When will you be able to get COVID vaccine in GA? Tool helps ‘find your place’ in line
The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines are expected in Georgia next week with the initial “several hundred thousand” doses going to the state’s most vulnerable populations, state health officials announced Tuesday.
So how long could it be before you get the shot?
A new online tool launched by The New York Times uses age, county of residence, profession and underlying health risks to determine “where you might fit in line” for the vaccine. The Times worked with the Surgo Foundation and Ariadne Labs to create the tool, which estimates how many people are ahead of you.
Researchers say the results represent just one possibility, however, and that the timeline for distribution state-by-state is “also an open question,” according to the newspaper.
In Georgia, health care workers and nursing home residents would be first in line to receive the coronavirus vaccine, followed by essential workers and residents over 65 who have underlying health risks, the Ledger-Enquirer reported. Gov. Brian Kemp and Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey gave an update on the state’s vaccination plan, and said it may be “months” before doses are available to the general population.
“Our first shipments will not be anywhere close enough for anyone in our state to stop following the same public health guidance that we’ve had in place for many months,” the governor said at a news conference Tuesday, according to the Ledger Enquirer.
Like many other Georgians, Kemp may also have to wait to be vaccinated.
The former secretary of state is 57 years old and presumably has no underlying medical conditions. He lives in Fulton County, where New York Times’ tool determined there are about 8.6 million Georgians in line ahead of him for the vaccine. In Fulton County alone, he’s behind about 856,700 others, the results show.
Here’s how other Georgians could fare as they wait for the vaccine. We’ve included a range of ages in counties across the state, which has a population of about 10 million.
A 40-year-old teacher with no underlying health risks in Fulton County:
- Behind 4.2 million other Georgians
- Behind 402,500 others in Fulton County — which had the highest number of coronavirus cases in the state as of Wednesday, according to state health data.
- If the line in Georgia was represented by about 100 people, this person would be roughly the 45th person in line for the vaccine.
A 32-year-old health care worker in Muscogee County:
- Behind “very few” others at higher risk in Georgia
- Behind “very few” others in Muscogee County, home to about 195,700 residents
- If the line in Georgia was represented by about 100 people, this person would be among the first people in line for the vaccine.
An 86-year-old living in a long-term care facility in Bibb County:
- Behind 470,500 others in Georgia
- Behind 15,400 others in Bibb County, which has a population of about 153,000 residents
- If the line in Georgia was represented by about 100 people, this person would be roughly the sixth person in line for the vaccine.
A 20-year-old college student with a medical condition in Richmond County:
- Behind 702,500 other Georgians
- Behind 26,300 others in Richmond County, home to about 202,500 residents.
- If the line in Georgia was represented by about 100 people, this person would be roughly the 15th person in line for the vaccine.
An 9-year-old elementary student with no underlying health risks in Chatham County:
- Behind 5.9 million other Georgians
- Behind 176,500 others on Chatham County — if the vaccine is approved for persons younger than 18.
- If the line in Georgia was represented by about 100 people, this person would be roughly the 76th person in line for the vaccine.
A 27-year-old with no health risks in Cobb County:
- Behind 4.5 million others Georgia residents
- Behind 280,800 others in Cobb County — which had the third-highest number of coronavirus cases in the state as of Wednesday, according to state health data.
- If the line in Georgia was represented by about 100 people, this person would be roughly the 58th person in line for the vaccine.
(The places in line update frequently. These examples are from Dec. 9)
This story was originally published December 9, 2020 at 12:12 PM.