As COVID-19 deaths drop, Albany leaders shift focus on the future

ALBANY, Ga. – What was once one of the world’s hardest hit places for COVID-19 deaths per capita, Albany ’s COVID-19 rate of infection and death rate have gone down significantly.

County leaders were optimistic as they shared encouraging numbers that showed Albany was no longer a hot bed for COVID-19. 

In the last seven days there have been zero COVID-19 deaths according to the Dougherty County Coroner, Michael Fowler.

And because numbers have dropped, Commission Chairman, Chris Cohilas says that he’s working on making Antibody testing available to residents so that a more comprehensive picture of how COVID-19 affected the city can be made available.

“That is something that I anticipate we’re going to have here in this community. One of the discussions that I’ve been having, along with the Mayor and several other leaders, we’ve requested Augusta University to come into our community and test an appropriate cross section so that we can make a determination as to how many people have gotten infected and actually gotten over the virus,” said Cohilas during Thursday’s COVID-19 Task Force meeting.

Cohilas says that he’s working out the cost and details with the City of Albany and the Dougherty County School System in hopes of providing this antibody testing for no cost.