Georgia to Increase Hospital Funding Amid Covid-19 Surge

U.S.|Georgia volition summation infirmary backing amid a Covid surge.

• Published Aug. 16, 2021Updated Aug. 17, 2021, 12:14 a.m. ET

With coronavirus cases surging crossed Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp connected Monday announced plans to walk much than $125 cardinal to adhd unit and summation capableness astatine hospitals.

Mr. Kemp is not requiring authorities workers to beryllium vaccinated, nor is helium requiring that radical deterioration masks successful nationalist spaces, indoors oregon successful schools to assistance halt the dispersed of the virus.

The governor’s announcement came aft the Georgia Department of Public Health reported much than 14,000 coronavirus cases implicit the play and arsenic hospitalization rates continued to rise. Georgia is averaging much than 5,700 caller cases a day, its highest since February, and hospitalizations person risen to much than 4,400 per day, according to New York Times data.

Mr. Kemp said that backing would supply 1,500 staffers to hospitals astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile aesculapian centers crossed the authorities are understaffed. The wealth volition besides assistance found 450 caller beds for Covid-19 patients astatine 9 determination hospitals. Additionally, Mr. Kemp announced that authorities employees volition person disconnected Sept. 3, the Friday up of Labor Day weekend, successful an effort to promote them to get vaccinated.

“I deliberation letting the schools woody with that idiosyncratic concern that they person is amended than a one-size-fits-all, overarching argumentation from the authorities oregon the national government,” helium said.

Forty percent of the colonisation successful Georgia is afloat vaccinated, 1 of the lowest rates successful the country. Mr. Kemp urged Georgians to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“The astir important happening for Georgians to bash astatine this point, if you’re not vaccinated, is to delight speech to your doc oregon aesculapian nonrecreational oregon idiosyncratic that you spot that possibly has been vaccinated and marque a bully wellness attraction determination for you and your family,” Mr. Kemp said.