Chairwoman Lisa Cupid of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners announced the official end of the county’s COVID-19 Declaration of Emergency yesterday. The Declaration she rescinded was the second extension of Cobb’s declaration that was declared when the COVID numbers reached the category public health officials consider high community transmission status and persisted there.

County Communications Director Ross Cavitt distributed the following news release announcing the end to the emergency declaration:

Marietta, GA | March 4, 2022 – Chairwoman Lisa Cupid has rescinded the 2nd extension of the Declaration of Emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic. The action came after a meeting with public health and healthcare officials who told her COVID cases continue to fall and the impact on local hospitals has lessened.

Chairwoman Cupid signed papers Friday afternoon ending the declaration effectively immediately.

Some brief comments on the action from the Chairwoman can be viewed at https://youtu.be/WYiT3Vtia2w

The Declaration had allowed the county to activate its Emergency Operations Plan and hold some public meetings via teleconference.

Residents seeking a COVID test, vaccination, or information should visit www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.com.

Background

Cobb County posted the following notice to its website when the second extension was originally announced:

Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid signed a second extension to the Declaration of Emergency concerning the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The initial extension was expected to expire on February 19 but has been extended another 30 days “unless terminated sooner in light of data reflecting a sufficient degree of reduced transmission. “

The declaration allows the continued use of the county’s emergency operations plan, the use of virtual meetings when necessary, and “encourages all Cobb County citizens to (1) get vaccinated; (2) wear a mask in public indoor places if unvaccinated; and (3) avoid crowds and gatherings if sick.”

Despite the extension, Board of Commissioners meetings held the week of February 21st are expected to happen in-person but with mask and social-distancing requirements in place.

Read the Declaration of Emergency by following this link

During the first extension, issued in the last week of January, the Courier published the details reprinted below:

“The current surge caused by the omicron variant continues to have serious impacts on our local hospitals,” Chairwoman Cupid said.  “Cases remain well above high community spread, and until we get those numbers down we need to encourage residents to take precautions; to continue wearing masks, watching their distance, and washing their hands.  Those precautions are outlined in this order.”

According to the statement posted on the county website:

The order keeps the county’s Emergency Operations Plan in place, allows the county to hold all or portions of public meetings virtually, and encourages residents to take precautions, including getting vaccinated, to avoid further spread of the omicron variant of the virus.  The declaration could be ended early if public health officials say the situation warrants it.

The policy requires masks to be worn while inside Cobb government buildings including libraries, indoor parks facilities, and senior centers.  This policy does NOT affect:Advertisement

• Privately-run businesses in the county,
• The Cobb County School District which is governed by the Board of Education, and;
• The Cobb County court complex, where a judicial order continues to mandate the use of masks.