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(Eift Aiiuancg The ADVANCE, August 25, 2021 /Page 3A Photo by Makaylee Randolph EXPERT ADVICE — The Vidalia City Council heard from Memorial Health Meadows Hospital CEO Matt Hasbrouck, Meadows CMO Dr. Karen McColl, and Pediatric In fectious Disease Physician Dr, Steve Thacker, who provided updates on the COVID impact in the Vidalia area. Their message was "vaccinate and mask up." The virus is expected to peak in this area on Friday, August 27. COVID continued from page 1A The Vidalia City Council heard from Me morial Health Meadows Hospital CEO Matt Hasb rouck, Meadows CMO Dr. Karen McColl, and Mead ows CMO and Pediatric Infectious Disease Physi cian Dr. Steve Thacker, who attended the Council session August 9 to update the community about the COVID impact. Hasbrouck began the discussion by inform ing the Council that the hospital was seeing “un precedented numbers” of patients on the ventilator. “Normally, we have 2-3 patients on the vent at a time at Meadows; at this moment, we have 12,” he explained. Hasbrouck also voiced his gratitude for the hospi tal’s alignment with Hospi tal Corporation of America (HCA), Meadows’ parent company, prior to the CO VID spike. Without this partnership, the hospital would be in a “disaster,” he said, adding, “Small hospitals all around us are struggling. We cannot call these hospitals, like Met- ter, for extra ventilators or supplies because they do not have enough for them selves,” he told the Coun cil. “But luckily, HCA does have 184 hospitals in this country that can share re sources.” Dr. McColl reflected on the state of the county regarding COVID. “August has been the worst we’ve ever seen at Meadows, and personally, the worst I have ever seen in my medical ca reer,” she shared. “The thing we need most right now from the public is for them to take their own precautionary measures. Socially dis tance, wear your mask, and protect yourselves as much as possible,” she said. “Also, a large problem we are hav ing right now is the lack of testing availability. The De partment of Public Health is only testing on Tuesdays, and it is imperative for them to offer more days to keep the Emergency De partment (ED) running as smoothly as possibly.” Dr. McColl informed the Council that the ED is being flooded with in dividuals who simply needed testing for work, school, and other endeav ors. “Please use whatever personal connections you have and help us fight for this (additional testing),” she pleaded. In a phone interview on Monday, Dr. McColl stressed the importance of masking up in public spac es, both inside and outside, to curb the spread of the virus. She said the Delta variant is easily spread in school and church settings, as well as at outside pub lic gatherings like football games. Dr. Thacker spoke to the Council about the surge in the infection rate among children and ado lescents. “It has not been determined why youth are more susceptible to this particular strand, but it is important that these young people take precautions like everyone else, espe cially in school and sports settings,” he said. He told the Council that at that current time, seven youths were hos pitalized with COVID in the Children’s Hospital in Savannah, which is a refer ral facility for Memorial Hospital. “Yes, this is a low number in comparison to adults—but for children, it is a large amount, espe cially when you take into account that children have lost their lives to this ill ness,” he disclosed. According to Dr. Thacker, the number of those hospitalized does not reflect the amount of youth who are infected. Children enter the hospital daily and test positive for the coronavirus, he said. The medical experts shared that epidemiologists be lieve the spread within the Montgomery-Toombs County region would peak on August 27. COVID financial relief continues to pour down from the state and fed eral governments, as the Council also authorized the acceptance of $13,000 from the Coronavirus Re sponse and Relief Supple mental Appropriations Act (CRRSA), which is sent from the Georgia Depart ment of Transportation. This money is reimburse ment for operational ex penses that happened on or after January 20, 2020. Toombs Commission Action The spread of CO VID was taken up by the Toombs County Com mission in a recent session as Commissioners brain stormed a way to promote public safety regarding this illness. All members of the Commission have been vaccinated and advocate vaccinations as the best possible precautionary measure for the public. “I have taken both of my vaccine shots, and even plan on taking a booster,” Commissioner Darriel continued from page 1A dents will also be voting on a liquor referendum on November 2. City of Vidalia Election Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper qualified to seek reelection and he is facing opposition from former Ward 2 Councilman Greg ory Johnson. Roper, a branch man ager for Vidalia Federal Savings Bank, defeated Gregory Johnson on No vember 3, 2020, to fill the unexpired term of Ronnie Dixon, who passed away in April 1, 2020. Roper resigned his Ward 1 seat on the Vidalia City School Board to run for mayor. Andy Blount was appoint ed to fill Roper’s unexpired term on the School Board. Johnson, a local busi ness owner, stepped down from his City Council seat to seek the mayor’s post and a special election was held on March 16, 2021, to fill his unexpired term. Jen nifer Evans, Transportation Manager for Operations at DOT Foods, defeated local businesswoman Carmela Spikes-Williams to win this race. Evans has qualified to seek reelection and is un opposed. 