Georgia hospitals break previous mark for COVID-19 patients
By JEFF AMY and RON HARRISDecember 16, 2020 GMT
ATLANTA (AP) A record number of people were in hospitals Wednesday in Georgia with confirmed COVID-19 infections, another signal that infections are now more widespread than at the previous summer peak, as public health authorities sought to raise the alarm that the coronavirus is spreading unabated across the state.
In Atlanta, a group called COVID Survivors for Change set out 1,000 chairs near the state capitol in a cold rain to remember the people who have died in Georgia from the respiratory illness. That number rose Wednesday to 10,228 confirmed and suspected deaths.
ATLANTA (AP) A record number of people were in hospitals Wednesday in Georgia with confirmed COVID-19 infections, another signal that infections are now more widespread than at the previous summer peak, as public health authorities sought to raise the alarm that the coronavirus is spreading unabated across the state.
In Atlanta, a group called COVID Survivors for Change set out 1,000 chairs near the state capitol in a cold rain to remember the people who have died in Georgia from the respiratory illness. That number rose Wednesday to 10,228 confirmed and suspected deaths.
“I caught COVID-19 back in March,” Marjorie Roberts said at the ceremony. My first day of symptoms was March 26. Now, nine months later I’m still feeling the remnants. I also lost one of my lifelong friends to COVID-19. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye. He died in a hospital all by himself. All alone.”
1,000 empty chairs set up on lawn of Georgia Capitol to represent state s COVID-19 victims
The 1,000 chairs were gathered to represent the nearly 10,000 people who ve died from the coronavirus across the state. Author: Adrianne M Haney Updated: 5:15 PM EST December 16, 2020
ATLANTA Row upon row of empty chairs sat eerily still on the lawn near the Georgia state Capitol Wednesday afternoon. It was a somber representation of the human toll the coronavirus has taken, matched by the cold and gloomy weather.
The 1,000 chairs - gathered to represent the nearly 10,000 people who ve died from the coronavirus across the state - were placed by Georgia members of the COVID Survivors for Change, a self-described grassroots network of survivors of, and those who ve lost family to, the disease.
Last night, I dreamed that God resurrected my beautiful adopted aunt, Mary Jo Hoffman. But morning renewed my mourning for her: Christmas trees, snow globes, and music greeted my grieving heart. Relate?
In previous years, my maternal grandpa (a.k.a. “Papa Ray”) died near Thanksgiving and my adopted “Grandpa Morley” died near Christmas. i understand that people cannot compare grief, but I believe we all know that the holidays challenge the grieving.
Christmas arrives like a pretty package full of grief triggers: Empty chairs, missing faces, and silent voices seem to haunt the holidays.
12 Ways of Christmas for the Grieving
By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism. ‘It was a lot.’ Gainesville woman to share at State Capitol ceremony about about having COVID-19, caring for family with virus Maria del Rosario Palacios, middle, poses for a family photo with her mother, Ana Mazanarez, far left, and three kids, Sofia, Serenity and Solomon. Palacios will share her personal journey with COVID-19 at the Georgia State Capitol Dec. 16, 2020.
Update, Dec. 16: Maria
del Rosario Palacios spoke Wednesday at the Capitol in front of empty chairs, telling her story and focusing on workers in the poultry industry, including her mother. Her remarks begin just before the 1 hour mark of the live Facebook video.