Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
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Delta Air Lines is mandating new employee guidelines when it comes to calling in sick in light of the CDC’s new policies.
According to the New York Times, “The airline’s new policy, dated Tuesday, provides five days of paid leave for workers who test positive for the coronavirus to isolate, according to an internal communication to company leaders obtained by The New York Times. And it encourages, but does not require, a Covid test to go back to work, going a step further than the C.D.C. guidance, which does not include a recommendation for additional testing. ”
Delta Air Lines is also requiring all new hires to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the airline said in a memo.
The airline industry is trying to climb back after a lackluster year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One way to do that is to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
Delta is one of the best employers in Atlanta so this is a significant development for would-be employees.
Applying For A Job At Delta? Here Are The COVID Rules
Delta is taking steps to ensure a safe environment for all employees as well as customers by requiring all of its employees to be fully vaccinated.
Here’s Delta’s memo in part:
As of today, May 17, receiving the COVID-19 vaccination will be a condition of employment at Delta Air Lines, Inc. for all U.S. ground new hires unless you qualify for an accommodation. If you receive a conditional offer of employment, you will be required to have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before your start date with plans to be fully vaccinated. We will provide more details on how to provide receipt of your vaccination at that time.
At Delta, the safety of our people and our customers is a top priority and part of our core values. This vaccination requirement is an important move to protect our workforce and ensure we can safely operate as demand returns, as we accelerate through recovery and into the future.
Along with several other of the major airlines, Delta is requiring passengers to be aware of the following health protocols:
- Face Coverings: Assurance that all passengers have a face covering and wear it at the airport and on board.
- Symptoms: Assurance that the passenger is not experiencing a fever, which is essentially a temperature (38C/100.4F or higher), coughing, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, chills, muscle pain and/or sore throat.
- Exposure – Assurance that the passenger has not had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or had symptoms in the last 14 days.
Is It Time To Travel?
If you’re wondering whether now is the time to travel, here’s what to know about flying in COVID.
If you don’t have one already, get your passport at a place near you.
Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world’s busiest, is so accessible.
Not only is it the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interesting in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
Also It’s very important that you DO NOT travel if you were exposed to COVID-19, you are sick, or you have tested positive for COVID-19. Learn when it is safe for you to travel. Don’t travel with someone who is sick
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With much of the nation fighting for normalcy during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are building the nerve up to travel again. If that describes you, no doubt you’re interested in what to expect when you travel.
Many companies and countries are trying to boost their tourism amid the massive slowdown caused by the pandemic. But what will travel look like for the rest of the year and beyond?
The travel review site TripAdvisor outlined a Path to Recovery that gives aspiring vacationers a glimpse into how things are likely to unfold.
“Our path to recovery will depend on the steps the industry takes to prepare for the road ahead – not just in terms of new standards and practices but also in how we collectively educate and engage consumers in a new, more thoughtful way of traveling.”
Travel’s 5 Stages To Recovery
Here are the five stages outlined from Tripadvisor’s in-house market research and insights teams:
- Decline – Travel declines sharply as widespread restrictions enforced
- Plateau – Sharp decline in bookings levels out, but travelers start dreaming their next trip
- Emerge – Easing of travel restrictions begins, early signs of recovery in dining sector
- Domestic Travel – Travelers book their first trips away, but stay close to home
- International Travel – Border restrictions ease, and international travel begins to rebound
From the recovery stages, America looks to be in the Domestic Travel stage, with international Travel still in the works.
A number of countries are actually paying people to come travel there albeit, most of them have enhanced restrictions for Americans.
Still, if you’re down for some early quarantining before your trip actually begins, here’s what’s being offered:
Enhanced Cleaning
Many airlines have put in enhanced cleaning procedures to safeguard passengers against COVID-19. That means the following changes:
- Blankets will now be removed and cleaned after every flight.
- Touchboard kiosks will be encouraged to check in rather than the ticket counter
- Gate areas and ticket counters will also be subject to being cleaned multiple times daily
Illustrative of the changes, Delta Air Lines says: “After each flight, crews use electrostatic sprayers to sanitize aircraft interiors from floor to ceiling with a high-grade disinfectant.”
