Over 1,000 people receive COVID shot at Columbus mass vaccine site in opening days
In the first two days of being open, the GEMA-funded mass COVID-19 vaccine site at the Columbus Civic Center has administered just over 1,000 doses into residents’ arms.
On day one, Wednesday, 792 people received a dose. As of noon Thursday, following a weather delay that pushed the site’s opening to 9 a.m., nearly 1,100 total vaccines had been administered, according to GEMA External Affairs Specialist Cassie Hazell.
Appointments at the mass vaccination site are available Friday and into the next week. Residents must pre-register online at myvaccinegeorgia.com, even if they have already signed up with a local provider or health department.
Current eligible residents include:
Anyone over 55
Those who care for someone over the age of 65
Those over 16 with high-risk medical conditions
Healthcare personnel
Long-term care facility residents and staff
Law enforcement and court personnel
Pre-K through 12 educators and staff
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Parents of children with complex medical conditions
The West Central Health District has vaccinated close to 1,000 Muscogee County residents this week, through vaccine appointments every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the DPH vaccine clinic at Piedmont Columbus Midtown and pop-up vaccine clinics across the county, WCHD spokesperson Pam Kirkland said.
There are over 21,000 people registered on the DPH waitlist since Georgia has expanded its eligibility for the vaccine.
“We’re really grateful we’ve got the GEMA site here to get everyone done,” said Kirkland. “It frees us up to go into other areas where people might not get out as much and get those people vaccinated.”
Columbus residents can register for a vaccine online through the Columbus health department website, but if a resident receives their vaccine elsewhere Kirkland asks that they remove their registration at https://bit.ly/3rVwnSh.