DeKalb County Sponsors COVID-19 ‘Stop the Spread’ Events this Weekend

DECATUR, Ga—This weekend DeKalb County is working to “Stop the Spread” of COVID-19 with several community-based initiatives designed to mitigate the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

Initiatives include:

• The third food distribution will be held on Saturday, June 27, at Buck Godfrey Stadium, 2817 Clifton Springs Rd., Decatur; James R. Hallford Stadium, 3789 Memorial College Ave., Clarkston; and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, 6400 Woodrow Rd., Stonecrest. Community partners include Telemundo, La Vision Newspaper and St. Philip A.M.E. Church.

• Radio and print campaigns targeting the African American and Hispanic communities with high infections rates. The ads feature Atlanta rapper Killer Mike and Hispanic radio personalities, to emphasize the importance of staying home, hand washing and wearing masks when going out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The distribution of 3,000 COVID-19 Care Kits containing two face masks and hand sanitizer in hard-hit areas of the county. Approximately 20,000 kits already have been distributed to residents.

• Encouraging residents to visit the DeKalb County Board of Health testing site on Saturday, June 27, at Kingswood Church, 4896 N. Peachtree Rd., Dunwoody, 8:30 a.m. – noon.

• Outreach with faith-based community to remind residents and visitors to continue practicing social distancing and wellness.

“The fight against the deadly COVID-19 virus is far from over,” CEO Michael Thurmond said. “There has been a sharp increase in the number of cases in DeKalb and throughout the state of Georgia, especially among young people between the ages of 20-30 years old. We are redoubling our effort to stop the spread of this virus.”

Weekday COVID-19 test sites are available at: Beulah Missionary Baptist Church 2340 Clifton Springs Rd., Decatur; former K-Mart Store Parking Lot, (at I-285 and Buford Hwy.) 5597 Buford Hwy. NE, Doraville; Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church, 1879 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta; Greenforest Community Baptist Church, 3250 Rainbow Dr., Decatur; Rehoboth Baptist Church, 2997 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker; Salem Bible Church, 5460 Hillandale Dr., Stonecrest.

The DeKalb County Board of Health reported on June 25 there have been 5,158 cases of COVID-19 infections and 166 deaths in the county. The county’s strategy focuses on communities that the DeKalb County Board of Health has identified as experiencing the highest number of COVID-19 infections.