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Webinar Aug. 5 will provide more community info on COVID-19 from health, school leaders
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University of North Georgia Director of Student Health Services Karen Tomlinson gives a student a COVID-19 vaccination Monday, April 5, 2021, inside the school gymnasium that served as a vaccination site for the public. - photo by Scott Rogers

The Northeast Georgia Health System is sponsoring coverage directly related to public safety so that it can be made available free to non-subscribers as a public service. News coverage is independently reported. We know that you need accurate and up-to-date information about the effects of the coronavirus in the state and our region. Please consider supporting our work by subscribing to The Times.

Local leaders will be providing information on COVID-19 in a live webinar scheduled for noon, Thursday, Aug. 5.

Guest speakers will include:

  • Carol Burrell, Northeast Georgia Health System, president and CEO

  • Dr. Supriya Mannepalli, Northeast Georgia Physicians Group infectious disease specialist

  • Dr. Zachary Taylor, District 2 Public Health director

  • Dr. John Delzell, Northeast Georgia Medical Center vice president and incident commander

  • Bobby Norris, NGPG vice president of operations

  • Loren Funk, Longstreet Clinic chief operating officer

  • Jeremy Williams, superintendent of Gainesville City Schools

  • Will Schofield, superintendent of Hall County Schools 

The event, coordinated with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, will be held live on Zoom and registration is required. For more information, contact Madison Hopkins at 678-971-6224 or mhopkins@ghcc.com. 

NGHS also plans a press conference at 11 a.m. Monday, and The Times will provide information from that event.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen dramatically in the past two weeks, up to 91 on Friday, July 30. That’s almost triple from 32 the week before and seven times as much as two weeks previous when the number was 13. The numbers had remained low following vaccination efforts after peaking for a third time in January at a height of 355. More data is available online at gainesvilletimes.com/coronavirus.

In Hall County, 36% are fully vaccinated, compared to 40% statewide.

Meanwhile the county was set to close its mass vaccination site at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus. The site, a coordinated effort between UNG, Hall County and the District 2 Department of Public Health, administered 20,000 vaccines. Demand for the vaccine was high when it was first released but has since waned dramatically. Anyone who received their first dose at the site who still needs a second dose can get that at the local DPH office at 1290 Athens St. in Gainesville. Walk-in appointments for either dose are available at the office.

Compiled from press releases from the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and Hall County government.