COVID-19 cases in Athens-Clarke County have been on an upward slope since Dec. 28, 2020, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The county saw a 55% increase in cases reported between the last week of December and cases reported last week. There was a slight dip in daily cases reported in the days following the end of the University of Georgiaâs final exams. Facing the risks On Jan. 8, as many students prepared to return to campus for in-person learning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study about the risks of in-person learning at large universities for students and the community.