Data Never Lies: COVID on my Mind — A Look at COVID-19 Data and its Impact on the Mental Health of Georgians
Like you, over the last year, I have lamented over people who died due to COVID-19. That heightened awareness of the stakes keeps me vigilant. The ever-present calculating of risk whenever I go out, helping my children cope with huge paradigm shifts in their education and social life, and worrying about my family members with preexisting conditions has taken a toll on me mentally. You know what I’m talking about. Everyone has been forced to adjust to the pandemic. Everyone is enduring so much loss.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown, I am going to look at pandemic data in the state of Georgia where I live. I am going to focus on the total number of reported cases and deaths in the state and examine lasting impact it’s having on Georgians.
My goal is to shine a light on mental health issues that have spiked in Georgia over the last year. In a series of articles this month, I will be speaking with counselors, social workers, and doctors about their experience working to help people cope during the pandemic. These interviews will open a dialogue about how COVID-19 related mental health issues have added stress on the healthcare system, exacerbated racial disparities, and exposed resource disparities in rural communities.
The Data — The Impact Outweighs the Volume
According to the CDC, there are over 28.4 million recorded COVID-19 cases in the United States. As of March 2, 2021, there are over 511,000 recorded deaths. The numbers are finally starting to plateau and there are multiple vaccines are in production, but much damage has already been done. States, like Georgia, are dealing with not only the virus itself but several health, economic, and social issues that have been compounded by the pandemic.
There are over 10.6 million people living in the state of Georgia. As of March 2, 2021, there have been 819,730 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state. Out of those confirmed cases there have been 15,148 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19. When you just look at the numbers of the raw data, that’s only .1% of Georgia’s total population. While that does not seem devastating, most cities in Georgia have a smaller population than that. So for example, more people have died of COVID-19 in Georgia within the last year than the entire population of College Park.
So, looking at the data as numbers and percentages does not properly put into context the loss of so many people to the state. A perfect example of this came last April when Albany, GA became a hotspot for the virus. The total number of new cases in Albany then was tiny compared to hotspots like New York or New Orleans at the time. However, Albany became the 4th largest outbreak per capita in the country and their hospital system was crippled.
The Impact
For every person across Georgia that lost their life to COVID-19 there are families and communities dealing with grief, depression, and anxiety. This lasting mental trauma is exemplified in many ways across the state and its impact has made existing issues within healthcare and social services deepen and widen. Next week I will be back with an interview and article that looks at how COVID-19’s toll has impacted on behavioral health and therapy.
Reference Material
“COVID-19 Status Report.” Georgia Department of Public Health, Georgia Department of Public Health, 2 Mar. 2021, dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report.
Rapier, Graham. “How a Small Georgia City Far from New York Became One of the Worst Coronavirus Hotspots in the Country.” Business Insider, Business Insider/PARS International, 7 Apr. 2020, www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-hotspot-albany-georgia-funderals-covid-19-cases-per-capita-2020-4.
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