Over 600 players and coaches in Georgia test positive for COVID
Uncategorized July 31, 2020The GHSA has reported that over 600 players and coaches have tested positive for COVID since voluntary workouts began on June 8th.
The Georgia High School Association sent out and email on Tuesday, where they confirmed that they have had a reported 655 positive tests, including over 1,000 screen outs. Screen outs are when a player or coach is held out of practice due to a high temperature check or health questionnaire.
Several local area teams have stopped and started workouts since the June 8th restart, due to complications with the virus.
These numbers that he GHSA has released are not entirely accurate, as the GHSA does not require positive tests to be reported to the association, however it is encouraged so that the data can be compiled and used in the decision making process.
“The data is aggregate and for decision-making purposes,” GHSA associate director Don Corr said in Tuesdays email. “It is our belief that this data is incomplete and varies due to individual infectious disease plans formulated by each member school.”
6 GHSA teams have reported to the GHSA that they are shutting down their practice’s this week. There could be more since the GHSA also does not require practice activity to be reported either. The teams that are not practicing currently are Morgan County, Putnam County, Greene County, Social Circle and Lincoln County in east and central Georgia and Lakeside in DeKalb County.
Each school district has their own protocol in dealing with the positive coronavirus cases, as the GHSA has decided to give the power to the schools instead of setting a governing body of rules.
Fetch Your News Interviews Pickens Commission Chair on COVID-19 Response
FYNTV, News March 25, 2020
JASPER, Ga. – Fetch Your News CEO Brian Pritchard held an interview with Pickens County Commission chair Rob Jones regarding the county’s response of COVID-19 on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
Jones started off by stating that this ordinance was an 11 page document, intended mostly as a reminder to get people to understand how serious the virus is.
He states that not included in the shutdown are things such as grocery stores, drug stores, healthcare services, gas stations, drive thrus at banks, building supplies, auto parts, restaurants for takeout or curbside, liquor stores, etc.
The ordinance is available through Tuesday, April 7, 2020, and is planned to go void unless the health system of Pickens an Georgia directs them to do something else at that time.
Why liquor stores?
Jones says that this is because withdrawals may occur in certain individuals who have become dependent on alcohol, and that hospitals would further take a hit if those individuals were unable to obtain their alcohol.
Groups of 10 or more aren’t allowed while the ordinance is in place.
Even outside government agencies such as the road department have been split into smaller groups to aid in stopping the spread of the virus.
Jones says this ordinance encourages people to stay home, but, isn’t mandatory, as asked by Pritchard during the interview. Jones says that they understand people must go out to the grocery store, visit the bank, etc.
When asked whether or not Jones knows if those who are listed as infected in the county are from Pickens, he responded that they are residences of the county, but that one of the individuals is in a hospital south of the county, with another self-quarantined in their home, though he’s currently unaware of the status of the other two.
A video of the entire interview may be viewed below!:
https://youtu.be/2Vw8p4P0bhI