Phoebe seeing more hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Hospital system releases its latest COVID-19 numbers Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (Source: WALB) By WALB News Team | January 8, 2021 at 1:07 PM EST - Updated January 8 at 1:07 PM
ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Phoebe Putney Health System is seeing more hospitalized COVID-19 patients at a higher rate than it was before the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the hospital system.
“Today, our volume of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is nearly five and a half times what it was the week before Thanksgiving, and as transmission rates remain high throughout Georgia, we expect our volume to continue to increase.” said Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System CEO and president. “The greatest weapons in our fight against the virus are wearing masks and getting the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Phoebe expands COVID-19 vaccine administration 65-year-olds can call 229-312-1919 to speak with a scheduler to set up an appointment for next week. (Source: WALB) By Dave Miller | January 7, 2021 at 10:04 AM EST - Updated January 7 at 11:12 AM
ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Phoebe Putney memorial Hospital will begin to vaccinate southwest Georgians who are 65 and older and area law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders next week as the state of Georgia expands the first phase of COVID-19 vaccinations.
So far, Phoebe has only been allowed to vaccinate healthcare workers, but the state is broadening categories of people who are eligible to receive the vaccine.
Albany health care group prepares to give COVID-19 vaccines
Albany health care group prepares to give COVID-19 vaccines By Emileigh Forrester | January 7, 2021 at 11:33 AM EST - Updated January 7 at 8:12 PM
ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - An Albany health care group will start giving COVID-19 vaccines to people 65 and older and first responders next week.
Albany Area Primary Health Care (AAPHC) staff will start vaccinating people at two of their medical offices, starting Jan. 11.
It is only for people 65 and older and first responders, not the general public.
AAPHC staff said they received their first shipment of the Moderna vaccine at the end of December.
With Georgia topping 5,000 current hospitalizations for COVID-19, public health experts are calling for more state restrictions to curb the virus surge.
Yet another ominous factor popped up Tuesday: Georgia Public Health officials reported the state’s first case of the more contagious COVID-19 variant discovered in Britain last month and subsequently detected in several nations and U.S. states.
The variant was discovered during analysis of a specimen sent by a Georgia pharmacy to a commercial lab, state officials said. The Georgia resident is an 18-year-old male with no travel history, and is currently in isolation at home. Public Health said it’s working to identify close contacts of the individual and will monitor them closely and test them for the variant.
As COVID-19 cases rise across the country, one of the worst-hit areas right now is the Southeast. That includes Georgia, where many hospitals are at or near capacity. Georgia is also lagging behind many other states in giving out vaccinations. Judy Woodruff spoke with Dr. Shanti Akers, a pulmonologist at the Phoebe Putney Health System in Albany, Georgia, to learn more.
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Judy Woodruff:
As we have reported, the new year begins, unfortunately, with more bad news about the coronavirus. There are rising cases across the country, and one of the worst hit right now is the Southeast.