As COVID-19 hospitalizations at Northeast Georgia Health System facilities continue to break records, Hall and Dawson County Superior Courts have suspended jury trials through Jan. 31, 2021.
Kathlene F. Gosselin, the Chief Judge of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit, entered the order to extend the judicial emergency for the local courts last week and dated the order at 1:30 p.m. today.
On Dec. 9, Georgia’s Chief Justice Harold D. Melton modified his most recent judicial emergency order, warning that jury trials could be suspended because of worsening COVID-19 conditions across the state.
The new order signed by Gosselin does not suspend non-essential hearings in the circuit, but all courts are encouraged to use remote video technology whenever possible to avoid in-person proceedings.
By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism. District 2 Public Health receives first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine, will hold clinic for EMS workers next week Hall County EMA Director Casey Ramsey is working with the Department of Public Health coordinating how nearly 1,000 frontline EMS, fire and police employees are going to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as doses are expected to arrive. - photo by Scott Rogers
District 2 Public Health received its first shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Friday, Dec. 18, and plans to hold a clinic to vaccinate EMS workers Monday, Dec. 21, in Hall County.
A Jackson Healthcare unit can get up to $68 million more to supply nurses and other health care workers to help hospitals and nursing homes deal with the COVID surge, under a state contract extension.
The Alpharetta-based company received a no-bid contract early in the pandemic for staffing. That original contract could extend to $250 million by the end of this year.
With the extension, the total that the Jackson Healthcare unit can receive could exceed $300 million.
The new agreement would extend the contract till March 6.
The firm, whose political connections have led to some criticism of the contract, has worked with more than 50 Georgia hospitals to help augment their workforces.
Seven health care workers at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville became the first Northeast Georgians to receive the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday evening after doses of the vaccine arrived in the region.
They were the first of about 5,000 frontline staff and physicians to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which arrived at the Gainesville hospital Thursday morning, where it is being stored is specially ordered freezers to keep it at proper temperatures.
“It feels like Christmas came early,” Carol Burrell, president and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System, said. “It’s been a long eight months for our organization and our community, as we continue to see record numbers of COVID patients. We still have a long journey ahead of us, but simply having a vaccine in our hands is a tremendous and positive step forward.”
District 2 Public Health in Gainesville has received nearly 1,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine and will begin vaccinating emergency medical personel on Monday as the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Northeast Georgia hit another record.
A clinic for emergency personnel will be held Monday and Tuesday. The clinic requires appointments and will open each day at 8 a.m. It will be held at Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center at 1855 Calvary Church Road. The site was chosen because parking and access to the health department in limited.
“Following the Georgia Department of Public Health’s vaccination plan and recommendations from the Centers for Disease and Control to first vaccinate frontline healthcare workers, public health is excited to begin this phase of the coronavirus response, said Dr. Zachary Taylor, director of Distict 2 Public Health.