The Update - January 3rd
Andre Dickens, MTG, covid testing, and other things
Welcome to my freemium newsletter by me, King Williams. A documentary filmmaker, journalist, podcast host, and author based in Atlanta, Georgia. This is a newsletter covering the hidden connections of Atlanta to everything else.
1. Covid Testing
Due to the increase of recent infections, several testing locations across Atlanta were filled up. I’ve included a list of places that do free testing, same-day PCR testing, and those which offer vaccines. Know if you have health insurance your provider may be able to schedule you for a test, vaccine, or a booster at their own location. Or at someone/some office/partner within their network.
1B. Here is a list of free locations for testing:
If you want to find a location close to your house, use this site from the state Department of Public Health.
Viral Solutions - about a dozen + in metro Atlanta, about another dozen sites statewide including Macon, Augusta, Warner Robbins, and Valdosta. Always free, always accepts walk-ins but always has a long line.
MedCura (formerly Oakhurst Medical Centers)
CORE Castlight Health - Has a little over a dozen statewide including Atlanta, Decatur, Lawrenceville, Savannah, Rome, Valdosta, Waycross, Gainesville, Dublin, Columbus, Augusta, Athens, Lagrange, and Albany.
Peachtree Immediate Care - has over 40 locations, mainly north of I-285. Also has two Athens sites.
East Atlanta - corner of Flat Shoals and Glenwood Ave. Did not get the name of the company, but did confirm there is a location M-F starting at 10am.
Other important things to know:
Also for Fulton County testing sites, go here; for DeKalb County testing sites, go here; for Clayton County testing sites, go here; for Cobb and Douglas County testing sites, go here;
For Gwinnett County testing sites, the county has mostly let private companies set up testing sites, use the state tool to see who’s nearby.
For other counties statewide, Mako Medical has been contracted to do testing. I would say check here to see if there is a site in your county that may have a testing site. Double back to see if also there is a Viral Solutions are nearby.
For Newton County, unfortunately, there is only this listing of local drug stores doing testing from August of this year. I still haven’t found an updated list.
1C. Here is a list of free locations for PCR testing:
*Both require an RSVP prior to arriving
Piedmont Urgent Care
CVS
1D. Here is a list of free locations for vaccines:
If you are looking for a vaccine nationally you can also check out this national website, vaccines.gov for vaccine appointments or this statewide from the GA Dept of Public Health.
CVS
Publix
Walmart
Walgreens
Viral Solutions
If you have Kaiser Permanente, they have been doing mass vaccinations for their members at their own sites. They’ve also been doing mass tests as well. But these are for members only.
1E. At-home Covid testing kits are here
There are now COVID-19 tests available over the counter. Currently, several drug stores have them and can be purchased depending on availability.
2. Omicron vs Delta Variant
The biggest change has been the rapid ascension of the omicron variant. The Delta variant is still out here as well as the others, but what has made this more transmissible has been the number of people worldwide who’ve been spreading the virus due to holiday travel.
While the Omicron variant is more transmissible than others, it has been reported less severe cases due to the number of vaccinated people who are reporting symptoms. People are still dying of covid. And in the United States, right now that rate is about on par with the number of people who died in 9/11, every day since the surge started. Vaccinated people are getting covid, but they are not dying from it at nearly the same rate as the unvaccinated.
3. Restaurant closures
The coronavirus is back with a vengeance. The latest omicron (or Omarion) variant is spreading fast throughout the world and now Atlanta is feeling its impact. Over the last several days, several restaurants across the city have had to temporarily shut down due to an outbreak of COVID-19 amongst their employees. With many not opening up again until this week. But even a few days of non-opening can really hurt a restaurant.
So, I have compiled a small list of restaurants that have temporarily had to shut down due to staffing issues related to COVID-19. As these restaurants open back up if you have the funds please support them in any way possible. Take-out is available for most of these restaurants as well as them being listed on delivery services. Or see if they have a gift card or some other form of sponsorship available.
Restaurants that have closed temporarily due to covid related issues:
8Arm - who also has a direct fund for workers
Other non-restaurant businesses
The Clermont Lounge
4. Archived Podcast: Dr. Amber Schmidtke of The COVID Digest
Back in the spring I interviewed Dr. @AmberSchmidtke, she is a Ph.D., she has the most popular Covid-19 account on Substack, amberschmidtkephd.substack.com. The reason I did not push out this interview as I thought that I had waited too long and that Covid-19 would be ending due to the availability of more vaccines. Boy was I wrong. So here is my April 2021 interview with Amber Schmidtke. You can listen here on Substack, as well as also on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts.
