Dr. Janet Memark, District Health Director for Cobb & Douglas Public Health is once again sounding the alarm as rising case numbers and rising hospitalizations hit Cobb and Douglas counties. The positivity rate from testing is also high.

Dr. Memark issued the following statement yesterday afternoon:

Good afternoon Cobb and Douglas counties.

We are entering the holiday season feeling the full effect of the Omicron variant upon us. There is widespread transmission happening across the country and in our community, as well. In the Southeast United States, we have 95% of specimens sequenced coming back as Omicron.

Here at Cobb & Douglas Public Health, we are once again hearing many reports of COVID-positive people and outbreaks throughout the district. Cobb’s transmission rate is 348/100,000 and the percent positive is 9%! Douglas follows with 302/100,000 and 8.8%. Hospitalizations have continued to rise over the last month. We are not at levels like our first two large surges, but we do see steady increases, and the hospitals remain busy. Reports are that the majority of folks hospitalized continue to be unvaccinated.

We urge everyone to exercise caution at this time. Getting your booster shot for COVID-19 will help boost your antibodies. Please do this. Please do not gather with others if you are sick, whether you have COVID or not. This just makes the situation worse and causes the transmission of other viruses like influenza. Please wear your mask, wash your hands and avoid crowds at this time. Our hope is that we can avoid the hospitals being overwhelmed during this time.

This is not easy to do during the holidays, but we hope that this will pass quickly, and we don’t have too many seriously sick.

Have a blessed holiday and be safe.

Janet Pak Memark M.D., M.P.H, F.A.C.P.
District Health Director
District 3-1: Cobb & Douglas Public Health