Once your’e onboard the plane, here are some other things you can expect:
Crew
You can expect the aircraft crew to be dressed head to toe in personal protective equipment (PPE). That includes full gowns made of plastic, gloves, face masks and visors.
More Space
Airlines will also adhere to the “empty middle seat” policy so that social distancing can be observed as best it can on an airplane.
Passengers can also expect fewer flights and less people on those planes as the airlines spread fliers out for health reasons.
International Travel
After a nearly complete shutdown in the spring, U.S. airlines are starting to bring back international travel. Many carriers are also beginning to offer summer travel destinations as part of their marketing campaigns.
But should you go? What do you need to know if you’re thinking about traveling right now? Read our Should You Travel Amid Coronavirus piece.
Once you get your passport, you should be ready for your trip. Make sure you have found the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale.To Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so accessible.
Not only is Hartsfield the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interesting in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
But before you check that out, here are some tips on safe travel during COVID-19.
How To Stay Safe While Flying In A Pandemic
- Wash Your Hands Regularly: This would be the case anyway, but especially on a plane
- Cough The Right Way: Cover your mouth and nose when you cough. Always.
- Maintain Social Distancing: On a plane, it’s difficult to do social distancing, but try to maintain at least 6 feet between yourself and others. Steer clear of anyone who is sick.
See more safe guidelines at CDC.gov.
More Articles Like This:
Traveling Soon? Check Out Our International Checklist
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If you’re interested in booking a flight out of the busiest airport in the world to get to the beach, one of the things that is no doubt on your mind is your safety.
Many of the nation’s top airlines are starting to book fares close to the levels that they did pre-COVID. But some travelers understandably may be apprehensive.
Is It Safe To Fly Again?
In this article, we’ll show you some of the leading resources on future travel in the pandemic era.
First of all, let’s talk about the most essential equipment you’ll need to pack and wear for you travels: Masks.
Masks
Face masks are mandatory on all planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation in the United States. It doesn’t matter if you’re leaving American or on your way back into the country.
Here’s where you can buy a mask.
What The Science Says
The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control & Prevention says if you’re fully vaccinated, you “can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.”
As to when we’ll be able to travel safely again in the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is on record as saying that it all depends on the COVID vaccine.
But the vaccine doesn’t automatically mean that we can return to traveling as normal, according to Fauci.
“Getting vaccinated does not say you have a free pass to travel,” Fauci told Forbes. “Nor does it say you have a free pass to put aside all the public health measures that we talk about all the time.”
“You can get some degree of protection that isn’t durable 10 days to 14 days after the first dose, but you can’t rely on that,” Fauci was quoted as saying. “The maximum immunity begins about 10 days to two weeks and beyond following the second dose. That goes for anyone, regardless of whether you want to travel or not.”
What The Travel Industry Says
The travel industry has implemented several safety measures to ensure that passengers feel safe and protected onboard. Some safety measures include:
- Face Coverings: Assurance that all passengers have a face covering and wear it at the airport and on board.
- Symptoms: Assurance that the passenger is not experiencing a fever, which is essentially a temperature (38C/100.4F or higher), coughing, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, chills, muscle pain and/or sore throat.
- Exposure – Assurance that the passenger has not had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or had symptoms in the last 14 days.
With health officials overwhelmingly in favor of vaccines, you might be wondering how to go about travel in the next few weeks or months.
What To Do Before You Book A Flight
Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself.
1. Decide On Your Comfort Level
No one can tell you what your comfort level is in this pandemic. It all depends on whatever risks you are willing to take.
Always weigh CDC guidance. Once you decide on an acceptable level of risk to you, then stick to that when choosing when and how to travel.
2. Try To Save Money
There’s absolutely no sense in spending a lot of money on travel if you don’t need to. Try to save money if at all possible.
Some ways you can keep more of your dollars is by checking for fare sales at the major airlines. You can also looks for cheap routes on Google Flights.
3. Make Sure Your Get Vaccinated For Flights
One thing that has been discussed, and supported by many in the airline industry, is a mandatory vaccine.
“Everything will be on the table for discussion,” Fauci has told Forbes, referring to mandatory vaccinations for airline passengers.
If you’re looking for the vaccine near you, here’s how to find it.
