Kemp Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Access

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Vaccine District 2

ATLANTA, Ga. – After weeks of mounting pressure from teachers and other groups, Governor Brian Kemp announced plans to expand Georgia’s access to COVID-19 vaccines.

In a press conference earlier this week at the Capitol, Kemp said that this was one step closer to getting kids back in the classroom.

“Moving forward, we cannot delay full in-person learning any longer,” said Kemp. “Georgians deserve to return to normal as soon as possible, and that will not happen without school doors open to instruction each and every day.”

Brian Kemp

Gov. Brian Kemp

The Governor’s larger goal is to provide vaccine access to teachers and relieve the tension many Georgia parents feel as they try to navigate virtual learning sites while trying to juggle work life. The pandemic has been especially hard for single-parent households.

“I cannot say thank you enough to our school staff who have persevered through these truly unprecedented times,” said Kemp to reporter on Thursday. “We cannot delay full in-person learning any further. Our children can’t wait until fall. The costs are simply too high.”

Since the school year began, school systems have struggled with implementing a virtual learning system while trying ease concerns for teacher that hesitated to go back in the classroom without a vaccine. Consequently, this lead many teachers to seek out desperate measures, so much so that Georgia’s Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey pleaded to teachers not to cross state lines to get a vaccine.

Thursday’s press conference didn’t stop Kemp from giving access to just educators and school facilities. Starting March 8, parents with intellectual and developmental disabled children or adults with said conditions and their caregivers will now access these vaccines. This new expanded phase will bring the total number of eligible individuals to 3 million Georgians.

So far, healthcare workers have given over 2 million doses, with 751,000 people fully vaccinated across the state.

For more information, visit MyVaccineGeorgia.com

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