DeKalb sends COVID-19 emergency message to phones for New Year's Eve

DeKalb County is ringing in the new year with a safety message that more than half a million residents couldn’t ignore.

The county used its CodeRED Emergency Notification System to send a notification to 566,000 people’s cellphones late Thursday morning. The message discouraged public gatherings for New Year’s Eve and promoted COVID-19 safety precautions.

The message was attributed to DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, and it said: “Happy New Year! As we prepare to say goodbye to 2020, remember that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases are climbing! Celebrate safely at home. Continue to follow DeKalb County’s mask ordinance when in public, wash your hands frequently, and practice social distancing. Let’s have a safe and happy 2021.”

Just got an alert: @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/SWca2MrbN3
— Nicole Carr (@NicoleFCarr) December 31, 2020

The county has used its notification system in the past to promote coronavirus safety during the July 4 and Labor Day holiday weekends.

According to a news release, DeKalb has the fourth largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state. That total is at nearly 35,000. In addition, there have been 491 confirmed deaths in the county due to the coronavirus.

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