CORONAVIRUS UPDATE FROM THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH; VOCCIO EXCITED ABOUT NEW JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE

A total of 1,554 new cases of coronavirus and just two virus-related fatalities were reported across Georgia on Sunday by the state’s Department of Public Health.

According to the latest update by the DPH issued just before 3 pm, there have been 818,516 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide. The state’s death toll now stands at 15,068. In Floyd County, there were 9,317 confirmed cases and 163 fatatlities. Gwinnett County had the state’s highest number of confirmed cases with 80,406, and Fulton County had the most deaths with 1,051.

As of the latest update to the DPH’s vaccine dashboard on Sunday afternoon, 2,048,591 vaccines had been administered statewide; that includes 1,273,326 first doses and 775,265 second doses. The number of vaccines administered here in Floyd County totaled 33,279.

The COVID-19 Daily Status Report and the vaccine dashboard are posted on the Georgia Department of Public Health website, www.dph.georgia.gov.

The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization over the weekend for Johnson & Johnson’s single dose vaccine. Dr. Gary Voccio, the Health Director for the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Northwest District, asserts that this will give Americans even more opportunities to get vaccinated in the not too distant future.

Here is a reminder that the Northwest Health District has ended its operation of free COVID-19 testing sites around the district as it now focuses attention on vaccination efforts; Dr.Voccio indicates that there are now other sources in Northwest Georgia for these tests.