Dougherty County continues to flatten coronavirus curve

ALBANY, Ga. – The Dougherty County Coroner announced that there are no COVID-19 deaths so far this week and Phoebe’s health system reports having more patients coming in with non-COVID-19 related issues than patients with critical coronavirus symptoms for the first time in over a month.

During Dougherty County’s Taskforce meeting, positive news and encouraging stats were given by local officials. For the first time in over a month, much of the meeting’s focus was set on Dougherty County’s future and not so heavily on it’s current situation. Phoebe is looking forward to reviving delayed services, the coroner says COVID-19 deaths have dropped significantly and the county commission chairman says its time to stop being gripped by fear and time to begin thinking about reemerging.

“We are seeing significant, real and substantive progress,” says Dougherty County Chairman Chris Cohilas.

Cohilas says that enacting aggressive and swift measures like the shelter in place order have helped Dougherty County flatten the coronavirus curve.

However, he says following the orders have had a profound economic impact. And encourages the community to start thinking about reemerging to prevent local business from failing.

He says, “We certainly don’t want our business community to dry up, our small business community is the backbone of the community, we need those businesses to be able to succeed.”

And as positive trends continue to be reported, perhaps people will venture outside of their homes.

“Yesterday at Phoebe Putney in Albany we had a total of 45 patients who were admitted to the hospital of that 45 only four had COVID-19,” Says Phoebe’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Kitchen.

At the peak, Phoebe was seeing 40 COVID-19 patients a day.

 With fewer COVID-19 patients, Kitchen says that the hospital system is now reviving some delayed services.

Although some aspects of life before covid are returning, city officials say this new normal might be here to stay for quite some time.

“This is not a sprint it is a marathon,” says Cohilas.

City officials continue to encourage all citizens to wear masks while out in public and to continue practicing Social distancing.

The Taskforce will meet again Thursday at the Government Center at 1 p.m.