For the third week in a row, Chattooga County remains in the “high” category when it comes to the threat of COVID-19 transmission. 

Chattooga County is joined by Floyd, Bartow, Gordon and Polk Counties in the Northwest Georgia region where the risk category is considered high by public health officials.  Most of the rest of the state of Georgia remains in the “medium” threat category, according to the latest round of numbers released last week.

Earlier this year, the Georgia Department of Public Health began reporting COVID-19 information weekly instead of daily.  Those weekly reports come out on Wednesdays.

Public health officials are concerned as school starts back, with students in Chattooga County and Rome City Schools already back in class and many other areas returning to class this week and next.

Earlier this year, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed legislation that allows parents to “opt out” of any mask mandates required of school children.