All Georgia adults can get the COVID vaccine. Here’s where to find it in Middle GA

Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that Georgia had vaccinated four million people — and one million in the past two weeks— administering 89% of doses shipped to the state.

But Georgia’s vaccine distribution remains poor compared with the rest of the country, according to data from the CDC and reporting from GPB’s Grant Blankenship: The Peach State is 49 out of 50 states in COVID-19 vaccinations per capita, and data shows a surplus of two million doses that continues to grow while demand shrinks.

Determining supply and demand is difficult as well, Blankenship reports, because the state’s data on county of origin for vaccinated Georgians is spotty at best.

Navigating vaccine eligibility and accessibility in Middle Georgia is challenging. Here’s what you need to know to schedule your vaccine:

How to find the vaccine

Local health departments: The North Central Health District serves most of Middle Georgia with its 13 health departments including those in Bibb, Houston and Peach counties. To set up an appointment with one of these local health departments, residents can visit the Georgia Department of Health’s website and take the questionnaire to verify eligibility and schedule their appointment. Georgians can all use the NCHD’s vaccine call line (478-749-0179 or 1-844-987-0099).

All 13 health departments in the NCHD offer vaccines by appointment only. They do not allow walk-ups. Those who want an appointment are encouraged to call to set up an appointment as the online system puts you on a wait list for the vaccine.

Major pharmacies: Visit the following website vaccinefinder.org. From there residents can search for pharmacies within a certain radius of their zip code to find local pharmacies that are administering the vaccine. The tool also allows you to search by the type of vaccine that the location offers. This can be important for those who already have the first dose and are looking to get the second round of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or are specifically searching for the Johnson & Johnson, which requires just one round.

Mass vaccination sites: Gov. Brian Kemp announced the opening of eight mass vaccination sites in Georgia including one in Bibb County at the Macon Farmers Market. To set up an appointment at the mass vaccination site, residents can call 844-274-9841 or visit the website at myvaccinegeorgia.com. On April 8, the Macon mass vaccination site will no longer require an appointment, but appointments are still encouraged. Five other sites will also no longer require an appointment, including Columbus and Savannah.

Local hospitals: Atrium has appointments available at the Wellness Center and at their drive-thru clinic at 3780 Eisenhower Parkway in Macon. To set up an appointment at www.CovidsafeGA.org or call 478-633-7233.

COVID-19 vaccine eligibility

Currently all Georgians 16 years old and older are eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine. However, only the Pfizer vaccine has received emergency approval for people younger than 18, according to NCHD public information officer Michael Hokanson. A parent or guardian must be present when a 16 or 17 year old receives a coronavirus vaccine, and parents/guardians will be asked to sign a consent form.

However, there are complicating factors to whether someone should schedule a vaccine appointment. Georgians who are undergoing treatment for certain medical conditions should speak with their primary care physician before scheduling a dose.

Georgians who get the flu vaccine or another vaccine cannot receive a COVID-19 vaccine dose for the next 14 days. Hokanson said health experts recommend not getting any other vaccine between your initial and booster COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Currently, the NCHD only offers the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Middle Georgians can request the Johnson & Johnson vaccine when making an appointment through the NCHD’s call line (478-749-0179 or 1-844-987-0099). However, Hokanson said the J&J supply is typically lower and might not be available when an appointment is made, in which case an appointment will be made at the nearest county with a J&J dose.

This story was originally published April 7, 2021 at 9:53 AM.