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As COVID-19 Pandemic Continues, High Demand For Travel Nurses

The demand for travel nurses has soared since the COVID-19 pandemic collided with a general shortage of RNs in Georgia and nationally. There are an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 traveling nurses working assignments in this country on any given day.
Bulloch County COVID-19 Report 1200×675 (20)

The demand for travel nurses has soared since the COVID-19 pandemic collided with a general shortage of RNs in Georgia and nationally. There are an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 traveling nurses working assignments in this country on any given day. Generally, they work 13-week contracts in facilities close to their homes, but many go to distant places. When they’re working far away, they can get stipends for housing and meals.

Active or imminent outbreak

CovidActNow.org has increased Georgia's risk level to Active or imminent outbreak. They feel Georgia is either actively experiencing an outbreak or is at extreme risk. COVID cases are exponentially growing and/or Georgia’s COVID preparedness is significantly below international standards.

Bulloch, Candler and Evans Counties remain in the "at risk of outbreak" category.

This means Bulloch County is at risk of an outbreak. COVID cases are either increasing at a rate likely to overwhelm hospitals and/or the state’s COVID preparedness is below international standards.


WHITE HOUSE COVID TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BULLOCH:

CLICK HERE FOR Region J Hospital Bed and Ventilator Usage


Bulloch County Report

  • Bulloch County 14 day average of positive cases per 100,000 is 122 and percent of positive tests is 9.1%.  (Targets are below 100 per 100,000 and positive tests at 5% or below).
  • 3,252 Total confirmed cases and 35 confirmed & 17 probable deaths reported here with 151 hospitalizations total.  Up 7 confirmed since yesterday.  (These figures apply to Bulloch County residents).
  • EGRMC currently/today caring for 5 COVID-19 positive patients today. (May or may not be Bulloch County residents.) 3 COVID-19 patients on vents.  EGRMC has 17 total vents.  However, this is reporting only COVID-19 patients on vents.  It is unknown how many actual vents are in use at this time at EGRMC.  
  • EMS received notice of 157 confirmed COVID-19 positive and 132 probable patients transported to date

Bulloch Schools, Colleges and University Report

  • Bulloch Schools total since reporting began on August 18 as of November 20, 2020
    • 171 total known positive COVID-19 cases reported
      •  6 week ending August 21
      • 23 week ending August 28
      • 21 week ending September 5
      • 14 week ending September 11
      • 12 week ending September 18
      • 13 week ending September 25
      • 6 week ending October 2
      • 4 week ending October 11
      • 8 week ending October 16
      • 8 week ending October 24
      • 5 week ending October 31
      • 13 week ending November 7
      • 20 week ending November 14
      • 17 week ending November 21
    • 1,577 Quarantines - Total students and employees quarantined for 14 days as a precaution
    • 339 currently being quarantined
      • 84 week ending August 21
      • 284 week ending August 28
      • 97 week ending September 5
      • 101 week ending September 11
      • 121 week ending September 18
      • 145 week ending September 25
      • 64 week ending October 2
      • 45 week ending October 11
      • 42 week ending October 17
      • 68 week ending October 24
      • 53 week ending October 31
      • 172 week ending November 7
      • 179 week ending November 14
      • 122 week ending November 21
    • 23 Clusters - Total COVID-19 Clusters

  • Georgia Southern COVID-19 since reporting began on August 17
    • 1,036 Total Statesboro Campus Since August 17th
    •  61 week ending 8/23
    • 487 week ending 8/30
    • 351 week ending 9/6
    • 90 week ending 9/13
    • 47 week ending 9/20
    • 15 week ending 9/27
    • 10 week ending 10/4
    • 12 week ending 10/11
    • 16 week ending 10/18
    • 14 week ending 10/25
    • 10 week ending 11/1
    • 11 week ending 11/8
    • 15 week ending 11/14

  • Ogeechee Technical College COVID-19 since reporting began on August 17
    • 29 total Statesboro Campus since August 17th
    •  0 week ending 8/23
    •  6 week ending 8/30
    • 12 week ending 9/6
    • 6 week ending 9/13
    • 5 week ending 9/20
    • 1 week ending 9/27
    • 2 week ending 10/4
    • 6 week ending 10/11
    • 3 week ending 10/18
    • 1 week ending 10/25
    • 0 week ending 11/1
    • 0 week ending 11/8
    • 0 week ending 11/14

