Coronavirus Updates: Antiviral Drug Remdesivir Sent To Georgia Hospitals

The drug remdesivir has been sent to eight hospitals around the state by the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Though not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for general use, the antiviral drug has shown some ability to help some people with COVID-19.

Georgia received the shipment of remdesivir to treat about 110 patients last week from the federal government.

It’s shipping the antiviral drug to hospitals with 10 or more COVID-19 patients on respirators and patients on EC-MO machines. Those treat people whose heart or lungs aren’t working properly.

In one study, remdesivir helped these kinds of severely ill patients recover faster as compared to a placebo.

The FDA has approved the drug only for emergency use.

State officials say they plan to distribute a second allotment of the drug in the coming days.

On Tuesday at 7 p.m., the Georgia Department of Health confirmed 38,855 cases and 1,675 deaths.

Coronavirus Costs Eat Into Home Depot’s Profits

Atlanta-based Home Depot saw sales go up by 7% in the first quarter of the year, but that increase was offset by costs associated with the coronavirus.

Home Depot spent $640 million raising pay for employees, giving them more leave, offering more money to work overtime and extending dependent care benefits.

That ate into the retailer’s profits even as homeowners flocked to stores during the pandemic, gathering essentials and supplies for home improvement projects.

Home Depot said even though its sales for the first two weeks of the second quarter have remained strong, it’s suspending its guidance to shareholders for fiscal year 2020 because of continuing uncertainty over the coronavirus.

Atlanta Archbishop: Mass To Resume With Social Distancing

The Atlanta Archbishop announced Monday a schedule and guidelines for resuming in-parish worship services.

Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer said the plan would slowly allow parishioners inside churches for services and sacraments while adhering to social distancing guidelines, news outlets reported.

“We’re not throwing the doors open,” said communications director Maureen Smith, adding that the safety of parishioners comes first.

In-parish daily Masses were set to start May 25, and weekend masses would begin on May 30 and 31. The decision to reopen could be based on the individual pastors’ discretion, and parishes could use a reservation system or first-come, first-served process for services.

“We decided to begin our process on Pentecost –- the birthday of the church,” Hartmayer said. “As a theme for this reopening, we pray, ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill and renew us.’”

Church members are still allowed to miss in-person Sunday Mass through June 28, which allows churches to spread out attendance over several days.

Some new guidelines include taking parishioners temperatures before they enter the church, deep cleaning pews and removal of all hymnals and bibles. The communion wafer or bread could be distributed, but parishioners can’t drink from the chalice.

New Free Testing Site Opening At MARTA Station

Another free COVID-19 testing site is opening Tuesday at the Hamilton E. Holmes MARTA station.

Atlanta residents who are showing symptoms must call beforehand to be screened for walk-up and drive-thru testing.

Testing will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the station’s back parking lot entrance on Burton Road.

For more information on getting tested, visit the Family Health Centers of Georgia website.

Delta Planning To Resume Some Suspended Routes

Delta Air Lines is set to resume several routes that were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Next month the Atlanta-based airline says it will start flying again to some Trans-Atlantic and Caribbean destinations.

Delta is adding about 100 more daily flights in June than it scheduled for May. That includes service out of its Atlanta hub and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Florida.

Still, Delta says there are about 85% fewer flights than this time last year.

Delta says pending approval from the Chinese government it also hopes to resume passenger flights between Seattle and Shanghai in June.