COVID update

MOULTRIE, Ga. — The state of Georgia continues to expand coronavirus vaccine eligibility. Last week, judges and judicial staff from across the state became eligible to make vaccine appointments.

Those include:

• Court administrative staff and judicial agency staff.
• Court clerks and staff.
• Court interpreters.
• Court reporters.
• Courthouse food and service workers.
• Court staff.
• Courthouse janitorial staff.
• Judges & justices.
• Prosecutors.
• Public defenders & court-appointed conflict attorneys.
• Previous groups that qualified included:

• Adults aged 55+.

• Individuals aged 16+ with disabilities.

• Individuals aged 16+ with certain medical conditions that increase their risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

• Educators and staff (Pre-K, K-12, DECAL licensed or exempt childcare programs).

• Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers.   

• Parents of children with complex medical conditions who are at high risk for COVID complications.

• Individuals aged 65+.

• Caregivers to those aged 65+.

• Healthcare employees.

• Law enforcement.

• First responders.

• Healthcare employees.

• Residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

• Funeral home workers who come into direct contact with the deceased.

Anyone eligible to receive the vaccine can schedule an appointment by contacting the local health department or through a call center at (229) 352-6567.

However, the Southwest Health District announced last week that residents of three of its counties can make appointments through the Georgia Department of Public Health’s online vaccination scheduling system.

Initially, only health departments in Miller, Mitchell and Worth counties are on the system, but the health district said eventually all 14 counties in the district will offer the online vaccine scheduling option.