The past year has proven to be difficult for Georgia as we combat COVID-19. This outbreak is one of the largest health crises of our lifetime, and our state has undergone major operational change in response to the pandemic. Georgia received its first vaccine doses seven weeks ago and has distributed the immunizations to hospitals, independent medical professionals, and various medical clinics. Our caucus is dedicated to ensuring the Department of Public Health has all resources needed to efficiently deploy the vaccine across the state.
There are currently two providers of the vaccine, Pfizer and Moderna. Both vaccines are administered intramuscularly in two doses. The only difference between the vaccinations is the application timeline, Pfizer’s series being administered three weeks apart and Moderna’s being administered twenty-eight days apart. Each requires individual site monitoring for fifteen minutes post-vaccination, and all vaccines are given by appointment only.
Georgia receives 120,000 vaccine doses weekly. The vaccines will be deployed in three phases, each with subphases. We currently are administering doses to professions within the Phase 1A+ classification, which includes:
- healthcare workers (nurses, physicians, EMS, laboratory technicians, environmental services)
- residents and staff of long-term care facilities, adults aged 65+ and their caregivers
- first responders (law enforcement, firefighters, dispatchers, 9-1-1 operators)
Those who will be vaccinated in the first phase will be notified of their eligibility to receive the vaccine.
Georgia will then move to the next subphase,1B, which includes: non-healthcare essential workers who perform job tasks across critical infrastructure sectors, ensuring continuity of function critical to public health, safety, economic and national security. The final subphase, 1C, includes persons aged 16-64 with preexisting medical conditions, which increases the risk for severe COVID-19. Provided there is adequate vaccine supply available, the scope of vaccine deployment will expand within the next two weeks.
Below are resources for more information about vaccine availability in all areas across the state.
Vaccine Distribution and Up-to-Date Count of Distributed – https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccination Site Locator – https://dph.georgia.gov/locations/covid-vaccination-site
The tool allows users to search by county for a vaccine provider in their community, and provides location and contact information for the provider. This is not a centralized scheduling tool. To schedule, use the vaccination site locator to find a location near you. Call the facility directly to schedule an appointment for vaccination. Please only contact these facilities if you meet the criteria for the current vaccination phase.