Final Thoughts
COVID-19 has upended life as we know for the majority, especially when it comes to travel. You may be wondering what it’s going to take to feel safe traveling by air, car or another means.
The key thing is to do your research before you book.
Also It’s very important that you DO NOT travel if you were exposed to COVID-19, you are sick, or you have tested positive for COVID-19. Learn when it is safe for you to travel. Don’t travel with someone who is sick
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Delta Air Lines announced a bold plan for quarantine-free flights to Europe as part of a new COVID-19 testing protocol.
The trans-Atlantic flights are part of a partnership between Delta, Rome’s largest airport, the Aeroporti di Roma, and Harstfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta.
Delta Air Lines Launches Trans-Atlantic Flights Without Quarantines
No other airlines so far have ventured to fly into airports without quarantine measures in place, especially for American passengers.
“Carefully designed COVID-19 testing protocols are the best path for resuming international travel safely and without quarantine until vaccinations are widely in place,” said Steve Sear, Delta President – International and Executive Vice President – Global Sales. “Safety is our core promise – it’s at the center of this pioneering testing effort and it’s the foundation of our standards for cleanliness and hygiene to help customers feel confident when they fly Delta.”
If you’re interested in these Delta flights to Rome, you’ll have to adhere to strict rules related to the coronavirus. Primarily, you’ll have to produce a negative COVID-19 test through:
- A COVID Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken up to 72 hours before departure
- A pre-boarding rapid test administered at Hartsfield
- A rapid test on arrival in Rome-Fiumicino
- A rapid test at Rome-Fiumicino before departure to the United States
Customers also need to provide personal information related to contact-tracing protocols.
What COVID-Safe Protocols Does Delta Have On Its Flights?
Delta has led the industry in trying to make their flights as COVID-safe as possible. Here are some of the protocols they have in place.
- Mandatory mask rule for all passengers.
- Blocking of all middle seats on Delta planes through March 30, 2021
- Electrostatically cleaning cabins before all flights and more.
Delta has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which has crippled the world’s travel industry, including the airlines.
Once you get your passport, you should be ready for your trip. Make sure you have found the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale.To Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so accessible.
Not only is it the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interesting in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
More Articles Like This:
Traveling Soon? Check Out Our International Checklist
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If you’re busy going to and fro around Atlanta in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday, we’ve got some insights that may make your job a bit easier.
Many of these tips come from Google’s analysis of holiday trends before and after the pandemic. You can bet that there is going to be quite a bit of traffic around the city.
Like Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ mac ‘n cheese, it may take a little work to get where you’re trying to go (I kid). But seriously, here is some guidance you can use while moving around Atlanta.
More Travel Content:
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- Popular times
- Coffee shops are busiest on Saturdays at 11am.
- Grocery stores are least busy on Sunday at 9am.
- Pharmacies are busiest at 3pm on Fridays.
These Atlanta grocery stores offer curbside pickup.
- Transportation
- Compared to pre-pandemic days, interest in transit ridership is down by more than 50%, and cycling has shifted up by over 30% – hitting an all-time-high in April.
Looking to grab a bite in the city? Here are the best restaurants near a MARTA station.
- Food + Activity
- Diners are planning ahead more – restaurant reservations are up 106% compared to last year.
- Interest in “takeout” has increased 109% since the beginning of the pandemic.
- Searches for outdoor locations are up 98%. Piedmont Park and Amicalola Falls State Park are trending!
Looking to visit a Georgia state park this weekend Here are the best ones.
Stay Informed While Running Holiday Errands and Traveling
Google also has some tools to help you navigate crowds and the busiest city corridors.
- Check out how busy a place is: Popular times and live busyness information can tell you how crowded a place typically is on a given day or time–and even how busy it is right now.
- Find the latest information about COVID-19: Are you visiting friends or family in another city or state? Use the COVID layer on Maps to quickly see how cases are trending in the area. You can also access quick links to authoritative local resources so you know at a glance if there are specific guidelines or restrictions in the area you’re visiting.
- Quickly understand safety precautions from a business: If you’re eating out or getting a head start on your holiday shopping, you can easily learn more about what safety precautions a business is taking. Find out if they’re sanitizing between customers, if there’s safety dividers at checkout and if they require staff to have regular temperature checks.
