North Gwinnett News

With Georgia seeing an increase in cases and confirmed deaths surrounding the omicron variant, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has reinstated an indoor mask mandate in response to what has become the dominant strain of COVID-19.

“The CDC has designated Fulton and DeKalb counties as areas of high transmission for the COVID-19 virus," she said in a statement. “Given this recent surge across the Atlanta area, and based upon the counsel from public health professionals, I am reinstating the citywide mask mandate.

The mask mandate had previously been lifted by the mayor in November when cases were declining. However, the new executive order comes after the Georgia Department of Health reported a seven-day rolling average of 2,162.1 positive PCR cases on Dec. 21. This was the highest since Oct. 8, according to Fox 5. Stats from the New York Times show that since than, Georgia reported more than 23,000 cases on Dec. 30. 

"We are watching the data daily and will continue to engage experts for guidance on how best to provide for the safety and wellbeing of our communities,” the mayor said.

The city of Atlanta tweeted that the mayor’s executive order for the citywide mandate puts Atlanta back in “the yellow zone.” This means that hospitalizations average between 201 and 349, according to www.atlanta.gov, and cases average between 25 and 249.