Eight mass-vaccination sites run by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security are set to close next month when their contracts expire. A report out today says GEMA confirmed there is no plan to renew contracts to keep the sites running, including the one at the Habersham County Fairgrounds. The contracts expire May 21, according to a GEMA spokesperson.
The report, by 11Alive News, says mass vaccination sites run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency will continue to operate.
Plans to close down the mass vax sites coincides with local health departments’ plans to scale back vaccination operations in Northeast Georgia.
District 2 Public Health clinics in 13 counties are now returning to their regular facilities and limiting COVID vaccination hours.
White County is among those adjusting its COVID vaccine administration plan. The county is closing down its vaccination site at the Bridge Church. Effective May 1, White County residents can receive the Moderna Vaccine at the White County Health Department at 1331 Helen Highway in Cleveland.
“We have vaccine available, and we need more of our residents to participate in the vaccination process,” says White County Emergency Management Director David Murphy.
The Habersham County Health Department is also preparing to close its clinic at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesville. Beginning May 3, the clinic at the Ruby will operate only on Monday and Thursday. Then, on May 10, the clinic will move back to the health department at 185 Scoggins Drive in Demorest, where COVID vaccinations will be administered on Wednesdays only.
“We would like to see more people get vaccinated,” says Habersham County Public Health Nurse Manager Brooke Smith.
Decreased demand
The changes come amid a decreased demand for vaccinations, not just in Georgia but nationwide.
The seven-day average of daily coronavirus vaccinations dropped by 11 percent nationally compared with the previous week, reports the Washington Post. Half of all eligible Americans have had at least one dose, but millions have not yet been vaccinated.
Georgia continues to lag in the bottom of states with low vaccination rates. About 33 percent of Georgians have received at least one dose, and 22 percent are fully vaccinated, despite widespread availability. There is enough vaccine, officials say, but getting vaccination appointments could become more difficult starting in May with limited locations and hours.
Health experts say the next phase of vaccinations will be more tailored, such as door-to-door administration and targeted outreach to communities.
J&J Vaccine reapproved
Some people point to recent health issues linked to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as a reason not to get vaccinated. They argue that not enough time and research went into the vaccines before the FDA authorized their use.
While the blood clotting issues tied to the J&J vaccine are serious, Smith, who also serves as District 2 Public Health Deputy Nursing Director, says the clotting disorder is a “very rare” occurrence. As of April 15, two days after the FDA paused the J&J vaccine, there were 6 reported cases out of 6.8 million doses administered.
Both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended their pause on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Friday after a panel of CDC advisers voted to recommend reapproval for the single-shot vaccine so long as it’s accompanied by a warning about the extremely rare blood clots.
The agencies concluded that the known benefits of the vaccine “outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older,” Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement. “We are confident that this vaccine continues to meet our standards for safety, effectiveness, and quality.”
Uptick in cases
Even as vaccine demand and access slow, there’s evidence coronavirus cases may be trending upward in Georgia.
“There’s a worrisome creep upward, so we’re not expounding and having a huge surge, but we’re still seeing way too many hospitalizations,” Dr. Danny Branstette told 11Alive. Branstette is the director of medical infection prevention at Wellstar Health System. He added some patients are showing up re-infected with COVID-19 for a second time. Branstette said the increase could be due to warmer weather, spring break travel, or people feeling transmission and vaccine rates are getting better.
On April 7, Gov. Brian Kemp declared, “Georgia is back open for business.” Although he encouraged continued use of masks, social distancing, and handwashing, he also greenlit approval for communities to return to pre-pandemic activity levels. Kemp lifted the state’s gatherings ban and remaining shelter in place order and freed up businesses to operate free from restrictions. (Even businesses that still face restrictions no longer face consequences for failure to comply.)
Amber Schmidtke is a highly-regarded public health microbiologist. She says the stakes for getting vaccinated are greater than before the arrival of the new variant. “Instead of a single person on average infecting 2 people, they go on to infect 3 additional people. So through 6 transmissions, we’re talking about 729 infections, 14.6 deaths, and 40.8 hospitalizations.”
Schmidtke and other health professionals such as Murphy and Smith continue to call on the public to get vaccinated for the collective good of the community and state.
“It’s not just about you,” says Schmidtke, “it’s about protecting all these people around you too.” She adds, “You might not see the lives that you save by being vaccinated, but you are saving lives.”
