North GA — Following the first round of COVID-19 vaccines administered to over 1,900 healthcare workers, medical first responders, and long-term care facility residents and staff in North Georgia, the North Georgia Health District (1-2) expanded its vaccination program to reach more members of the community. Now, tens of thousands of residents have been vaccinated at COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics operated by public health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties.

Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Kathleen Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., announced plans on December 30, 2020 to add adults aged 65 and older, law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responders to the current group of individuals eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination. Healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities and their staff were already in this highest priority group.

Beginning January 11, 2021, COVID-19 vaccinations have been available to these groups of individuals during the expanded Phase 1-A of the Georgia COVID-19 Vaccination Plan:

• Staff in clinical settings (e.g., physicians, nurses, pharmacists, EMS, laboratory staff, environmental services). 
• Residents and staff at long-term care facilities who have been unable to get vaccinated. 
• All adults 65 years of age or older and their essential caregivers, and law enforcement and fire personnel.

“Since we began our COVID-19 vaccination campaign in this health district on December 18th, our county health departments have vaccinated some of the most critically vulnerable people in our communities,” said Zachary Taylor, M.D., M.S., interim health director of the North Georgia Health District, based in Dalton. “Now we want to rapidly and effectively administer COVID-19 vaccine to even more members of our community.”

At present, health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties have responded to an overwhelming demand to provide several tens of thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) to residents. However, due to this high demand and our limited vaccine, which is dependent on the overall national supply, our vaccination appointment schedules are often at full capacity. We apologize for this inconvenience, but during these times, our vaccine stock is committed to only existing appointments until new vaccine deliveries arrive. We urge residents who are eligible for the vaccine but have not yet registered for an appointment to monitor our website and social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all updates as additional appointment times become available.

To find additional COVID-19 Vaccination Sites in the area, go to the Georgia Department of Public Health website at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine. Residents may also wish to see if their private physician is a COVID-19 vaccine provider.

Information about Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine can be found on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Pfizer-BioNTech.html.

Information about Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Moderna.html