Rising COVID-19 case numbers bring Atlanta into 'Red Zone'
ATLANTA - Rising number of COVID-19 cases have put the city of Atlanta back in the "Red Zone" of infection.
In the Atlanta's recovery plan, the city put in place four different zones designed to see the severity of the pandemic.
According to the system, for the city to be in the Red Zone - the highest severity charted - three metrics need to be consistently met.
- New cases of COVID have reached at 200 per 100,000 people.
- New hospital admission have reached at least 20 per 100,000 people.
- Over 15% of inpatient beds are being used by people with COVID.
FULL CORONAVIRUS IN GEORGIA COVERAGE
In the last two weeks, officials with the Georgia Department of Public Health have reported the number of new cases in Fulton County as more than double the first metric. In total, officials say nearly 2,150 new cases of COVID were confirmed in the county.
The shift to the red zone comes a few weeks after Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a rule requiring mandatory masks during public meetings that are held inside city facilities.
The city recommends following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines of wearing a mask indoors in public, regardless of your vaccination status and staying up to date with vaccinations and boosters.
If you are at a high-risk for severe disease, officials say you should try to avoid non-essential public indoor activities and have a plan for rapid testing.