Students protest with ‘die-in’ as Georgia College reports more than 530 COVID cases
Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville has reported 535 confirmed COVID-19 cases since June 18 and 253 cases this week. With fewer than 8,000 students, that gives Georgia College one of the worst college case rates in the country.
The Georgia College Chapter of United Campus Workers of Georgia organized a “die-in” Friday morning at the campus to protest what some students, employees and parents said was poor planning by university leadership.
Georgia College didn’t test students, faculty or staff before they returned to campus earlier this summer and there have been complaints about a lack of social distancing and limited virtual education options.
“We do not feel like we’re being protected here on campus,” Georgia College graduate student and graduate assistant Denechia Powell said. “We want more online options for students and faculty and staff so we’re not put in harm’s way. We also want there to be sufficient, timely and free COVID-19 testing. We need adequate contact tracing.
“We don’t have a death on our campus yet, but that’s where we’re headed if better protections are not put in place.”
Baldwin County has reported 1,599 cumulative COVID-19 cases and 48 deaths, according to the Georgia health department.
Other colleges and universities in Middle Georgia have provided regular COVID-19 case updates:
Mercer University posted an update on tests and cases among its students and faculty/staff Friday. Of 272 cases completed between Aug. 20-27, 17 students and staff tested positive for the coronavirus: 15 Macon students, one Atlanta student and one Macon faculty/staff member.
Wesleyan College is also reporting COVID-19 updates. So far, 11 students, faculty and staff have tested positive.
Middle Georgia State has reported 32 students and seven employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020, with 16 students testing positive between Aug. 17-23.
Middle Georgia COVID-19 cases
Here are the cumulative coronavirus cases and deaths in Middle Georgia counties, according to the Georgia Department of Health’s Friday report. DPH continues to review hundreds of cases dumped in the system on Monday by Navicent Health, which has led to fluctuations in the Bibb County cumulative case count. About 20% of the cases in Pulaski County were reported over the past three days.
Bibb 5,365 cumulative cases - 115 deaths
Houston 2,600 - 65
Baldwin 1,599 - 48
Laurens 1,305 - 42
Washington 605 - 5
Monroe 587 - 39
Peach 563 - 15
Jones 451 - 5
Bleckley 338 - 15
Dodge 308 - 6
Wilkinson 287 - 14
Macon 203 - 10
Pulaski 200 - 7
Twiggs 166 - 6
Crawford 148 - 3
The state reported 2,383 new cases across the state and 79 new deaths Friday.
Coliseum Health System was treating 23 COVID-19 positive patients Friday and has recorded 77 total coronavirus-related deaths. Navicent Health does not release the number of COVID-19 patients at its Medical Center in Macon.
Macon-Bibb County mask giveaways
The Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is stocking county vehicles with face masks that can be given to people for free, according to a Macon-Bibb County press release.
Bibb County Sheriff’s deputies and crews with Public Works and Parks & Beautification picked up almost 25,000 masks and will begin handing them out next week to anyone without one.
“We already knew people should be wearing masks to help protect our community, so we made sure we could help make sure everyone had access to them,” says EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “Now that people are required to wear them in public and in our government facilities, we are expanding that distribution to reach more people.”
Bibb County has been distributing free masks at all 10 county recreation centers, giving away more than 60,500 masks and almost 45,000 gloves. Masks and gloves are still available for pickup at rec centers Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until supplies run out.
Bibb schools to distribute Wi-Fi hotspots
The Bibb County School District will distribute more than 1,500 mobile hotsports on Sept. 1 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Professional Learning Center (2003 Riverside Drive in Macon). The district also plans to deploy about 30 buses throughout the community beginning Sept. 8, the first day of school, to provide Wi-Fi for students.