Once you get your passport, you should be ready for your trip. Make sure you have found the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale.To Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so accessible.
Not only is it the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interesting in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
More Articles Like This:
Traveling Soon? Check Out Our International Checklist
- Popular times
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When it comes to fall travel, many Americans are staying Stateside in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel review site Trip Advisor’s Fall Travel Index shows some of the top U.S. cities that will experience a boom in visitors this fall.
That means hotel bookings, local restaurants and other businesses that have been hurting for much of the year stand to benefit from the tourism surge.
Report: Savannah A Top Fall Travel Destination
Georgia’s own Savannah makes the list as one of the cities on the travel index. The data was culled from analyzing a last-year-to-this-year increase in hotel bookings.
Here are the top U.S. fall travel destinations, according to Trip Advisor.
- Key Largo, Fla.
- Key West, Fla.
- Atlantic City, N.J.
- St. Pete Beach, Fla.
- Myrtle Beach, S.C.
- Sedona, Ariz.
- Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Clearwater, Fla.
- San Diego, Calif.
- Savannah, Ga.
“Among all of the disruption and restrictions this year, 76 percent of U.S. travelers continue to say that travel is important to them, even if they can’t experience the world like they used to,” said Christopher Hsi, Consumer Market Research Lead Analyst for Tripadvisor. “The pandemic has forced travelers to be creative and explore new destinations in ways they may not have considered previously. This fall, we’re seeing a rise in destinations where travelers can relax and rejuvenate, as opposed to the busy hustle and bustle of popular cities.”
Cheap Flights to Savannah
If you’re interested in finding cheap flights to Savannah, you should check out Expedia or other airfare aggregators. Make sure you compare prices before you book.
Once you get your passport, you should be ready for your trip. Make sure you have found the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale.To Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so accessible.
Not only is it the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interesting in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
More Articles Like This:
Traveling Soon? Check Out Our International Checklist
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Delta Air Lines has become one of the most strident airlines in enforcing its mandatory mask policy due to the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 120 people have been banned from flying on the airline for refusing to wear a mask or face covering, according to an internal Delta memo the company recently sent to its employees.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian is resolute in disallowing unmasked passengers to board one of their planes.
“The flight experience today is really positive,” he told The Today Show. ”
Here Is What Delta Is Doing To Keep Passengers Safe
According to Bastian, here are some of the guidelines that make Delta safer than other airlines to fly:
- Planes are sanitized through electrostatic methods
- Planes are only booked to 6% capacity
- Every middle seat is blocked on a Delta plane
When it comes to masks, Delta’s CEO says the airline has ramped up enforcement.
“We’ve been requiring masks since the 1st of May,” he said. “You cannot board a Delta plane unless you have a mask on.”
If you insist on not wearing a mask on a Delta flight “we will insist that you don’t wear Delta,” he said.
Even if you have a medical condition that prevents you from wearing a mask, Bastian says. “You might not want to fly Delta.”
He did say however that the airline is working with doctors on a validation process for customers who can’t wear masks for one medical reason or another.
If you’re wondering how that process works, footage on social media showed a woman passenger kicked off a flight. It is unclear if the video is of a Delta flight.
Another video I will watch a thousand times.
Goodbye, Super Spreader.
pic.twitter.com/BjKTR33Vau— Steve Marmel (@Marmel) July 23, 2020
What Is Delta’s Mask Policy?
Delta’s official mask policy states that “Delta customers and employees are required to wear a face mask, or appropriate cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their travel, aligning with best practice guidelines from the CDC.”
Not only are masks or face coverings required onboard flights, but also at:
- Lobby Check-in
- Delta Sky Clubs
- Boarding Gate Areas
- Jet Bridges
Read more from Delta HERE.
The question on everybody’s mind though is this: Should you be flying right now? Read our air travel resource to find out.
Once you get your passport, you should be ready for your trip. Make sure you have found the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale. -
Barbados is considering letting visitors stay on the island nation for up to a year, the country says.
The visits are part of a plan to reopen travel to the Caribbean nation, who like the rest of the world, has been paralyzed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Barbados May Let Travelers Stay For One Year
Prime Minister Mia Mottley floated the plan, called the “Barbados Welcome Stamp,” recently to let those who visit there work remotely for one year.
