Feared southwest Georgia COVID-19 wave has not materialized
May 11—ALBANY — With reports of startling surges in several northern states and a significant jump in positive COVID-19 cases in neighboring Florida, many in southwest Georgia privately thought, "Oh no, here we go again," when a significant bump in cases was reported several days ago.
When COVID numbers in the Albany-based Phoebe Putney Health System jumped from around 20 to more than 30 over the course of a few days, the fear expressed appeared to be justified.
But the numbers in the Phoebe health system have not risen past the low-30s threshold and have indeed gone down to the low- to mid-20s in the last several days, putting to rest fears that another wave of the virus was about to hit the region that was one of the world's hot spots for the virus in the early part of 2020.
Numbers released by Phoebe officials Tuesday showed that 25 COVID patients were being treated at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital facilities in Albany, and six others were being treated at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus.
Officials throughout the region are urging those eligible — which includes anyone age 16 and older — to sign up for any one of three vaccines available at a number of locations throughout the region.
