Gov. Kemp: Focus On Moving Forward, Not On Political Differences

ATLANTA, GA — During a news conference Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp stressed that now is the time for Georgians to focus on moving the state forward, rather than letting differing opinions be a focal point in the fight against the coronavirus.

"We may not agree on certain policies or belong to the same political party, but we all want the same thing: a state where families are healthy, businesses are thriving, communities are flourishing and people are optimistic about tomorrow," Kemp said. "We want a Georgia where you zip code doesn't define your potential; where opportunity exists for all hardworking Georgians. Now more than ever, we must put our differences aside and put Georgians first. Georgia's families, workers and businesses need us. Their future, and ours, hangs in the balance."

Kemp said he and other state officials will continue to follow the data on new coronavirus cases and deaths in the state as they decide the next steps.

"If we see the numbers turning in a different direction than we'd like to see, then we'll take further action," he said. "The models aren't incorporating all the social distancing requirements the states have in their regulations. It's important for our citizens to know, we're following a lot of things. The more we test, the more positive results we'll see because we know there is community spread. Our goal in all of this, was to flatten the curve, build the hospital bed capacity and the infrastructure that we needed, and give them time to get PPE supplies."

Kemp said officials continue to watch the numbers of cases and deaths from coronavirus in Georgia daily.

"Our numbers continue to look very good," Kemp said. "But that doesn't mean that we can quit doing what we're doing. I want to urge all Georgians to continue, when you're going to public places to wear your mask. Continue to avoid the large gatherings, and let's continue to drive the numbers down. It's important for Georgians to not get scared or panicked because somebody has a new model that says something. All the models are wrong, but they are good guidance for us, and we pay attention to them and our hospital bed capacity, which continues to stay in great shape."

Get the latest updates on the new coronavirus in Georgia as they happen. Sign up for free news alerts and a newsletter in your Patch town.

Kemp also announced Thursday that the Peach Bowl, which hosts the annual Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, has provided $1.09 million in support of Kemp’s plan to scale testing statewide and provide virus screening for all Georgians through the Augusta University Health SystemHealth ExpressCare app. The app allows people to be screened for the virus virtually, 24/7, with no appointment required and at no cost.

“Our partnership with Augusta University has been critical as we work to increase access to testing through the AU Health ExpressCare app,” Kemp said. “This generous gift from the Peach Bowl will bolster those efforts and help us as we continue to find innovative ways to ramp up COVID-19 testing in our state. We could not be more grateful for their support in this fight.”

During the virtual visit, a provider will ask about common symptoms of infection and duration, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath, as well as questions related to medical history and risk of virus exposure. Patients who screen positive will be scheduled for testing at their nearest drive-thru location. Those who screen negative will be provided their visit summary and directed for further evaluation and treatment.

As of noon Thursday, the coronavirus outbreak in Georgia included 30 more deaths, the Georgia Department of Public Health released in its daily report. The updated numbers reflect an increase of nearly 700 new cases from noon Wednesday, bringing the total to 31,260 coronavirus cases statewide and a total of 1,335 deaths.

Of the 5,804 total hospitalizations among positive cases, 1,363 are intensive care unit admissions. These reflect information at the time cases were reported to the state health department.

Globally, more than 3.7 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and over 264,000 people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Thursday at noon. In the U.S., more than 1.2 million people have been infected and over 73,000 people have died from COVID-19.

See more:

• Gov. Kemp Urging Georgians to Wear Face Coverings In Public
• Kemp Touts Lowest Day Of Ventilator Use, Cases Update
• Gov. Kemp Visits GA Barbershop For A Cut; New Cases, More Deaths