Forsyth County Leaders Address COVID-19 Delta Variant

CUMMING, GA — 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 on Aug. 2.

“Hearing our local health leaders and partners discuss the increase in positive cases is unsettling,” Forsyth County Chairwoman/District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said. “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 District 2 Public Health and Northside Hospital Forsyth urged the importance of being vaccinated. Northside Hospital Forsyth Chief Operations Officer 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,” Jackson said during the meeting. “Of those hospitalized for COVID-19, roughly 85 percent have not been vaccinated, of those who are positive and vaccinated nearly all have co-morbidities or some other health issues going on.”

District 2 Public Health 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 Georgia Department of Public Health report:

• Forsyth County residents fully vaccinated – 108,482 (48 percent of residents)
• Forsyth County residents with at least one vaccine dose – 117,736 (52 percent of residents)
• Forsyth County COVID-19 confirmed new daily cases – 74 percent increase from July 1
• Northside Hospital Forsyth admissions due to COVID-19 – 330 percent increase since July 26
  • Data provided by Northside Hospital Forsyth

According to the Department of Public Health report, which can be found online, Georgia had 586 positive COVID-19 cases on July 1. The total number of statewide new cases on Aug. 2 was 2,331, an increase of 75 percent.

COVID-19 vaccines are administered at all District 2 Public Health locations, including the Forsyth County Public Health Office, 428 Canton Highway, during the following date/times:

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
  • 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesday
  • 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday
  • 8 a.m. to noon

All offices are closed for lunch between 12:30-1 p.m. daily.

A full list of locations, dates and times can be found online. Appointments can be made through the state’s Department of Public Health page, 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," Mills said. "We know the vaccine is doing its job, so I did it, and you can do it too."

Information on COVID-19 vaccines, provided by Georgia Department of Public Health, can be found online.