Public health officials in Northwest Georgia say that the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the region are putting stress on local hospitals.

On Monday, the Director of the Northwest Georgia Health Department told the Rome News-Tribune, that the increase is frustrating, because so many are unwilling to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr, Gary Voccio said , “People are now ventilated in the ER at one of our local hospitals, waiting on a room. Obviously, this is very worrisome.”

Voccio said that 99% of the doctors in Northwest Georgia have taken the COVID-19 vaccine, but only about one-third of the regions residents have been immunized.

Voccio said that the average age of patients being hospitalized with COVID-19 is lower than it was a year ago. The average age of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 last year was around 73, he said, now the average age is 55.

RNT