'rx BUSINESS SOLUTIONS SUMMIT Featuring Keynote Speaker DEE ANN TURNER Dee Ann Turner CEO, of Dee Ann Turner & Associates, two-time Best Selling Author and acclaimed keynote speaker is a 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Dee Ann was instrumental in building and growing Chick- fiTA's well-known culture and talent systems and worked closely with S. Truett Cathy, and other key leaders as an architect of their organizational culture. Deadline to Register September 17,2021 Scan the QR to Register Thursday, September 23,2021 8:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. First Baptist Church Vidalia, 107 East Second Street, Vidalia GA $149 Registration Fee Includes breakfast, lunch, a copy of Mrs. Turner’s book, “Bet on Talent”, and breakout sessions on topics of interest to small business. Or call the Chamber office at 912.537.4466 GREATER VIDALIA 9 CHAMBER Presented by: Chick-fil-A Vidalia Gold Sponsors: DBM Roofing • Dot Foods Taylor Insurance Services Silver Sponsors: Tar Land and Timber - Terry's Flooring and Blinds • Vyve Broadband Nobles said. “I encourage everyone to do the same to protect themselves and others.” The Schools The Montgomery County Board of Educa tion addressed COVID in its monthly meeting on August 16, as the spread of the virus continued to complicate normal school practices and require spe cial provisions. Interim Su perintendent Mark David son shared with the BOE and the public that mask wearing among students was at a very low percent age. “Around 10 to 12% at most wear their masks dai ly,” he said. Many normal school activities, such as field trips, are now in question as Da vidson and board mem bers worry students may become infected outside of the classroom. Davidson and the Board continue to discuss and ponder the possibility of postponing these events to ensure stu dent safety. Another difficulty the school was facing was rebellion and concern re garding the mask mandate on school buses. “Bus driv ers have reported students repeatedly refusing to keep their masks on while riding the school bus,” Davidson explained, adding, “Parents complain that it is because the buses that do not have air conditioning are too hot to have passengers’ air ways covered. I understand the concern, but it is a state-mandated precaution currently, and we cannot change that.” Because of this issue, the BOE adopted a policy that states if students do not comply with the mask mandate while traveling on the bus, “their privilege to ride shall be revoked.” Other policies adopt ed by the BOE because of COVID include a 10-day leave for teachers who test positive for COVID or are required to quarantine. This policy is to ensure that teachers are not forced to spend their sick days on quarantines that they can not prevent. Funding from the CARES Act will pro Sonja Eason Local businessman Cecil Thompson, who has held his Ward 1 seat since 2002, also qualified to seek reelection. He is unop posed. Vidalia City School Board posts up for election include the Ward 2 school board seat held by Tim Truxel, Board Chair, and the Ward 4 post held by Hal Chesser. Both Truxel and Chesser qualified to seek reelection and are un opposed. The Board of Educa tion consists of five board members who are elected to four-year terms of office and represent constituents in the four city wards with one member at-large. City of Lyons Election In Lyons, four people qualified to seek three posts on the Lyons City Council. The candidates in the Ward 1 and 4 Coun- vide the pay for substitute teachers in the absence of teachers who are on leave. “We are also in des perate need of substitutes for our middle and high school,” Davidson told the BOE and public. “If you are interested in working as a substitute, please do not hesitate to apply.” Montgomery County Schools currently have three staff members who tested positive for COVID, and no staff mem bers in quarantine; these staff members only make up 2% of the staff popu lation. Around the same percentage of students have tested positive for the virus; 21 of the school sys tem’s total 974 students are COVID positive. Yet, there are many more students in quarantine, as 113 students are quarantined because of school-related expo sure and 34 remain home for nonschool related ex posure, totaling 147 total quarantined students. On August 20, Vi dalia City Schools report ed 38 (1.5%) of its 2,504 students were COVID positive and 10 (2.9%) of its 338 employees were COVID positive. Toombs County School System re ported on August 20 that 36 (1.2%) of its 2,971 stu dents were COVID posi tive and 11 (2.7%) of its 406 employees were CO VID positive. In Wheeler County, where masks are manda tory for students and staff, in the latest COVID up date posted on the website on August 20, a cumulative total of 83 students (9.3%) and three staff members (1.9%) have been quaran tined. On August 20, 14 students had positive CO VID status and one staff member had positive CO VID status. At Vidalia Heritage Academy on August 23, three students were COV ID positive and no employ ees were positive. One staff member was quarantined on Monday but returned to work on Tuesday. Robert Toombs Chris tian Academy did not re spond to requests for infor mation. Cathy Benton cil seats are unopposed, while the incumbent in the Council 2 chair, Sonja Ea son, is facing a former op ponent from a 2020 race in which the voting margin was razor-thin. Tracy Johnson quali fied for the Ward 1 Coun cil post in Lyons currently held by Larry Griggers, while incumbent John E. Moore, Jr., qualified for Ward 4. Eason qualified to run for the Ward 2 seat and will be facing Cathy Ben ton, who also qualified last week. Eason narrowly de feated Benton in a June 9, 2020 bid for the Council seat with 101 votes to Ben ton’s 99 votes. A recount of the vote confirmed Eason’s win and she took her place on the Council as the first female Lyons City Coun- Please see Elections page 4A