doctors and health professionals to create the letter after becoming frustrated with an apparent lack of action. in response to the increase in cases.
Couk said he wanted to emphasize the importance of wearing a mask and the need for greater social distancing and more restrictions to curb the spread.
“I wanted to send that message to Governor Kemp,” Couk said. “I had a lot of concerns because I was seeing our Covid-19 cases grow and grow in Georgia and I was seeing increases in hospital admissions.”
Couk told CNN that after being on the front line of large numbers of cases and hospitalizations in March and April, he is concerned that another surge may send everyone back to isolation.
Kemp went on a “mask tour” this week in southwest Georgia, where he was also joined by US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams.
Couk said he is aware that the governor has been promoting the use of a mask, and gives him credit for wearing one in South Georgia where “they are seeing an explosion in the cases.” But he said he hoped Kemp would follow in the footsteps of Texas and North Carolina to make mandatory masks.
“We really need more than 90% of people to wear a mask in a high-risk situation, such as being indoors in public or in crowds outdoors,” Couk said.
“So we know that our cases are increasing, we know that our hospitalizations are increasing,” Couk said. “So the time to act is now, there is no reason to wait.”
CNN has reached out to Kemp’s office for a response.
On June 29, Kemp extended the state’s public health emergency, which requires social distancing, prohibits gatherings of more than 50 people unless there are six feet between each person, and seeks refuge in long-term care facilities until July 15. it has been set to expire on July 1.
The coronavirus has killed more than 129,000 people and infected more than 2.7 million across the country, according to Johns Hopkins University. She listed Georgia with 90,493 reported cases.
As infection rates continue to rise in 36 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is projecting nearly 148,000 deaths in the US by the end of the month.
On Friday, Johns Hopkins University reported 52,104 new cases in the United States and 631 new deaths.
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