Ahead of holidays, DeKalb sends COVID-19 alert to residents, visitors

DeKalb County was texting and emailing more than half a million people Thursday, warning them about the omicron variant and encouraging them to stay safe during the holidays.

The county said it was activating the CodeRED emergency notification system to send the alert to 566,000 local subscribers. It also planned to use geolocation services to send the message to visitors and commuters in the county.

“We want everyone to have a safe and healthy holiday, but we must be vigilant because of the surge in cases fueled by the COVID-19 omicron variant,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said in a news release.

ExploreDeKalb health department opening 1 COVID testing site on Thursday

Thursday marked the fourth time DeKalb has used the notification system to send messages to residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials said the new message would encourage recipients to get vaccinated; get tested if they have cold-like symptoms or believe they’ve been in contact with someone with COVID-19; wear masks in public places, practice social distancing; and avoid large gatherings.

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