Two public health facilities with ultracold freezers required for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine received the first shipments of 5,850 doses Monday, Georgia Department of Public Health officials said.
Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine arrived at the two locations in Savannah and Brunswick, with Savannah receiving 4,000 of the doses. Additional vaccine shipments are expected later this week in other parts of the state, including metro Atlanta.
Hospitals, nursing homes first in line
The first groups to get shots will be health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. While the ultimate goal is to vaccinate as many people as possible to prevent the continued spread of the virus, there will not be enough doses initially to do that.
“Certain groups of individuals may be prioritized to receive the vaccine based on CDC recommendations,” the Department of Public Health said Monday.
Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Kathleen Toomey will travel to Savannah Tuesday to mark the vaccine’s arrival in the Peach State. Both have said they will get vaccinated to encourage Georgians to do the same.
Gov. Kemp issued an executive order on November 30 allowing nurses and pharmacists to administer the vaccine. Georgia officials say the state expects to receive some combination of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Each will require a person to get two doses, three to four weeks apart.
