August 6, 2021
Board of
Commissioners
Henry County Issues a Local State of Emergency Due to Jump in Positive COVID Cases
Regular Meetings August 17th, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 8th (Wed), 9:00 a.m. Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings air daily on Henry TV Spectrum Channel 180 at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m. or visit henrytvonline.com for other viewing options.
Henry County Commission Chair Carlotta Harrell and the Henry County Board of Commissioners issued a local State of Emergency at the August 3 regular BOC meeting, in light of the alarming number of new positive COVID cases in Henry County. The State of Emergency is in effect for 60 days. COVID numbers are on the rise in Henry County and Xavier Crockett, Emergency Preparedness Director with the Georgia District 4 Department of Public Health, gave a presentation to commissioners detailing the latest figures, relaying the somber news that younger populations are at the greatest risk. He said that currently only 35 percent of Henry County residents are vaccinated, and that the Delta variant is more contagious and more aggressive than previous variants. “The Delta variant spreads twice as easily and is more contagious, with 78 percent of cases in Georgia are the Delta variant,” said Crockett.
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August 6, 2021
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Upcoming public Bicentennial events are postponed until further notice due the Local State of Emergency in Henry County issued due to the spike in positive Covid cases in the county. The Teacher Supply Drive & Flat-Pat Project will continue as planned. The Genealogical Society’s Promenade is still scheduled as planned on August 28th. henrycounty-ga.org
State of Emergency- continued from page 1 Don Ash, Henry County Emergency Management Director said that on July 1, Piedmont Henry Hospital had 12 Covid patients with one in ICU. As of yesterday, the hospital has 72 COVID patients, with 20 of those hospitalized in the ICU. Ash said that projections are that Henry County will have more than 300 additional cases of COVID by week’s end. During his presentation, Crocket presented the latest CDC recommendations and said that the state is working diligently on outreach to get the word out on the importance of vaccinations and following CDC recommendations. “New CDC recommendation is that everyone is recommended to wear a mask, as the Delta variant is the most transmissible and aggressing variant to date. This includes masking for teacher, staff and students in all K through 12th grade schools, as we’re seeing an unprecedented number of children getting sick,” said Crockett. The CDC also recommends that community
leaders encourage vaccinations and masking to prevent further outbreaks in areas of substantial and high transmission. “The fact is that 98 percent of all COVID related deaths in Georgia are unvaccinated people,” said Crockett. Testing and vaccinations are free through the Georgia Department of Public Health. Testing occurs every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 3 p.m. at the Red Hawk Park, located at 143 Henry Parkway in McDonough, across from the County Administration building. The state is working to add more days, including every other Saturday. The Department of Public Health is giving COVID vaccinations daily, free of charge. Please contact them at 888-457-0186 or visit www.district4health.org. The Health Department is located at 135 Henry Parkway in McDonough. Ash said that anyone needing a ride for testing or vaccines can obtain free transportation through Henry County transit by calling 770-288-7444
Board Recognizes Retired Employees Six Henry County employees with 103 years of experience collectively were recognized by the Henry County Board of Commissioners upon the occasion of their retirements during the August 3 Commission meeting. Henry County Human Resources Director, Harold Cooper, made the presentation recognizing Patricia Delk-Bogue - 24 Years of Service with Henry County GIS Mapping Department; Robert Haffly - 21 Years of Service with Henry County Fire Department;
Cindi Owen - 19 Years of Service with Henry County State Court; Luther Phillips - 18 Years of Service with Henry County Fire Department; Robin Ferebee - 15 Years of Service with Henry County Animal Care & Control; Daniel Jeune - 6 Years of Service with Henry County Sheriff’s Department. For more information on the Henry County Human Resources Department and career opportunities, visit henrycounty-ga.com/HR.
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August 6, 2021 Bicentennial Picnic in the Park was Fun for All Fireworks, music and family fun! As Henry County continues to celebrate its 200th anniversary, Henry County Government and community partners invited guest to enjoy a Picnic in the Park at J.P. Moseley Park in Stockbridge. Guests were invited to bring their picnic items, chairs, blankets and tents to enjoy a DJ spinning the latest tunes and summertime treats like snow cones and cotton candy. Families gathered for a fun evening that included inflatables, which were a huge hit with kids of all ages, and the fireworks finale that topped off a fantastic night!
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If you enjoyed the fun and would like to share your pictures, please tag #henrycounty200! Upcoming public Bicentennial events are postponed until further notice due the Local State of Emergency in Henry County issued due to the spike in positive Covid cases in the county. The Teacher Supply Drive and the Flat-Pat project will continue as planned. For more information on Henry County’s Bicentennial events, log on to henrycounty200.com or visit the Henry County Facebook page.
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