Public health officials discuss end of COVID-19 public health emergency

Looking back on COVID-19...

ALBANY, Ga. – After more than three years, the COVID-19 public health emergency is officially ended. We caught up with local public health officials to look towards the post-COVID futures in Southwest Georgia.

What was at one point, a place treating one of the highest amount of COVID infections per capita in the world, the Phoebe Putney Health System, is now treating only a small handful of severe COVID cases.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dianna Grant, while not in Albany during the initial outbreak in the spring of 2020, spoke about how dire the situation was for healthcare workers.

“Those were in the days that we didn’t even have enough personal protective equipment and people in the community, and we thanked them, helped make masks for us, brought in food, so our healthcare workers could continue to work and continue to be present,” said Dr. Dianna Grant, Chief Medical Officer, Phoebe Putney Health System.

One person who was present throughout the initial outbreak was Southwest Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Charles Ruis.

And…while the emergency status is over, contracting COVID is still a very real possibility.

“The end of the emergency status doesn’t mean that covid totally vanished from the planet. Even though the number of hospitalizations and deaths remain low, it’s still a threat…” said Dr. Charles Ruis, Southwest Director, Department of Public Health.

That’s why although the public health emergency has ended, the Department of Public Health will not be stopping testing and vaccinations…

As they’re planning to continue these services at no out of pocket cost to South Georgia residents.

“For others, that would be a financial strain, or an impossibility. So, it’s good to know that people can turn to the health departments for testing. And most of our health departments will have a supply of test kits that could be given to people that they can use at home,” said Dr. Ruis.

But, in looking back on the previous three years of covid as a public health emergency, both Phoebe and the Department of Public Health view COVID, not as endemic…

But something that has become cyclical….

“We’re probably going to start looking at COVID the same way we look at the flu. In a seasonal period of time, with that being cyclic, four to six months…” said Dr. Grant.

“It is commonly agreed upon everyone that we’re going to be dealing with COVID for quite a while. And, so, it pays for everyone to stay informed. To know the things that they can do to protect themselves,” said Dr. Ruis.

With the pandemic officially in the rearview mirror, public health officials are hoping that the public puts a little bit more agency in their personal health.

COVID-19 PCR testing can be done at the dougherty county health department and is available 24/7.

Brian Roche reporting.

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