Henry County launches coronavirus committee as state gets first cases

“By starting the preparation now, we will be ready for it,” Assistant Henry County Manager Brad Johnson told an assembled group of leaders, including the mayors of Stockbridge and Hampton, County Commission Chairwoman June Wood and members of law enforcement, Henry Schools and health officials.

The move comes a day after Gov. Brian Kemp announced two cases of the coronavirus in Fulton County, the state's first. It also follows a growing number of Atlanta organizations, including MARTA, that have announced efforts to minimize any role they could have in spreading the virus, such as suspending international business trips and the use of anti-bacterial soaps to clean up any bodily fluids left on the city's subway.

Dr. Olugbenga Obasanjo, director of public health for District 4, which includes Henry County, told Henry leaders to follow measures set up by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as washing hands thoroughly, wiping down surfaces in public buildings and making sure people who are sick stay home.

He also encouraged the county to have plans that fit specific demographics such as schools and jails instead of trying to one-size fits all approach.

J.D. Hardin, a spokesman for Henry Schools, said the district received a few calls on Tuesday from parents worried about the virus after the Fulton cases were announced, but had had no problems overall.

Others said they were concerned that misinformation could spread if the county did not speak with a unified voice, but Johnson said that could be avoided if Henry appointed one person to be in charge of messaging.

For County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews, launching the coronavirus committee makes a simple statement: "Let's not panic about what's going on, let's be prepared," she said.