  • East Georgia State College since reporting began on August 17
    • 28 total Statesboro Campus since June
    • 2 from June
    • 0 from July
    • 13 from August
    • 4 from September through 9/4
    • 8 week ending 9/13
    • 1 week ending 9/20
    • 0 week ending 9/27
    • 2 week ending 10/4
    • 4 week ending 10/11
    • 0 week ending 10/18
    • 2 week ending 10/25
    • 0 week ending 11/1
    • 0 week ending 11/8
    • 1 week ending 11/14

Evans County Report:

  • Evans County 14 day average of positive cases per 100,000 is 168 and percent of positive tests is 10.0%.  (Targets are below 100 per 100,000 and positive tests at 5% or below).
  • 512 Total confirmed cases and 7 confirmed & 5 probable deaths reported with 47 total hospitalizations. (This is an increase of 5 confirmed cases, increase of 0 hospitalization and 0 deaths from yesterday)

Candler County Report:

  • Candler County 14 day average of positive cases per 100,000 is 148 and percent of positive tests is 4.1%.  (Targets are below 100 per 100,000 and positive tests at 5% or below).
  • 579 total confirmed cases and 26 confirmed & 3 probable deaths reported with 46 total hospitalizations. (This is an increase of 11 confirmed cases, an increase of 0 hospitalizations and an increase of 0 deaths from yesterday)


BULLOCH LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY 11/19/20 REPORT

EVANS COVID-19 DEATHS

CANDLER COVID-19 Deaths

BULLOCH COVID-19 DEATHS


About This Report

A special thanks to Dr. Frank Davis, M.D. F.A.C.S, a retired trauma surgeon who lives in Bulloch County. He has worked closely with the Grice Connect team to design the COVID-19 dashboard and provide brief interpretation of the data. You will be seeing and hearing more from Dr. Davis as he continues to help us monitor the COVID-19 impact locally.

We also want to thank Sean Davis and his team at Glenn Davis Insurers and Auto Owners Insurers for stepping up to sponsor this massive effort daily. They understand the importance of providing the best local data possible so their clients, family and friends can navigate this continuing crisis.

Thanks for supporting and following Grice Connect.

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has added two new data sets to their daily COVID reports. These include rapid test positives cases and probable deaths. However, they are not following White House recommendations to include this data in the daily case and death numbers.

This skews the data and makes it appear cases and death rates look more favorable than what is actually occuring. DPH is reporting rapid test totals by county on a weekly basis. They are reporting "probable" deaths by county daily.

Beginning today we will include these in our total. This increased the death total on the dashboard from CVOID to 50. In the body of the report we will break out the numbers. DPH is not releasing demographic data on the "probable" deaths.

DPH Definitions of Deaths

“Confirmed Deaths”: This number includes confirmed COVID-19 cases that were either reported to DPH as deceased by healthcare providers or medical examiners/coroners, identified by death certificates with COVID-19 indicated as the cause of death, or there is evidence that COVID-19 contributed to the individual’s death.

“Probable Deaths”: This number includes individuals who are antigen positive or individuals with compatible illness and known close contact to a case that were either reported to DPH as deceased by healthcare providers or medical examiners/coroners, identified by death certificates with COVID-19 indicated as the cause of death, or there is evidence that COVID contributed to the individual’s death OR individuals with a death certificate that has COVID-19 indicated as the cause of death and there is no laboratory evidence for SARS-CoV-2.

Rapid COVID Test now Available in Statesboro

Currently Applecare, South Georgia Immediate Care and the new Statesboro Urgent Care all have rapid antigen testing capability. These antigen tests will not show in the daily numbers of positive cases for Bulloch. You do not have to be a resident of Statesboro to get tested.

White House Task Force Recommends Including Rapid Test Results

Georgia is not currently combining molecular and antigen test results, which is recommended by the White House COVID Task Force. Instead Georgia reports them separately daily statewide and provides county antigen positives on a weekly basis. With the rapid accessibility of rapid testing, this will greatly impact the number of positive cases.

In last weeks White House report they explained that antigen tests perform well in the highly infectious window and will be effective in identification of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infectious cases.
• Antigen tests do not perform well after 8-10 days post infection when nucleic acid cycle times are greater than 30.
• All antigen results must be reported with both the number of positive results and total tests conducted; positives must be reported as COVID cases.