Cobb County’s COVID-19 State of Emergency order expired Wednesday and county officials lifted its mask mandate at government facilities.
Commission Chairperson Lisa Cupid did not sign another extension to the countywide declaration, which authorized Cobb to deploy personnel, resources and impose restrictions to combat the pandemic.
Cupid activated the 30-day declaration Aug. 19 and twice extended the order. The State of Emergency expired at midnight Wednesday morning.
“Although the transmission levels of COVID-19 are still considered high, public health officials say they are declining along with the number of newly reported cases and the test positivity rate,” Cupid said in a county-issued statement late Thursday.
The chairwoman said one of the main reasons she decided not to extend the order was because caseloads were low at hospitals in Cobb County. Wellstar hospitals recently transitioned to a “green” status, an indication that beds are vacant and visitors are again welcome, Cupid said.
Cupid issued the order as the Delta surge was causing available hospital beds across the state to reach critically low levels. At the time, 95% of ICU beds in Cobb were filled with severely ill patients.
Cobb County Manager Jackie McMorris lifted a mask mandate that she reinstituted Aug. 17 for staff visitors at county facilities. Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt noted that face coverings are still required at courthouses in Cobb, per a judicial order.
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