CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCES
Physical and Mental Health
The common symptoms of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, are also the symptoms of other respiratory illnesses. Your healthcare provider will determine if treatment is needed.
If you develop a fever, cough or shortness of breath:
- Stay at home. Do not go to school or work and stay away from other people. If you must be around other people, wear a mask.
- Call your healthcare provider. Explain your symptoms and tell the provider if you have recently traveled outside the U.S. Follow his or her instructions. Your provider will work with the Georgia Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine if you need treatment.
Ethne Health
4122 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Suite 5
Clarkston, GA 30021
470-799-0044
Clarkston Primary and Urgent Care
4600 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite A
Clarkston, GA 30021
678-705-9685
Lifeline Primary Care
3660 Market Street,
Clarkston, GA 30021
470-355-7896
Grace Village Medical Clinic
3998 East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Clarkston, GA 30021
770-979-7000
Emory Decatur Hospital
2701 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA 30033
404-501-1000
Center for Victims of Torture
4020 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue
Clarkston, GA 30021
470-545-2776
Ethne Health Clinic:
The clinic has been hosting weekly Zoom meetings, to hear updates on what's going on in Clarkston. Every week, there are different people share (community stakeholders, city government, police/law enforcement, different resettlement agencies, etc).
Join Zoom Meeting:
Day and time: Every Monday night at 8:30 PM
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/503893151
Meeting ID: 503 893 151
Social Distancing and Other Practices
A congregate setting is an environment where several people may live, meet,or gather nearby for either a limited or extended period. Examples include schools and workplaces.
COVID-19 Resources in World Languages
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the DeKalb County Board of Health, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have created flyers containing information regarding limiting disease spread and safe social distancing practices that individuals should aim to follow.
Available in various languages, these resources can help answer questions people have about COVID-19 (coronavirus) and ways to lessen disease transmission safely.
Food Resources and Food Banks
The Atlanta Community Food Bank has created COVID-19 Help Map, which is a helpful resource Clarkston community members can use. The map can assist people in finding the nearest location to find bank agencies, school pantries, and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) meal sites.
As of March 27, 2020, DeKalb County School District maintains 21 meal distribution sites that provide service on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers an interactive map – Find Meals for Kids – for parents to locate summer meal sites.
P-EBT, WIC, and SNAP/EBT
Similarly, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) helps prevent or decrease premature births by supplementing pregnant women’s diets. Specifically, WIC pays for essential items, such as milk, eggs, and baby formula.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps recipients maintain healthy diets by making relatively expensive items, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, accessible to low-income families.
Electronic Benefits Transfers (EBT) cards are a federally-funded payment option offered at participating stores. SNAP distributes funds for purchasing food via EBT cards.
P-EBT
- If a family currently receives SNAP benefits, they do not need to apply.
- If a family does not currently receive SNAP benefits, they will need to complete an application to see if the child is eligible.
- The P-EBT amount for each eligible child is $256.50.
P-EBT applications will be available in July 2020. Click here for more information.
WIC
The requirements for WIC participation have not changed. The Georgia Women, Infant Children (WIC) program serves income-eligible women, infants, and children in the following categories:
- Infants and Children age 1 to 5 years (including foster children)
- Pregnant Women
- Breastfeeding Mothers (up to 1 year)
- Postpartum Women (up to 6 months)
Families can find the online application for WIC here. Once they have completed the application, local WIC staff will contact applicants for more information on the Nutrition Assessment completion and benefit distribution.
Click here to find meals for children during school closures. Additional WIC FAQs can be found on the here.
SNAP/EBT
- The United States Department of Agriculture approved the state of Georgia for online EBT transactions with vendors, such as Amazon and Walmart.
- For Amazon FAQs on SNAP/EBT benefits, please click here for more information.
Housing Resources
Free Internet
Comcast and AT&T are now offering internet services for those who qualify. Call your internet provider to learn about opportunities to reduce your cost during this delicate time. If you or your child attends school or university, you may be eligible for additional aid, such as a Visa prepaid card worth about two months of internet service.
Example questions to ask your internet provider include:
- Do you offer unlimited data, and for how long?
- What is your late-fee policy?
- Do you offer remote support for people who are experiencing technical issues?
Resettlement Agencies
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program assists low-income families with children age 18 and under who attend school. Please apply using the language-friendly application provided on the Georgia TANF page. Stay tuned for updated information regarding rental assistance programs offered by the International Rescue Committee.
Rental Assistance Program
The City of Clarkston offers a temporary rental payment assistance program to Clarkston residents impacted by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) economic crisis. Clarkston residents may file a Temporary Rental Payment Assistance Application to receive help to pay up to 50% of their monthly rent for no more than three months per year. Requirements to apply include living within the city limits of Clarkston, having a current or valid lease or rental agreement, and submitting documentation listed on the application to the City of Clarkston to process the application (refer to the Temporary Rental Payment Assistance Application). For further information, please call (678) 409-9683 or email [email protected].
Financial Resources
Small Business Loans
Small businesses experiencing significant economic injury are now eligible to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital. Additionally, businesses can request for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs). The deadline to apply for EIDLs is December 18, 2020. Please click here to learn more.
Stimulus Checks
Starting the week of April 13, 2020, individuals can receive $1,200 per person ($2,400 per couple) and $500 per child. The Internal Revenue Service allows eligible people to check their payment status for a stimulus check.
Please click here to learn more.
Student Loans
As of March 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education will waive federal loan interest and payments for student loans for at least 60 days. Please visit the U.S. Department of Education site, for more information.
Please click here to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel (new) respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. Patients who are older and have pre-existing medical problems appear to be at the highest risk for complications.
The CDC reports illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.*
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
*This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS-CoV viruses.
The CDC says the virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading from person to person. That is why the CDC recommends that these patients with COVID-19 be isolated either in the hospital or at home (depending on how sick they are) until they are better and no longer pose a risk of infecting others.
How long someone is sick can vary so the decision on when to release someone from isolation is made on a case-by-case basis in consultation with doctors, infection prevention and control experts, and public health officials and involves considering specifics of each situation, including disease severity, illness signs and symptoms, and results of laboratory testing for that patient.
CDC guidance for when it is OK to release someone from isolation is made on a case-by-case basis and includes meeting all of the following requirements:
- The patient is free from fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
- The patient is no longer showing symptoms, including cough.
- The patient has tested negative on at least two consecutive respiratory specimens collected at least 24 hours apart.
Someone who has been released from isolation is not considered to pose a risk of infection to others.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, including your cell phone (per manufacturer’s instructions).
If you believe you have been exposed to COVID-19, but are not showing symptoms you should self-quarantine consistent with Georgia Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. You should contact their healthcare provider if you become sick and remain home.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.
A diagnosis with coronavirus 229E, NL63, OC43, or HKU1 is not the same as a COVID-19 diagnosis. Patients with COVID-19 will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.
On Feb. 11 the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan, China. The name is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV.”
There are many types of human coronaviruses, including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses.