Beginning today, Georgia residents age 16 and up can get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Coastal Health District.
The state announced Tuesday it expanded the eligibility due to “increased COVID vaccine supply and significant progress in vaccinating Georgia Seniors,” according to a press release.
Worth noting:
• Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine approved for teens age 16 and 17, the CHD said. To ensure Pfizer is available, make an appointment at either the Chatham County Health Department, Glynn County Health Department, CVS, Walgreens, or a Georgia Emergency Management Agency mass evacuation site.
• Residents must make appointments to get the vaccine at local health departments, and can receive the vaccination at any health department in the state regardless of where they live. Appointment at a health department, health officials prefer residents go online to chdcovidvax.org or call the COVID-19 vaccine phone bank at 912-230-5506.
To schedule an appointment for the vaccine at a Georgia Emergency Management mass vaccination site, visit www.myvaccinegeorgia. com. Information is on the Coastal Health Department website.
• Vaccination, along with strict compliance with basic prevention measures – wear a mask, stay six feet from others, avoid large gatherings, wash your hands frequently – will help Georgia stop the spread of COVID-19.
These measures are critically important as SARs-CoV-2 variants continue to circulate and increase in Georgia. Currently, there are 367 confirmed COVID cases with variants statewide; 351 cases with the UK variant (B.1.1.7), 15 cases with the South Africa variant (B.1.351), and 1 case with the Brazil variant (P.1). These variants appear to spread more easily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19.
COVID-19 update for March 24
Bryan County COVID-19 cases confirmed by the Coastal Health District at 3 p.m. Wednesday:
Cases last two weeks: 64
Confirmed cases total: 2,598
Total population: 39,137
Cases per 100K: 6,638
Cases per 100K last two weeks: 164
Deaths: 33 confirmed, 3 probable
Hospitalizations: 170
Case information for all counties in Georgia is available on the state Department of Public Health website at https://dph. georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status- report.
Bryan County Schools COVID-19 update for March 15-19:
Students with positive COVID-19 status: 13
Students quarantined as result of school-based close contact: 145
Staff with positive COVID-19 status: 3
Staff quarantined as a result of school-based close contact: 0
Source: Bryan County Schools