HANCOCK COUNTY, Ga. — When it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC expects hospitalizations and deaths to rise in some states, including Georgia.
One Central Georgia county is getting hit harder than others.
Hancock County is one of three spots in the nation that has lost 1 in every 100 residents to the virus.
"I have been impacted by COVID in a negative way," Victor Battle said.
Battle has lived in Hancock County for over 50 years, and in those 50 years, he says he's never lost so many people back-to-back.
"I have lost loved ones, family members to COVID, friends, classmate friends," Battle said.
Adrick Ingram is the county's coroner and also owns a funeral home.
He says death due to COVID is something that he's seen a lot of and knows too well.
"I have to walk into situations where, knowingly, someone has died of COVID, or the family members could have contracted it from them, so it is a level of stress, but also, a level of emotional stress for those families that lost someone, and over time, you take on their grief," Adrick Ingram said.
Both Battle and Ingram say this could be prevented if people had better access to healthcare.
"That's really adding to the high number because we don't have access to the medical facilities or to medical attention that most of the other cities are getting. That's something that we need to concentrate and focus on," Battle said.
"We only have two doctors, two full-time ones. We don't have a hospital, we don't have an urgent care -- all of those things play a part in the numbers you see. I think it's senseless," Ingram said.
Ingram says that's why it's important for people to keep following COVID safety precautions like masking up and social distancing, even if you are vaccinated.
"This has touched everyone in our community," Ingram said.
According to the Georgia Department of Health, 48% of the county is fully vaccinated.
That's slightly less than the state's average.