Georgia adding hospital beds, medical staffing to prepare for coronavirus surge

ATLANTA - As Georgia closes in on an expected surge in COVID-19 cases, state officials are taking more drastic preparatory steps.

This weekend, Gov. Brian Kemp tens of millions of dollars of new projects, which will add hospital beds and medical staffing on a rolling basis in areas of the state hardest hit by the coronavirus.

After confirmed cases of the virus passed 6,000 on Saturday, Georgia health officials announced it's pouring $72 million into the addition of 300 hospital beds and medical staff.

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Hospitals in Snellville and Albany, which is a hot zone for the virus, will see more than 200 of the beds, while the remainder will be split among four mobile hospital units scattered across the state.

“These projects have been underway for several weeks based on modeling and epidemiological recommendations, and we are following leads on several more proposals to expand healthcare capacity as we prepare for patient surge later this month,” Kemp said in a statement. 

The mobile facilities and expected to deploy mid-April, just before state Sen. Sally Harrell of District 40 said Georgia is expecting a surge.

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In a Facebook post, Harrell recapped an April 2 conference call with the Georgia Hospital Association, saying that Atlanta hospitals are "very busy" and are dealing with shortages in personal protective equipment.

"The mask shortage in particular has caused the most concern. The State of Georgia has been helpful from the national stockpile standpoint," Harrell wrote. "According to protocols, each patient contact burns through one set of PPE, but nurses are now wearing masks for longer periods of time instead of with every patient."

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Furthermore, Harrell says Georgia's hospital bed per capita is 2.5 beds per 1000 people, lower than the national average of 2.8 per thousand.

In a statement announcing the new projects, Kemp said:

“At every stage of decision-making, our team is consulting with public health and emergency management experts in the private and public sectors. Together, we are working around the clock to prepare for future needs in our fight against the spread of COVID-19 in Georgia."

Best prevention measures:

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least twenty seconds.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

Georgia Coronavirus Hotline available between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.: 844-442-2681