In response to increasing COVID-19 case numbers, Gwinnett County is requiring all employees and strongly encouraging visitors to wear face masks or face coverings while inside county buildings and facilities effective July 18.
Mask requirements for visitors inside courtrooms will be at the discretion of the presiding judge.
Gwinnett County’s COVID-19 Community Level — which is determined by hospital bed usage, hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in the community — is high. When community levels are high, the CDC recommends wearing a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk.
The mandatory face mask policy for employees is intended to protect county workers as they provide essential services to the public, says County Administrator Glenn Stephens. “For two and a half years, our employees have adapted to provide running water, safe roads, emergency response and other critical services to residents,” said Stephens. “It is imperative that we keep our workforce safe to continue to deliver the superior quality services our residents expect and deserve.”
Gainesville hospital graduates 8 in Pathway program
Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) in Gainesville continues to help address a shortage of primary care providers across the state, as eight young students recently graduated from the Pathway to Med School program.
The Pathway to Med School program is a 4-week, residential program for undergraduate pre-medical students who attend Georgia institutions and intend on staying in the state to practice primary care. The program consists of 180 hours of clinical shadowing across the region, plus community-based research and instructional sessions. A total of 64 students have graduated from the program since it started in 2015. This year’s class and the colleges they attended includes:
- Sarah Fix, Fayetteville, Georgia College and State University;
- Benjamin Lemon, Macon, University of Georgia;
- Sarah Monteiro, Lawrenceville, Mercer University;
- Nhat Nguyen, Lilburn, University of Georgia;
- Hannah Nobles,McDonough, Georgia College and State University;
- Emily Pearson, Atlanta, University of Georgia;
- Margaret Racine, Atlanta, University of Georgia; and
- Emily Steele, Acworth,Georgia Southern University.
Missy Lochstampfor, director of Foothills Area Health Education Center (AHEC) – the organization that coordinates the Pathway to Med School program—says: “This program would not be possible if not for 18 current primary care providers and other clinicians giving more than 600 hours of their time to help these graduates get hands-on experience. Every year I am encouraged to see our primary care providers and students working together for the good of our region. I wish all of our students the best and look forward to watching them succeed in their careers.
There are currently 11 counties in the state without a family medicine physician, 37 counties without an internal medicine physician, 63 counties without a pediatrician physician and 75 counties without an OB/GYN physician. The Pathway to Med School program supports students interested in pursuing careers that will meet those needs.
- For more information about the Foothills AHEC Pathway to Med School program, visit foothillsahec.org/ptms.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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