Georgia gets first COVID vaccine delivery; local timing is still uncertain
Published 3:55 pm Tuesday, December 15, 2020
- An employee of the Georgia Department of Public Health in the Coastal Georgia Health District receives the state's first shipment of vaccine to prevent COVID-19 on Monday.
MOULTRIE, Ga. — Georgia received its first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine on Monday.
Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Coastal Georgia at two public health locations with ultracold freezers required for storage and temperature control of the vaccine, the Georgia Department of Public Health announced Monday. Additional shipments of vaccine are expected later this week at facilities in other parts of the state, including metro Atlanta.
Monday’s shipments contained 5,850 doses of vaccine for individuals to receive their first dose of the two-dose series, the Department of Public Health said in a press release.
“The Coastal Health District is fine-tuning the logistics of thawing, preparing and administering the vaccine, and will begin vaccinating front line public health staff this afternoon (Monday),” the press release said. “A broader vaccination program for high priority individuals in Chatham, Glynn, and surrounding counties will begin tomorrow. The district will also make vaccine available to local hospitals as those facilities await their own deliveries.”
Because initial COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited, DPH is following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and prioritizing healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities for vaccination. Vaccine will be given through public health clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, etc., and will be accessible only to individuals in defined priority groups, the DPH press release said.
Colquitt Regional Medical Center did not respond by press time to a Moultrie Observer call asking when the hospital expects to receive vaccines. However, at a Dec. 2 meeting of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority, hospital President and CEO Jim Matney said he expected them to arrive no sooner than some time in January.
“I haven’t even received the freezers to put it in,” Matney told the Development Authority at that time.
The Southwest Public Health District, a division of the state Department of Public Health that is based in Albany and includes Colquitt County, announced Thursday that it was preparing for the arrival of vaccines, even though the exact arrival date was yet to be determined.
“Our long-term plan is to offer COVID vaccinations at all Health Departments in Southwest Georgia’s 14-county Public Health District,” said District Health Director Dr. Charles Ruis. “We will likely offer drive-through options in addition to providing the vaccine at the time other services are sought inside the Health Departments. Our clinical and emergency preparedness staff have been working closely to ensure that, once vaccine sites are able to open, the process of getting a vaccine will be as smooth as possible for the residents of our district.”
Free COVID-19 testing continues to be available across the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Southwest Health District. Self-registration for COVID testing is available online at covid19.dph.ga.gov. Alternatively, appointments can be made Monday through Friday by calling (229) 352-6567.
For the most up-to-date information on Covid-19 vaccination and public health’s response within the district, visit our website at www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org. The district also posts all updates to its social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.