About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2020)
LOCAL The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition-December 2-3, 2020 7A COVID THOMAS HARTWELL I The Times Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s mobile COVID-19 unit on Oct. 15. ■ Continued from 1A Hastings said his concerns have been on the staffing and bed capac ity for the hospital in what he has called a “constant battle to stay afloat.” Hospital officials have looked at the surgery schedule to see which procedures can be can celed or delayed. “I had a nurse tell me last night. She wasn’t in tears, but I could tell she was close, and she said, ‘I just don’t know how long this is going to last,”’ Hastings said. “But then she looked up and she said, ‘But I’m not quitting. I’m not going anywhere.’” According to the NGHS data, there are 40 available beds across the Gainesville, Braselton, Barrow and Lumpkin campuses. At the Gainesville hospital, there are two available beds in the intensive care unit and seven total available beds. The number on Tuesday broke the old record of 179 patients, which was set on Aug. 10. The state has provided more than 100 health care professionals including nurses and respiratory therapists, and the hospital is still using a 20-bed mobile unit. “We’re requesting further sup port at the end of the month. We hope that the state’s going to be able to provide that,” Hastings said, adding he is hopeful and confident that the support will continue. “If we don’t get the state support and we’re down 100 nurses, that’s going to really hurt us.” Dr. Zachary Taylor, the direc tor of District 2 Public Health, said there has been a steady increase in Hall County in recent weeks. There have been 444 cases per 100,000 people in Hall County over the past two weeks, and surrounding coun ties are experiencing similar rates, according to the Department of Public Health data. “Based on all of that, it does look like Hall is entering a time where it’s considered an emerging county that we expect to see increases within the county because of the more recent steady increase in cases,” Taylor said. Taylor and Hastings are still advising people of the same health guidelines: wear a mask in pub lic, stay home if sick, use 6 feet of social distance and avoid large gatherings. District 2 Public Health officials said they believe the spread of the virus is mostly coming from small gatherings of family and friends. Though he considered the ter minology of “superspreader” a word used more by the media than health professionals, Taylor said he does not believe such an event has happened in Hall County. “We are concerned that the Thanksgiving holiday and all the small gatherings that occurred during the Thanksgiving holiday may amplify the transmission within the community,” Taylor said. “We may see an increase in cases and a surge following that holiday because of all the gather ings of extended family, the cel ebrations people had with friends, people traveling in from outside of the area to visit family (and) chil dren coming home from college to see their parents over the holiday. ” Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine candidates have been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization. Taylor previously told The Times he estimated vac cine doses could arrive as early as mid-December. Hastings said they are still using the Braselton, Barrow and Lump kin campuses when needed and transporting as appropriate. The labs have been consistently send ing back test results in roughly 24 hours, though it is sometimes lon ger on weekends, he said. One of the issues hospital offi cials are facing is transitioning some hospital patients to another care facility — whether it is a rehab facility or nursing home — because of the capacity at these facilities and the wait times for insurance companies to clear patients for discharge. Hastings said they are having conversa tions with the insurance commis sioner Wednesday to see about what can be done to streamline this process. HOTEL ■ Continued from 1A one-bedroom and 45 two-bedroom apartments. The three buildings will surround a pedestrian plaza of green space, seating with fireside tables, a water feature, public art and “plenty of space for outdoor events,” the press release states. The National’s fourth element will take place across the street — at the corner of Washington and Green streets — with renovation of the Walton Jackson Building that has been vacant since the Midland Station coffee house closed last year. The 30,000-square-foot building will be renovated “to provide a gathering place for business profes sionals with high-tech conference rooms and a private dining club,” according to the press release. As part of the project, Capstone plans to seek tax allocation district financing, the release states. Gainesville has two tax alloca tion districts — the midtown area and Lakeshore Mall — in which increments in property taxes resulting from new growth are rein vested in properties. The financing is “critical for its economic viability,” Collins said. An application for listing on the National Register of Historic Places also has been filed. The developers also are working through final architectural plans and selecting a general contractor for construction, the press release says. “We are excited about our plans and pleased with the posi tive feedback from city planners and residents,” Collins said. “Our development team has the best interests of our community at heart — and that’s how the vision for The National was inspired in the first place.” Planning has been under way for several months between Capstone and Gainesville “in a collaborative community partnership focused on creating a signature lifestyle cen ter similar to Alpharetta’s famed Avalon development,” the release states. Asked Tuesday about the proj ect, City Manager Bryan Lackey said, “While the representatives of Capstone have made us aware of their intentions to develop the property with a hotel, they have not submitted any plans to us.” He added: “Obviously, we are anxious to hear more about this and eager to work with them on the redevelopment of this very visible and key site in Gainesville.” Local architect Steve Hill of H. Lloyd Hill Architects will oversee the design of the Residences and the bank building renovation. Hill’s father was the architect for the original 1st National Bank building. Hotel construction, which could involve requiring up to 500 work ers, is being overseen by local developer McKibbon Places and will eventually be managed by locally based McKibbon Hotels, according to the release. Architect Reese Vanderbilt & Associates is designing the hotel. 2020 June* Qfvihtma^ CaCwinty Content Email us a picture of your coloring page now through December 18 and be entered to win a $50 gift cardL Our apologies, but we will not be accepting Coloring Pages by drop off this year cz o '-t—■ "a CD CO C\J !. CD _Q E CD O CD O Z3 O CZ "O CD _£Z CO n ZJ Q_ CD _Q 1 CO CD CD 03 Q_ CD \_ o o E O o o 03 CO CD cT E o CO \ CD CD .— CL > CO CD Q_ CD cz CD CD 03 03 CD § Q_ CO CD CD CZ \_ O o o o o O CO CD CD CZ CD o 03 >Q- (Z CD o CZ CD \_ CO o 03 o CD o CL ^ ii Z3 </> IU o > -1 03 D E CC LU 1 §1 S .g.i fed 3 'ctf O) c o co CD Q_ i CD Q_ C CD 00 ao c o o CD ^ § s >, c c o CO C\] i CD _Q E CD > _Q "O Q) 03 C CD o CO cd cd Q "o CO CO CD "O 03 O "O CD c o "O CD o c Z3 o c c 03 c E & CD CD -Q il E o O 4^ "O §*- >* 03 n O C CD — g 0 -C o o LO CD *** _Q 03 = CD '5 I g CD C — CD NAME: AGE: PHONE NUMBER: EMAIL:
