Georgia City Council Member Tests Positive for Coronavirus After City Resumes In-Person Meetings

On Monday, the Chamblee City Council in Georgia announced that one of the attendees tested positive for the novel coronavirus shortly after the council resumed in-person meetings.

"Unfortunately, a person at the meeting Thursday night was not symptomatic, but became symptomatic Friday night, and tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. This individual was responsible and respectful during the meeting," the city council said in a recent statement.

According to the city council's statement, the members asked the city's zoning attorney if they could hold the meetings virtually, but they were advised not to, and the meeting was held in-person with social distancing guidelines.

"Officers and staff monitored for symptoms, and temperatures were taken of all attendees before they were allowed to enter. Staff attendance was limited. Chairs were spaced ten feet apart and hand sanitizer and Lysol spray were provided throughout the building," the statement continued.

During the meeting, the person that tested positive for the new coronavirus wore a protective face mask and followed social distancing measures, but after they informed the city of their positive test, the others in attendance at the meeting were told to self-isolate.

"All city employees who attended, including the city manager, will self-isolate for 14 days, and the civic center will be cleaned and will remain closed for 10 days. We believe the protocols and precautions taken at the meeting limited potential exposure, but we take this matter very seriously and will continue to monitor," the statement added.

While the statement released by the Chamblee City Council did not identify the person who had tested positive, councilman Brian Mock recently told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), that he was the attendee that had fallen ill.

"I'm very sick," Mock told AJC. "I wouldn't wish this on anyone."

According to AJC, Mock did not feel sick until the day after the Thursday meeting, and by Saturday, he felt like he "had been run over by a bus."

"I've never washed my hands so much in my life and I should have bought stock in hand sanitizer," he added. "I've done everything right, yet I'm sick. So, I don't know what to think right now."

The situation at the recent Chamblee City Council meeting comes shortly after the local governments across the state began resuming in-person council meetings, many of which were previously held virtually due to coronavirus restrictions.

According to the statement released by the Chamblee City Council, its upcoming meetings will be held virtually.

In Georgia, there are currently over 38,000 cases of the new coronavirus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19. There are also at least 1,643 deaths, according to a tracker provided by Johns Hopkins University.