There is no custom code to display.

There is no custom code to display.

Local leaders pushing for more COVID-19 tests

April 6, 2020–10:41 p.m.

STAFF REPORTS

During a called Rome City Commission meeting Monday, several commissioners expressed frustrations about the lack of COVID-19 testing available locally.

Mayor Pro Tem Craig McDaniel asked for a joint resolution with the county commission to lobby state and federal officials for more test kits.

“I think we have to voice the concerns of our citizens,” he said.  “We’ve got to ask for more tests, and if it comes from 200 cities in Georgia to the governor’s office, to the head of GEMA, to the White House or whatever, we’ve got to do something different than what we’ve been doing.”

McDaniel said without testing, we are shooting in the dark when it comes to knowing just how severe the crisis is.

He added until we have adequate testing, they have no idea when small businesses will be able to open back up.

“When you tell consumers they cannot get out and buy then you’re shutting down the lifeblood of every community in this state,” he said.  “You’re affecting K-12 education, the University System of Georgia, and every entity that gets a dollar’s worth of tax money, you’re impacting the longer we wait.  WE can’t wait any longer.  We need to approach this with a sense of urgency that we have never approached anything in the past with.”

Commissioner Mark Cochran presented a chart during the meeting that showed 7, 600 tests were administered in Georgia since April 1.

At the same time, states we have been trending with have administered 18,000 to 23,000 tests over the same time frame.

You can view the meeting in its entirety HERE.