DeKalb to Distribute 10,000 COVID-19 Mask and Sanitizer Kits Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday

DeKalb County will pass out 10,000 COVID-19 care kits containing two non-surgical masks and hand sanitizer to residents Wednesday, Nov. 25, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. DeKalb County Board of Health is supporting this initiative with the hopes that people will stay masked up, maintain social distancing, and continue to wash their hands frequently during the Thanksgiving holiday and beyond.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a stern warning encouraging citizens to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the Thanksgiving holiday,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. “The DeKalb County Government and the Board of Health are redoubling our ongoing efforts to educate and protect our residents.”

“We are in the middle of a health crisis unlike anything we’ve seen in a century,” said Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford, DeKalb County health director. “Working together and following the advice and guidance of health experts will mitigate the effects and consequences of this nefarious disease.”

The COVID-19 Care Kits also contain a card with tips on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. More than 80,000 kits have been distributed by DeKalb County since March.

The county’s outreach efforts will focus on communities that have been identified by the DeKalb County Board of Health as experiencing the highest number of COVID-19 infections. Among counties, DeKalb County has the fourth highest number of confirmed cases in the state, with more than 24,000 reported. There have been 430 confirmed deaths in the county from the pandemic.

Residents experiencing headache, fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, loss of sense of smell or taste, or sore throat, or who think they might have been exposed to COVID 19 are urged to call 404-294-3700, Option 1, to be scheduled for a test for COVID-19.

CEO Thurmond has issued executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic in which he urged residents to wear face coverings at all times in public and continue to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.