A look at major COVID-19 developments over the past week

Deb Halleck (right) smiles after meeting partner Stephen Donnelly after he arrives from the UK Monday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. (Daniel Varnado/ For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Daniel Varnado

Credit: Daniel Varnado

Deb Halleck (right) smiles after meeting partner Stephen Donnelly after he arrives from the UK Monday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. (Daniel Varnado/ For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Georgia’s latest coronavirus surge is in a solid state of retreat, Department of Public Health officers said in a briefing. They balanced their cheer at the good news with a warning, however, that the plateau in cases is higher than it was before, and winter gatherings could bring more cases.

“It’s good news with caution,” said State Epidemiologist Cherie Drenzek.

The early autumn surge driven by the delta variant of the coronavirus brought the pandemic death toll in Georgia past 25,000, and hospitalizations to a pandemic total of 87,000. But in recent days the total number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals fell below 1,000 for the first time since before the surge.

All the same, the level of new cases has plateaued at a rate that indicates the virus is still circulating, Drenzek said at a regular meeting of the state Board of Public Health.

Here’s a look at major developments related to COVID-19 over the past week.

Push to vaccinate for the holidays

The key to avoiding another surge, especially as people plan whether to gather for the holidays, is to vaccinate more people, public health officials say.

The vast majority of infections and deaths from COVID-19 this year have occurred among the unvaccinated: Of 12,903 deaths this year, 973 were vaccinated. Where DPH has data, those breakthrough cases ending in death tend to be among patients who also had dangerous underlying conditions, Drenzek said.

The delta surge brought a wave of new vaccinations, said the department’s chief medical officer, Dr. Alex Millman. While the numbers have again sunk, new people do continue to get vaccinated, he said.

The state is grappling with ways to amp those numbers, and has devised a new vaccine publicity campaign that focuses on activities people can safely resume once they are vaccinated.

Atlanta lifts indoor mask mandate

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has lifted the public indoor mask mandate for the city.

In an announcement she made on Twitter, she said Atlanta is officially in the “green zone” for COVID-19 with declining case numbers.

“While it makes me personally anxious, I’ve always said we’d follow the science. Thus, we are lifting the city-wide mask mandate,” Bottoms said in a tweet.

Bottoms issued an executive order in late July mandating that residents wear a mask whenever indoors in a public place, even if they have been vaccinated. At that time, the delta variant was beginning to rapidly accelerate. The directive applied to private businesses like restaurants, salons and grocery stores, as well as public property.

In this file photo, Kim Brown, left, and her daughter Katie Brown walk their dogs without a mask while walking along the Atlanta BeltLine in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward community. Both of them say they are fully vaccinated and feel comfortable not wearing a face covering when outside.  (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer/Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com

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Credit: Alyssa Pointer/Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com

The mayor is now lifting that order, but is still mandating that masks be worn in all city facilities.

The city started following a color-coded system for COVID guidelines in August that tracks the pandemic’s status in the city — from worst to best — by referring to red, yellow, green and blue zones. The city enters the green zone when, over the course of 10 days of monitoring, new COVID cases average between 20 and 75, hospitalizations average between 50 and 200 and test positivity is 1% to 5%.

The blue zone is the safest zone, with average new cases below 20, average hospitalizations below 50, and test positivity below 1%.

Bottoms ended her tweet with a plea to residents: “Please get vaccinated.”

Long-awaited reunions as travel ban lifted

On Monday, the U.S. reopened its borders to fully vaccinated international travelers. The 20-month travel ban that had been in place barred entry for non-U.S. citizens from 33 countries, including China, India and much of Europe. Travelers from those regions can now visit without needing to quarantine, provided they show a negative COVID-19 test and proof of vaccination.

Flower bouquets, balloons and children with homemade welcome signs brightened the international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where dozens gathered Monday to reunite with loved ones not seen in months because of the travel restrictions.

Passengers arrive from the International Terminal Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airportl. (Daniel Varnado/ For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Daniel Varnado

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Credit: Daniel Varnado

Travel restrictions were lifted as planned despite a new spike of infections across the European continent fueled by the highly transmissible delta variant. Last week, the World Health Organization warned that Europe was once again “at the epicenter of the pandemic.”

In the aftermath of the federal government announcing the change in travel policy last month, Delta Air Lines reported its bookings from outside the U.S. have jumped 450%. Over the course of the day Monday, multiple European airlines reported full or nearly full flights.

Metro Atlanta had more than 1 million international visitors a year before the pandemic, according to Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO William Pate. “Many of our conventions attract large international audiences, so this is a critical step in our industry’s recovery,” he added.

Meanwhile, Americans have been flying internationally for vacations to Mexico or Caribbean countries, which have been welcoming tourists. Delta’s Latin American passenger revenues were 84% recovered in the third quarter, for example.

Staff writers J.D. Capelouto, Lautaro Grinspan and Kelly Yamanouchi contributed to this report.