On April 14, 2020, the Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp published several press releases announcing increased staffing in healthcare facilities, the designation of auxiliary emergency management workers, and GEMA/HS and DPH’s partnership to protect first responders.

Here we provide a snapshot of these press releases.

Georgia Announces Increased Staffing in Healthcare Facilities for COVID-19

April 14, 2020

Atlanta, GA – At a COVID-19 briefing yesterday at the State Capitol, Governor Kemp announced the state's plans to augment staffing levels for healthcare facilities in various parts of Georgia to combat the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The state has partnered with Jackson Healthcare, a Georgia company with a portfolio of staffing, search, and technology companies that assist health systems, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities with workforce needs. The state is working with Jackson Healthcare through its subsidiary Healthcare Workforce Logistics to bring roughly 570 additional healthcare professionals to key health systems.

You may read the complete press release at https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2020-04-14/georgia-announces-increased-staffing-healthcare-facilities-covid-19

Kemp Designates Auxiliary Emergency Management Workers, Emergency Management Activities

April 14, 2020

Atlanta, GA – Today Governor Brian P. Kemp issued Executive Order 04.14.20.01 to designate healthcare institution and medical facility employees, staff, and contractors as "auxiliary emergency management workers." For the duration of the Public Health State of Emergency, this order will limit the civil liability of "auxiliary emergency management workers" engaging in "emergency management activities" while providing patient care if such care results in the death or injury of a patient. "Healthcare institutions" and "medical facilities" include, but are not limited to, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, nursing homes, assisted living communities, personal care homes, health testing facilities, infirmaries, diagnostic and treatment centers, and public health centers. Applicable statutes include O.C.G.A. 31-7-1(A) and (C)-(G) and O.C.G.A. 38-3-5.

You may read Executive Order 04.14.20.01 at https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders

GEMA/HS, DPH Partner to Protect First Responders

April 14, 2020

Atlanta, GA - The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Public Health, will begin to provide a list of COVID-19 cases in each jurisdiction to 911 centers this week.

As hospitals, acute care facilities, and labs report their COVID-19 cases to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), staff from the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority (GECA) at GEMA/HS will pull the daily COVID-19 case list from the DPH reporting system and send each 911 center the newest addresses of COVID-19 positive patients in their jurisdiction.

To ensure the confidentiality of the patients, only the address will be shared with 911 centers. If a 911 call is made from that address within the 21-day period of when a patient was potentially infectious, the dispatch center will alert the responding personnel - including EMS, fire, and law enforcement - of the presence of a patient with COVID-19 at that address.

You may read the complete press release at https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2020-04-14/gemahs-dph-partner-protect-first-responders.

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On April 10th, we opened a new version of the GNA COVID-19 Front Line Nurses Experience Survey. We want to hear about your personal experience as a front-line nurse in the COVID-19 pandemic. We added a few more questions to ensure that we capture and convey your story with exactness and clarity when we speak on your behalf to government officials, healthcare systems and the public. Please take 3 minutes to complete this survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GNACOVID-19FrontLineNursesExperienceSurvey