Governor Kemp tours Phoebe facility

ALBANY, Ga. —  After only a few weeks, the Phoebe North campus’s temporary pod facility for additional COVID-19 cases is ready for overflow patients.

Georgia Governor, Brian Kemp toured the facility Tuesday morning as the state continues to recover from the pandemic.

Governor Kemp told those in attendance, “Certainly this community has been through a lot with floods and storms, and hurricanes, and tornadoes, and many other things over the years. But this is something that nobody had experience with. And i’m just thankful for how everybody buckled down, and hunkered down…”

The pod facility is the latest step towards a return to normalcy as several were ordered across the state.

Phoebe officials believe that even in a worst case scenario in recovery, that the new facility will be able to provide a boost in COVID-19 care as well as stabilize the supply of personal protective equipment.

“Whether or not we experience another surge of COVID-19 in Albany, in our surrounding areas, I think we’re going to be very well positioned to meet what ever surge or challenge might present itself,” says Phoebe Chief Medical Officer, Dr Stephen Kitchen.

As this pod facility is set to go into operation, Governor Kemp is hoping that these facilities can serve a purpose long after the pandemic ends.

“We’ll keep this facility stood up, even if it’s not being used for the foreseeable future. So whatever happens in the fall, or until we get a vaccine, it’ll just have us continue to be ready, and be able to have these open and back up so quickly,” says Kemp.

With this new facility on standby for additional coronavirus patients, it serves to show an increased sense of confidence in returning to normalcy.

The pod facilities are expected to begin operations Wednesday morning.