COOK COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) — Cook County emergency management leaders say the community is taking the lead on slowing the spread of COVID-19 while they work to secure more vaccination and testing.
The greatest indicator of Cook County's efforts to slow the spread is in their school system, as Emergency Management Directory Johnny West explains.
"We worked with the schools and the schools just went into a split schedule," West said.
The schedule only requires students to attend in person two days a week, according to their last names. Some feel like even that's too much.
"I don't like the idea of the children going back to school, simply because that's where most of the COVID cases are starting and spreading," said Mykaila Wolfe, who lives in Cook County.
West says businesses aren't waiting for lawmakers to take action.
"When our numbers started going up, they took it upon themselves to go back to wearing masks and working on the social distancing and the hand sanitizers," West explained.
Some dining room doors are now taped with COVID closure signs, while others are less cautious.
"The dining rooms that are open, they don't really enforce the stay away six feet apart, and people just out in general, they don't really wear masks," Wolfe said.
West says many in the county are traveling to either Valdosta or Tifton for drive-through vaccination, so they're working to bring more vaccine options closer to home. Many hope for more action sooner, rather than later.
"Really don't want to see another lockdown or shut down of any places," said Cook County neighbor Robin Streepy.
While the health department will be closed through the Labor Day weekend, leaders encourage everyone to plan for vaccination as soon as possible.
