Beginning Thursday, March 25, 2021

Atlanta – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and Governor Brian Kemp announced the state will expand its COVID vaccine eligibility beginning March 25, 2021, to include all Georgians aged 16 and older. Increased COVID vaccine supply and significant progress in vaccinating Georgia seniors, our most vulnerable population, allows the state to move forward and to ensure all vaccine doses are being put into arms.

Vaccination, along with strict compliance with basic prevention measures - wear a mask, stay six feet from others, avoid large gatherings, wash your hands frequently - will help Georgia stop the spread of COVID-19.

These measures are critically important as SARs-CoV-2 variants continue to circulate and increase in Georgia. Currently, there are 367 confirmed COVID cases with variants statewide; 351 cases with the UK variant (B.1.1.7), 15 cases with the South Africa variant (B.1.351), and 1 case with the Brazil variant (P.1). These variants appear to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19.

Anyone signs or symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection. Follow the advice of your health care provider about what you should do while you wait for your test results. COVID testing not only helps DPH control and mitigate infection, but it also provides valuable information about variants when positive test results are sequenced.

To find a vaccination location or to schedule an appointment, log on to dph.ga.gov/covid-vaccine or visit myvaccinegeorgia.com to schedule an appointment at a GEMA mass vaccination site.

Important note: Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine approved for teens 16 and 17 years old. Please schedule an appointment at CVS or Walgreens or at one of the GEMA mass vaccination sites to ensure Pfizer vaccine is available.

For updates on COVID-19, follow @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Twitter and @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Facebook.

Register for an appointment online at gta-vras.powerappsportals.us or call 1-888-457-0186. 

Everyone 12 and older is eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine. Only Pfizer is authorized for children 12 through 17 with parental consent. No appointment is needed at any county health department in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County. For health department locations, go HERE to our homepage and click on your county listed on that page at right.

North GA – No Appointment is needed for COVID-19 Vaccination in the North Georgia Health District at Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties. There is NO Cost to clients, regardless of healthcare coverage. No Identification is required.

Over 160,000 COVID-19 vaccinations have been provided by public health in the North Georgia Health District and the county health departments continue to urge residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 right away.

Anyone with questions about COVID-19 vaccine may go here on our website to Questions About COVID-19 Vaccine?  or may call the GA COVID-19 Hotline at (888) 357-0169.

UPDATE: Effective Thursday, March 25, ALL Georgians age 16 and older will be Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine. Register for an appointment online at gta-vras.powerappsportals.us or call 1-888-457-0186.

Georgia eligibility is now open for everyone 16 years of age and older for the COVID vaccine.

Note: Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine currently approved for children aged 16 and older.** 

**Pfizer vaccine is offered when available by some of our county health departments, but it is consistently available only at our Whitfield County COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic. Mass vaccination clinics in Georgia also have Pfizer vaccine - go to myvaccinegeorgia.com.

NEWS RELEASE from the Georgia Department of Public Health

We Have Answers!

Información de acceso Español

All Georgians *12 and older are Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine. Walk in to one of our COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics without an appointment, or register for an appointment online at gta-vras.powerappsportals.us or call 1-888-457-0186. 

Who is eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine right now in Georgia?

Georgia Eligibility is open for everyone 12 years of age and older for the COVID vaccine.

*Note: Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine currently approved for children aged 12 through 17. All minors must have parental consent for a vaccination.

Pfizer COVID vaccine is offered when available at some of our county health departments' COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics; however, it is most reliably available at our clinics in Cherokee, Pickens and Whitfield counties.

Everyone who is eligible for the vaccine may walk in without an appointment to a public health COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County, or they may register for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment at gta-vras.powerappsportals.us or call 1-888-457-0186.

Eligibility is subject to change. Please monitor this site for all updates.

Why is it important for healthcare workers and first responders to have the vaccination?

When healthcare personnel and first responders get sick with COVID-19, they are not able to work and provide key services for patients or clients, which weakens the whole community’s healthcare infrastructure.

Why is it critical that people 65 and older get vaccinated?

It is especially important for older adults to get the vaccine because they have the highest risk of being very sick or dying from COVID-19.

Is COVID-19 Vaccine provided for Free?

COVID-19 vaccine is offered by public health at no cost. Health insurance will be accepted if available, but if insurance is not presented, there will be no cost for the vaccine to the client.

• • Healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, lab technicians, EMS)
  • Law Enforcement
  • Fire Personnel
  • First Responders
  • Residents and staff of long-term care facilities
  • Individuals aged 65+ and their caregivers*
  • Educators and staff (Pre-K, K-12, DECAL licensed or exempt childcare programs)
  • Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers*
  • Parents of children with complex medical conditions

*Caregivers provide care to people who need assistance with everyday tasks.

  Care recipients can live in residential or institutional settings, range from children to older adults, and have chronic illnesses  or disabling conditions.

Part C Grant Application Information

Babies Can't Wait (BCW) is Georgia’s statewide early intervention program for infants and toddlers with special needs, from birth to three years-of-age and their families. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is the lead agency for administration of the BCW program. As required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C section 34 CFR §§303.110-303.113, “the State must publish its Part C application or policy in a manner that will ensure circulation throughout the State at least 60-days prior to the date on which the application or policy is submitted and allow an opportunity for public comments on the application or policy for at least 30 days during that 60-day publication period.” In order to meet this requirement, BCW invites interested persons to participate in a 60-day public comment period for the Part C Grant Application Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021 from March 1, 2021 to May 3, 2021. The Part C grant application and revised policy is available for public review at hhttp://dph.georgia.gov/bcw-part-c-application. Comments can be submitted by mail, email, or fax as follows:

(1) Written comments will be received until May 3, 2021:

Babies Can’t Wait

Attn: Jeannine Galloway, Interim Part C Coordinator/Maternal and Child Health Director

2 Peachtree Street NW, 11th Floor

Atlanta, GA 30303-13422

(2) Email comments will be received until May 3, 2021

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Subject line: Part C Public Comment)

(3) Facsimile comments will be received until May 3, 2021

State BCW Office Fax: (404) 738- 0103 Attn: Jeannine Galloway