Georgia has provided a new tool to find COVID-19 vaccine providers as the state commences the next phase of its distribution plan.
The Georgia Department of Public Health declared on Sunday that the agency had initiated its own "COVID vaccine locator" to enable users to find their communities' vaccine providers.
Georgia DPH Launches COVID Vaccine Locator
The state commenced its phase 1A+ of vaccine dissemination on Monday. Inoculations are available to healthcare workers, long-term care facilities staff and residents, law enforcement, fire department personnel, and adults aged 65 and older and their caregivers.
The Georgia DPH is establishing a COVID-19 vaccine locator on the DPH website.
The tool enables users to search by county for a community vaccine provider. It provides the location and contact information for the provider.
The tool does not aid users in scheduling vaccines. Both county health departments and private providers are indicated by the tool.
According to officials, "Additional locations statewide will be added when providers are ready to safely administer vaccine, and as vaccine supply allows," reported WGAU.
All health departments and most other providers necessitate appointments for the recipient of the vaccine. Due to the limited vaccine supply, providers may not be able to provide immediate appointments.
Georgia's worst-in-the-country status for the novel coronavirus vaccination rate is reportedly a glaring hole in the state's combat against the respiratory illness.
A number of hospital officials are pointing to the inconvenience of inputting data into the state vaccination registry about shots that have been administered. Governor Brian Kemp has talked about a "significant underreporting'' of the number of vaccinations that have been carried out.
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The tool is in line with the hopes of increasing access in Georgia that has administered the least vaccines per capita.
Several providers are still immunizing their own staffs and patients. They are not open to the public for inoculation yet.
According to a DPH representative, "As both Pfizer and Moderna are able to ramp up production of vaccine in the coming weeks, supply should better meet demand for each phase of allocation and administration. Until that time, providers and the public are urged to be patient as we work together to get vaccine distributed in the most efficient and equitable way possible," reported WRDW.
The process of administering the coronavirus vaccine is more complex than other common vaccines, including the flu vaccine. It requires providers to have more resources accessible, including an area where vaccine receivers could be overseen for 15 minutes following their inoculation.
Many providers with the vaccine are still immunizing their own patients and staff and are not open to the public for inoculation yet.
Supply is required to meet demand as the production of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines ramps up in the following weeks.
According to officials, "Until that time, providers and the public are urged to be patient as we work together to get vaccine distributed in the most efficient and equitable way possible," reported WSB-TV.