“You don’t need to work in Europe, or the U.S. or Latin America if you can come here and work for a couple months at a time; go back and come back,” Mottley said recently, according to the Barbados Government Information Service website.
The work-from-home plan would solve issues with short-term travel and the continual testing that coronavirus now requires.
The Barbados Welcome Stamp would let “persons to come and work from here overseas, digitally so, so that persons don’t need to remain in the countries in which they are,” Mottley was quoted as saying.
The crisis has hit the island nation even harder than some locations because tourism is a major part of the country’s economy.
All travelers to Barbados must complete a Pre-Arrival on-line Embarkation/Disembarkation (ED) form at least 24 hours before arrival.
As of July 10, 2020, Barbados had less than 100 COVID-19 cases and only seven deaths, according to government figures.
Flights From Atlanta To Barbados
Flights from Atlanta to Barbados between August 7th to the 16th averaged around $590 on the major airlines when I checked Kayak.com.
The cheapest fare from Atlanta to Barbados was American Airlines: $521
Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency. More definitive advice on health, please visit CDC.gov. Here are some helpful links:
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Because of the damage that the coronavirus pandemic has done to the travel industry, many major airlines have taken steps to ensure that passengers are healthy before they board planes.
The carriers will require that passengers complete “health acknowledgements” as an added precaution to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The voluntary health rules come from Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization representing the leading U.S. airlines.
Here are the main areas that would constitute a “health acknowledgment,” according to A4A:
- Face Coverings: Assurance that all passengers have a face covering and wear it at the airport and on board.
- Symptoms: Assurance that the passenger is not experiencing a fever, which is essentially a temperature (38C/100.4F or higher), coughing, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, chills, muscle pain and/or sore throat.
- Exposure – Assurance that the passenger has not had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or had symptoms in the last 14 days.
After initial resistance, many airline executives have warmed to the idea that passengers should wear face masks.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian told staff that masks should be required for customers and those who don’t comply should be penalized.
“We take the requirement to wear a mask very seriously,” Bastian, said according to CNBC.com. “Customers who choose not to comply with this or any other safety requirement risk losing their future flight privileges with Delta.”
Airlines That Will Require A Health Acknowledgments
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue Airways
- Southwest Airlines
- United Airlines
Once you get your passport, you should be ready for your trip. Make sure you have found the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale.To Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so accessible.
Not only is it the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interesting in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency. More definitive advice on health, please visit CDC.gov. Here are some helpful links:
- ATLANTA CORONAVIRUS GUIDE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
- How To Get Tested For COVID-19 In Atlanta
- Social Distancing Guide: How To Do It
- COVID-9 Protection: How To Make a Face And Face Covering
- Georgia Lockdown & Re-Opening: Everything You Need To Know
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Traveling Soon? Check Out Our International Checklist
- How Not To Get Kicked Off A Delta Flight
- How To Get A Cheap flight Out Of Hartsfield Airport
- Strategies That Work: How To Save On Travel
Up Next: Atlanta Travel Guide
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Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines continues to rein in its spending to curb losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. The airline says it will cease operations in 10 U.S. cities.
In addition to layoffs, the company is making several cuts to withstand immense pressure on the travel industry.
Delta says the changes will take effect in the affected markets beginning July 8, 2020.
Here are the 11 affected stations:
- Aspen, CO (ASE)
- Bangor, ME (BGR)
- Erie, PA (ERI)
- Flint, MI (FNT)
- Fort Smith, AR (FSM)
- Lincoln, NE (LNK)
- New Bern/Morehead/Beaufort, NC (EWN)
- Peoria, IL (PIA)
- Santa Barbara, CA (SBA)
- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA (AVP)
- Williston, ND (XWA)
“As the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, Delta continues to face an unprecedented impact to our business, and suspending operations at these airports will reduce costs where customer demand is low,” said Sandy Gordon, Senior Vice President – Domestic Airport Operations, said in a statement. “We will move quickly to work with affected customers, whose patience we sincerely appreciate as we navigate this unprecedented time together.”
A lot of people are wondering if now is the time to travel amid a global health crisis. Here’s what to know if you decide to go.
Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency. More definitive advice on health, please visit CDC.gov. Here are some helpful links: