Morris Brown College Enacts Mask Mandates Amid COVID Surge

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Morris Brown College in southwest Atlanta has mandated masks in light of an increase of COVID-19 cases in the city.

On its Instagram page, the historically black college posted that a mask mandate will be in effect for the next 14 days.

The mask mandate extends to students and employees and includes social distancing, contact tracing, and other health protocols.

What Are The New COVID Variants?

Some new COVID variants, including the EG.5, or “Eris,” as it’s been called, has emerged in some nations. The EG.5 has been identified as the dominate strain in the United States with 20% of new cases, according to the Centers of Disease and Control (CDC).

The new variants all can be traced to the XBB strains that were dominant in late 2022, according to health officials.

Scientists are also trying to ascertain the new highly mutated coronavirus variant spotted by scientists in Israel. The Ba.2.86 variant is in four countries, including America.

The new variant, called BA.2.86 and nicknamed Pirola, is an ancestor of the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron.

If you’ve had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and catch the new variant, you’re likely to experience the following symptoms:

  • Sore throat
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle pain

If you’ve had the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you’re like to experience the following symptoms:

  • Tiredness
  • Weakness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cough

How To Protect Yourself Against COVID

  • Wear a Mask
  • Wash Your Hands for At Least 20 Seconds
  • Avoid High-Exposure Events and People
  • Getting Tested for COVID-19
  • Staying Home When You Have Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
  • Seeking Treatment If You Have COVID-19 and Are at High Risk of Getting Very Sick

Atlanta has a lot of cool things to do and places to eat, including some of the top soul food joints and remarkable Thai food spots. Explore the city.

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Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AtlantaFi.com, Atlanta’s independent hyper-local publication focused on news, restaurants, events, jobs, neighborhoods, and lifestyle. A 15+ year Atlanta resident and longtime journalist and content creator, she covers Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care, and Money with a practical, Atlanta-first lens. Before launching the site, Johnson worked as a substitute teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and later in corporate roles at Home Depot’s Vinings offices. A marketer by training with a degree in business management, she grew frustrated with the fragmented, hard-to-find information about what was actually happening in the city. That gap led her to create AtlantaFi as a curated, one-stop resource for the pulse of Atlanta—#ATLHAPS—without the national noise. Editorial decisions remain independent; the publication does not accept products, meals, or services in exchange for coverage. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees original local reporting and curated practical guides that help residents, visitors, and businesses discover and engage with the city. Readers turn to her work for timely event roundups, dining and neighborhood insights, business and travel updates, and straightforward money and lifestyle coverage grounded in firsthand observation of Atlanta. A devoted lover of all things Atlanta, Tee enjoys pickleball, a good margarita or bourbon, and walking the Atlanta Beltline. She can be reached for editorial inquiries at tjohnson@atlantafi.com (serious inquiries only).

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