Georgians Usher In Summer Atypically Amid COVID-19 Fight

As Georgians usher in summer with the Memorial Day weekend, they won’t be celebrating as they typically would due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Most Memorial Day services have been canceled, but celebrations honoring those in the military who have died for their country will be live-streamed, The Telegraph reported. That includes the National Memorial Day Concert, which will be broadcast Sunday beginning at 8 p.m. on PBS and the Armed Forces Network and live-streamed on Facebook, YouTube and the PBS website.

Camp sites at Claystone and Arrowhead Parks at Lake Tobesofkee in Bibb County are fully reserved, said Christy Thompson, who was fielding calls Thursday from folks looking for cancellations. Most of the sites were taken in early May when the parks reopened, she said.

Those hoping to enjoy Sandy Peach Park at the lake, however, will have to wait. Chris Floore, Macon-Bibb County spokesman, said that park is expected to open June 5 and the water park will remain closed until mid-June.

Still, as restrictions lessen throughout the state, officials urge residents to remain vigilant and take precautions to reduce their chances of catching or transmitting the coronavirus. Social distancing, wearing masks and hand-washing are still recommended. Large gatherings should also be avoided.

“We want to make sure that our community stays safe,” said Michael Hokanson, public information officer for the North Central Health District, which serves 13 Middle Georgia counties including Bibb. “We know this is time when people do want to get out and celebrate, but safety should be everybody’s top priority (with) this pandemic still very, very active in our community.”

Georgia has had more than 42,100 confirmed cases of the virus, which has claimed at least 1,811 lives in the state, according to the state Department of Public Health’s data released Saturday.

Most people recover from COVID-19, but patients with other health problems and the elderly are particularly susceptible.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this week, meanwhile, that nine children in Georgia are now confirmed to have a mysterious new illness that could be linked to COVID-19.

Nancy Nydam, a DPH spokeswoman, said that all nine cases of MIS-C — Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children — were confirmed this week. The age of the patients ranges from young children to early teens, she said.

State officials are still trying to eliminate other illnesses and to determine if the children have COVID-19 or the antibodies triggered by the virus. Though considered rare, state officials expect more MIS-C diagnoses as more doctors become aware of the syndrome and better efforts are established to track the illness.

MIS-C symptoms include prolonged fever, lasting four or more days; very red eyes; a rash spread across the body; reddening or peeling on palms and soles of feet; abdominal pain; and vomiting or diarrhea.

While the exact cause of the condition is not yet clear, experts believe the coronavirus may trigger the immune system to overreact and cause widespread inflammation throughout the body. The illness was first seen by doctors in the United Kingdom who reported children showing symptoms for “a severe inflammatory syndrome” with features that resembled Kawasaki disease, a condition that causes inflation in blood vessels, the newspaper reported.

Earlier this month, New York health officials began receiving reports of children with MIS-C, the CDC reported.