ATLANTA — Governor Brian Kemp announced Thursday the state is working to finalize plans over the next two weeks to expand the criteria for COVID-19 vaccinations. The next phase would possibly include Georgia teachers.
Kemp made the announcement during a news conference with Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey to update the state’s vaccination efforts.
“Given the significant progress made over the last few weeks in vaccinating our current 1A+ population and the gradually increasing supply we are receiving from the federal government, the state and the department of public health will be finalizing our plans for expanded vaccination criteria within the next two weeks,” Kemp said during the news conference Thursday.
Kemp said the state is seeing a steady increase in weekly supply from the federal government. Georgia is set to receive 198,000 first doses next week.
Last month, a group of metro superintendents and school board members sent letters to Kemp urging his administration to prioritize teachers. Teachers currently fall into phase 1B.
The governor said multiple times that the current supply numbers hindered Georgia from moving the teachers up.
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Kemp said the Georgia Department of Education sent out a survey to the school districts to get an understanding of how many teachers and staff would get the vaccine.
Kemp said roughly 45% of roughly 171,000 staff members said they “would choose to be vaccinated,” though it didn’t include responses from about three dozen school districts.
On Thursday, Kemp announced the state was launching a new vaccine registration website to help people sign up for their vaccines and receive emails when they become eligible. Click here for everything you need to know about the new website.
The governor also unveiled four new mass vaccination sites across the state that will open starting Monday.
- Macon Farmers Market Bibb County 2055 Eisenhower Parkway Macon, GA 31206
- Albany Georgia Forestry Site Dougherty County 2910 Newton Road Albany, GA 31701
- Habersham County Fairgrounds Habersham County 4235 Toccoa Highway Clarkesville, GA 30523
- Delta Air Museum Fulton County 1220 Woolman Place SW Hapeville, Georgia 30354
Channel 2′s Mark Winne got exclusive access inside the Delta Air Museum site that’s currently being set up here in Atlanta. Watch it below.
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