Amber’s Covid Substack - The COVID Digest.
Almost since the pandemic started, Amber has run her own personal substack, The COVID Digest. Which has been the #1 Substack on public health data related to tracking the spread of Covid-19. Initially starting out as an Atlanta-specific Substack, it has now branched out to cover the US.
Amber’s Substack is one of the best at understanding the virus rates in Georgia and the US. Amber’s Substack is one of the best at understanding the virus rates in Georgia and the US. I would recommend signing up as it has a freemium model similar to this newsletter.
The website has been a good reference in understanding the surges and trends in covid since the pandemic began. Its been a great tool for understanding the virus in real-time in Georgia.
4B. A complimentary episode to Dr. Schmidtke interview - Covid Conversations 2020: The Covid Mapping Project with TJ Muehleman
I would also recommend the interview I did with Atlanta tech entrepreneur TJ Muehleman’s regarding his Covid project website, The Covid Mapping Project. I interviewed him last year for my podcast. and You can listen to that interview as well on YouTube, here on Substack, as well as now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
And you can learn more about his company The Standard Co. and if you want to follow him on Twitter, @tjmule.
Red Clay News:
KLB launches a guarantee income program before leaving office.
Cobb County police are investigating an officer whose on-camera choking of a woman has gone viral.
The ACLU of Georgia has officially sued the state of Georgia over its gerrymandered maps.
Other News:
Andre Dickens is sworn in as Atlanta’s mayor
Today saw the swearing-in of Andre Dickens as Atlanta’s 61st mayor. Dickens was sworn in at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Georgia Tech, where he is an alum. Dickens's full speech can be heard below.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has been permanently banned from Twitter
The freshman Georgia Congresswoman from GA-14 has been banned from Twitter. The ban comes from repeatedly violating Twitter’s terms of service. In this case, becoming banned due to her continued misuse of deliberate misinformation regarding covid-19. MTG has become one of the biggest stars in politics to rise nationally often due to her far-right views, support of the January 6th insurrection, and constantly stating misinformation on covid-19.
Matt Westmoreland comes out
Atlanta City Councilman Matt Westmoreland has come out as gay today. Westmoreland has been one of the most prominent members of the city council, as well as one of the youngest. Westmoreland now joins freshman councilwoman Liliana Bakthari and veteran Alex Wan as the openly gay members of the city council.
National News:
The US is considering price controls as a way to stave off inflation. Many in the economist and financial communities are against this could lead to even worse inflation down the road.
The New York Attorney General's office has subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump.
Telecom providers AT&T and Verizon have given a two-week pause on their expansion of 5G services after a request from the federal government to hold. Airlines have tried to use the federal government to halt the expansion of 5G as they believe that it will interfere with their communication systems on their airplanes.
An Oklahoma state rep has introduced a law that will give parents the opportunity to not only contest a book in the library but to have it removed. The law also would penalize the library if they do not remove books deemed offensive by parents.
United Airlines is looking to pay pilots up to three times their salary in order to meet the demand for air travel.
The median price for a home in the state of California is now $834,000.
The IRS has issued a statement saying that if you have conducted illegal activity you must still file it on your tax returns.
HBCU Fayetteville State University has announced that it will be reducing its semester tuition to only $500 per student.
Apple is offering its employees up to $180,000 to stay at the company instead of departing for Facebook, in particular the metaverse project.
A new vaccine against HIV is now on the way to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus.
A Seattle hockey fan has been awarded $10,000 by the team after identifying a cancerous mole on a fan during the game. The video went viral and has saved the fan’s life.
Over 100 billion in funds of Covid relief have been stolen from the federal government.
NASA has launched its long-awaited $10 billion dollar James Webb telescope.
Elizabeth Holmes is found guilty of 4 of 11 counts
Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of Theranos, has been found guilty of 4 of 11 counts. The counts have been related to wire fraud.
Bobby Rush is not running for re-election in Illinois
Bobby Rush, a founding member of the Chicago Black Panther Party and US representative, has announced that he will not seek re-election. Rush is 69 years old and his seat will now be up for grabs.
International News:
Hong Kong democracy activist Denise Ho has been released from prison.
For anyone who is using Blackberry’s operating system, tomorrow is your last day for it to be operational.
A recent shutdown in the city of Xi’an has prompted concerns about a chip shortage.
Portugal has made it illegal for your boss to text you after work.
A new law in Afghanistan has made long-distance travel for women without a male attendant illegal.