-
vaccine
More than 1,000 additional vaccine doses are heading for Hart County, according to a public health report, as the local rate of infection begins to slow.
The Hart County Health Department was allocated 1,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 after it recently requested 3,500 doses, according to a Wednesday, Jan. 27, report from the Department of Public Health, while other providers in the county also received more doses.
Ingle's Pharmacy in Hartwell is set to receive 300 doses of the Moderna vaccine after requesting 800 doses. Medlink in Hartwell requested 1,000 doses, but was allocated 400 doses.
Hartwell Drugs requested 1,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, while Hartwell Family Practice requested 200 doses, but neither of the providers have been allocated any doses yet, according to the report.
The DPH is currently administering COVID-19 vaccines in Phase 1a+ which includes: healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, EMS personnel, environmental services, etc.), residents and staff of long-term care facilities, adults aged 65+ and their caregivers and law enforcement, firefighters, first responders.
For more information, or to schedule a vaccine at the Hart County Health Department, visit http://phdistrict2.org/. The virtual vaccine schedule has been full in recent weeks, however, and no appointments were available in Hart County as of Thursday afternoon.
As of Jan. 27, 791,254 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered across Georgia, according to DPH data.
Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday 418,584 Georgians who are 65 and older have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Our top priority is getting vaccines in the arms of the most vulnerable Georgians: our seniors,” the governor said.
Additionally, 99.5 percent of nursing homes have successfully had their first clinic through the Operation Warp Speed partnership with CVS and Walgreens. CVS has completed all nursing homes first clinics and 40 percent of second clinics, collectively administering 41,306 doses, the governor's office reported Thursday. Walgreens has completed 73 nursing homes first clinics and 32 percent of second clinics, collectively administering 11,024 total doses.
Kemp’s office announced Tuesday night the Biden administration will start allocating Georgia an additional roughly 25,000 vaccine doses per week. That will increase Georgia’s current weekly allotment to 145,900 doses, Kemp’s office said — an amount lagging far behind the millions of doses needed to halt the virus’ spread.
Vaccine supply is very limited, according to the DPH. Public health departments are scheduling vaccines by appointment only, as are most other providers. Depending on vaccine supply allocations from the federal government, it may be weeks before additional providers will have vaccine available for quicker and more widespread distribution.
Since Tuesday, Jan. 26, Hart County’s death total from the virus increased to 29 deaths and 14 additional deaths listed as “probable,” according to DPH data.
The rate of COVID-19 infections in Hart County has slowed in recent weeks. As of Thursday, Jan. 28, 137 new cases had been reported in the past two weeks, a rate of 525 cases per 100,000 residents.