Forsyth County Government: Forsyth County Leaders Address Covid-19 Delta Variant

Press release from Forsyth County Government:

August 3, 2021

Vaccines available weekdays through District 2 Public Health in Forsyth County  Following a recent uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases, and reports of the virus’s Delta variant spreading, Forsyth County government leaders met with the County’s Emergency Management Agency Director, Northside Hospital Forsyth administration and officials with District 2 Public Health (D2PH) on Aug. 2.    “Hearing our local health leaders and partners discuss the increase in positive cases is unsettling,” said Forsyth County Chairwoman/District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills. “The data shows a growing number of positive cases in our community, primarily among those who are unvaccinated. We will be closely watching the data and will be in growing communication with our health partners.”  Officials with D2PH and Northside Hospital Forsyth urged the importance of being vaccinated. Northside Hospital Forsyth COO Lynn Jackson stressed that the COVID-19 cases admitted to the hospital are primarily from those who are not vaccinated.   “The hospitalized COVID-19 positive cases are significantly on the rise in our hospital,” said Jackson during the meeting. “Of those hospitalized for COVID-19, roughly 85% have not been vaccinated, of those who are positive and vaccinated nearly all have co-morbidities or some other health issues going on.”  D2PH officials inquired about nursing staff availability to which Jackson replied, “there are certainly hiring opportunities for nurses, especially in critical care areas.”   The following statistics are from an Aug. 1, 2021, Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) report: - Forsyth County residents fully vaccinated – 108,482 (48% of residents) - Forsyth County COVID-19 confirmed new daily cases – 74% increase from July 1

- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. - 8 a.m. to noon A full list of locations, dates and times can be found by clicking here. Appointments can be made through the state’s Department of Public Health page by clicking here, although walk-ins are welcome. “With the COVID-19 Delta variant here and cases on the rise, I made the decision to get the vaccine even after having the virus. We know the vaccine is doing its job, so I did it and you can do it too,” said Mills.  Information on COVID-19 vaccines, provided by Georgia DPH, can be found by clicking here. 

This press release was produced by Forsyth County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.