Stay home. And if you can’t stay home, at least stay away from other people.

At a joint meeting Friday night with NGHS, Hall County and Gainesville officials, it was decided that, due to the increased numbers in the area, they are asking everyone to stay home the next 14 days. The resolution does allow for some exceptions - such as job requirements, or necessary trips to the store or doctor.

Supriya Mannepalli, MD, medical director of Infectious Disease for Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) says this is a critical time. “If people don’t stay home and isolate more strictly now, COVID-19 will continue to spread rapidly – potentially as rapidly as it has in other countries that waited until it was too late to avoid dire consequences.”

The United States has passed China and Italy as the country with the most people infected with the virus. The biggest area of concern in the U.S. is New York City, but there are hotspots in Georgia, as well, including Dougherty County in Southwest Georgia, where the virus has been spread in part by an infected person from the Atlanta area coming down for a funeral.

“I’m sure we miss all of these things that we are used to,” Mannepalli said. “But I’m sure there will be a time when we can go back to our routine life. But for now, this is not the time for that.”

The doctors said they understand that businesses are suffering an economic hit. But they argued that the sooner the country gets the virus under control, the sooner businesses can reopen.

Michael Covert, chief operating officer for NGHS, said the health system has taken a number of steps to free up bed space and to cut down on unnecessary visits to its facilities. It has made an additional 110 ICU beds available and restricted visitors to the hospital. In addition, the physician’s group and The Heart Center are now offering video visits to certain patients.

Officials said they do not see a time when there will be adequate testing available for COVID-19, even in this community. Patients should call ahead before heading to the hospital, an urgent care facility, or our primary physician so that clinicians can make the best decision for where to go for treatment.