Mass vaccination sites operate at 85 percent capacity

The Albany Herald, Ga.
·2 min read

Feb. 27—ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement Saturday following a successful first week of vaccinations at the four state-operated mass vaccination sites and applauded the state partnership with the Georgia World Congress Center alternate care facility, which discharged its last remaining COVID-19 patient.

"I thank the dedicated team at the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, along with their state agency partners at the Department of Public Health and the Georgia National Guard, for a very successful first week of vaccinations at our four state vaccination sites," Kemp said in a news release. "We continue to urge all current 1A-plus eligible Georgians to schedule their appointment at myvaccinegeorgia.com. All four sites will be open and administering shots next week, Monday-Friday."

"Demand at three of the four vaccination sites remained strong throughout the week," Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Chris Stallings said. "The GEMA team — in coordination with our state, local and private sector partners — successfully executed the mission Gov. Kemp assigned us, and we look forward to providing these life-saving vaccines to more Georgians in the weeks to come.

"Gov. Kemp, local leadership, and many regional media partners helped drive increasing demand at the Dougherty County site as the week went on, with 804 doses being administered on Friday alone. We will continue to work with those community partners moving forward to maximize this valuable asset for the southwest Georgia region."

— Habersham County site weekly total: 5,537;

— Delta Air Lines Museum site weekly total: 6,402;

— Macon/Bibb County site weekly total: 5,199;

— Dougherty County site weekly total: 1,402;

— Combined weekly total: 18,667, approximately 85% of total weekly capacity.

Any Georgian currently in the 1A-plus vaccination criteria may schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at myvaccinegeorgia.com. Those not currently eligible but who are included in the March 8 vaccine criteria expansion may pre-register for a vaccine appointment.

Kemp praised staff at the Georgia World Congress Center alternate care facility Saturday after it discharged its last remaining COVID-19 patient.

"The World Congress Center has been a vital asset in the state's hospital bed capacity plan throughout our battle with COVID-19," the governor said. "The beds and staff housed at the center provided critical relief for hospitals across the state, and I appreciate the authority's partnership in serving the people of Georgia when they needed it most."