Phoebe Health System reporting additional COVID-19 deaths

ALBANY, Ga. — “We are certainly so much better off than we were in March and April and again, when a lot of the communities around us are experiencing surges and certainly around the country we’re having surges we have certainly enjoyed a significant amount of success,” said Dr. James Black, medical director for emergency medicine at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, during Dougherty County’s COVID-19 task force meeting Friday.

Local leaders and health officials gathered to update Dougherty County residents on the COVID-19 triumphs and challenges the community is facing.

Within the last week, Phoebe is reporting that five people within their health care system have lost their lives due to COVID-19 complications.

While that number is nowhere near what the hospital system was seeing in the earlier months of the pandemic, the new deaths are a reminder that the novel virus is still in the community and it can be deadly.

According to local health officials though, the community is doing well in keeping their rate of transmission and number of hospitalizations low but that does not mean we’re out of the woods.

“We know better than most how quickly we can see another peak so we want us to continue to doing those things that we’ve been doing in the past,” said Black.

Things like socially distancing, keeping hands washed and wearing masks. Important preventative measures like those are vital with holiday gatherings right around the corner.

Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas said, “As we roll into Thanksgiving and the holidays, please continue to be smart, many of our elderly citizens are going to want to interact with family members. If you’re going to travel, please do so safely.”