Gov. Kemp warns of New Year’s COVID-19 risk; state performs thousands of vaccinations

As New Year’s Eve approaches, Gov. Brian Kemp urged Georgians to adapt their plans to limit the potential to spread the coronavirus.

“I’m encouraging everyone to help be part of the solution, not part of the problem, and I would ask all Georgia’s to take that into consideration as we look to the New Year’s Eve and the New Year in just a few days,” Kemp said during a Monday press conference.

Kemp and Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey offered public health guidance on New Year’s celebrations and provided updates about COVID-19 vaccinations in Georgia.

Guidance for New Year’s celebrations

The highest percentage of new cases over the past 30 days has come from individuals between 18 and 29 years of age, Kemp said. To avoid a spike in coronavirus cases after the holiday, Kemp urged young folks to be safe. Death rates are low among this age group, but young people with COVID-19 can spread the virus to older and more vulnerable people in their households and communities.

Kemp offered this guidance about New Year’s celebrations:

• Limit gatherings to small groups of people within the same household.
• Consider gathering virtually to celebrate.
• Consider the risks of including elderly loved ones or those more susceptible to the virus.
• Implement the best practices and public health guidance outlined in the governor’s orders into your plans.

Vaccine allocation updates

On Monday, the state received additional allocations of the Pfizer vaccines and expects to receive more allocations of the Moderna vaccine as well, Toomey said. As of Monday morning, the state has a total of 234,000 allocations of the Moderna vaccine and 268,125 allocations of the Pfizer vaccine. 125,775 vaccines from Pfizer and 158,500 vaccines from Moderna have been shipped to Georgia, according to data from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

A total of 26,010 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Georgia. Healthcare workers and nursing home residents are the first to receive vaccine doses.

“It’s just amazing to see people’s faces and excitement that the tears of joy, literally, in the waiting room of providers who have been working at this for so many months and now seeing that there is an end in sight,” Toomey said.

914 providers in Georgia have enrolled as vaccine providers. As the state continues to receive more vaccine shipments, providers throughout the state will administer the vaccine to eligible individuals. In the second round of vaccine distribution, doses likely will be given to essential workers and people over 65 with multiple health conditions.

“I want to also say that I, for those who are hesitant about the vaccine, the data look wonderful. ... the safety record is very, very good,” Toomey said.

When can I get my vaccine?

A new hotline has been set up to answer questions about vaccine eligibility and administration. For vaccine questions, Georgians can call the 1-(888)-357-0169.

Both vaccines require two doses given to the patient 3-4 weeks apart. The Pfizer vaccine must be kept at a temperature of minus 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Deep freezers and special vaccine carriers from Pfizer will be used to store and transport the Pfizer vaccine. The Moderna vaccine can be stored in a regular freezer.

The vaccine will not become available to the general public for several months. Until roughly 70-80% of residents are vaccinated, the state will not have enough immunity to protect Georgians from the coronavirus, Toomey said. In the meantime, it’s important to keep wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing and following other public health guidelines, Kemp said.

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities

An anticipated 39,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be administered to long-term care facilities and nursing homes. The staff of these facilities will be vaccinated before the residents. Vaccinating staff first is the best strategy to protect residents from the virus, Toomey said.

“If you think about it, the providers here at the long-term care facility are the firewall protecting the residents,” Toomey said.

95% of long-term care facilities and nursing homes are working with CVS and Walgreens pharmacies to coordinate vaccination of nursing home populations. The remaining 5% of facilities are working directly with the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Long-term care facility staff and residents represent about 5% of coronavirus cases in Georgia and over 37% of reported deaths in the state since the beginning of the pandemic.

“When it’s your time to be vaccinated, please get vaccinated for COVID,” Toomey said. “That’s our one most important resource we have that can we can truly stop this epidemic, so that next year at Christmas time, we’ll be able to follow a different kind of trajectory for the state.”