Mega-Testing Site At Atlanta Airport To Close As COVID-19 Cases Decline

The latest leaked report from the White House Coronavirus Task Force shows a continuing decline in COVID-19 cases in Georgia, but the state is still in the "red zone" with the 12th highest rate of new infections in the country.

Cases are rising in Hall, Clarke and Cherokee counties and the task force says the spread "must be contained."

“I’m cautiously optimistic that our state and our country is doing better,” Emory's Dr. Carlos del Rio said during a Wednesday morning briefing, adding that the state has nearly cut in half the number of new infections over the last month.

The seven-day average of new cases reported the first week of September decreased 11.7%, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health, which also confirmed the seven-day average of new cases reported is down 48% from the state's July 24 peak.

Hospitalizations dropped 48.2% since a daily high of 3,200 on July 30.

Despite overall testing numbers decreasing statewide, the positivity rate also continues to decrease, and is now under 10%.

The mega-testing site at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport will close Friday, Sept. 11, the state health department announced Wednesday.

According to the White House report, college campuses across Georgia should increase testing to prevent community transmission beyond the universities.

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Increased testing will help identify asymptomatic cases where people need to isolate to prevent spreading the coronavirus, del Rio said, adding that we will see within three weeks what effect Labor Day travel and celebrations have on increasing illness.

He cited a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, saying that colleges will need to test individuals every three to four days in order to be able to to prevent outbreaks from happening.

The tests don't have to be 100% accurate, he said.

"Seventy percent sensitivity would be fine," del Rio said. "You don't need an incredibly sensitive test, but you need to test frequently."

Additional recommendations from the White House Coronavirus Task Force include limiting gatherings to 10 or fewer people and aggressively monitoring outbreaks in nursing homes.