[ February 26, 2021 ] Atlanta, GA ? Yesterday Governor Brian P. Kemp joined Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey and Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Chris Stallings at the State Capitol to provide an update on COVID-19 vaccine distribution and expanded criteria to receive the vaccine, effective March 8.

"Since the first vaccine was administered in Georgia last December, we remained focused on vaccinating the most vulnerable," said Governor Kemp. "With seniors accounting for 77 percent of COVID-19 deaths in the state, we expanded our criteria early on to include those over the age of 65, as well as other at-risk populations like first responders, law enforcement, health care workers, and caregivers. Dr. Toomey and I have been clear: while vaccine supply was limited, doses had to be prioritized for those high-risk Georgians and those on the frontlines of providing vital healthcare or public safety services to our communities.

"Since mid-January we have seen a 70 percent increase in doses sent to the state, allowing us to make significant headway in the current 1a+ population. Thanks to encouraging allotment updates from the federal government and anticipated increases in our allocation over the next few weeks, we feel confident in expanding Georgia's current vaccine eligibility to include the following, starting March 8: adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their caregivers, parents of children with complex medical conditions, all K-12 educators and school staff, and pre-K and DECAL staff.

"Provided that our supply continues to increase and this expansion goes well, we plan to further expand criteria to include more Georgians with severe underlying health conditions who are not currently eligible. We will finalize that timeline in the coming days, and DPH will continue to work with providers to ensure their criteria is up to date.

"My priority will continue to be protecting the most vulnerable and getting Georgians back to normal as quickly as possible."

Expanding Eligibility for the COVID-19 Vaccine in Georgia:

Effective March 8, the following groups will be eligible for vaccination:

▪ K-12 educators and school staff, public and private
▪ Pre-K and DECAL educators and staff
▪ Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities ? and their caregivers
▪ Parents with children with complex medical conditions

For more information, visit the Department of Public Health's website. Watch yesterday's announcement here.

To register for an appointment at one of the four state-operated mass vaccination sites, please visit myvaccinegeorgia.com. The March 8th criteria is now an option for pre-registration.