Health department moves vaccination site to Piedmont Community Center
Last week saw much activity in both the appointment-making and COVID-19 vaccination processes used by the North Georgia Health District.
After the health district’s NGHD.org website crashed Monday, Jan. 11, it was back online by late last week with a registration form that can be filled out and submitted to make an appointment to be vaccinated.
Persons age 65 and up, their caregivers and police and fire employees are now eligible to receive the vaccine. Health care workers and employees and residents of long-term care facilities are also still eligible to be vaccinated.
Vaccination appointments can also be made by calling the health district’s COVID hotline number, 1-888-881-1474. Appointments should be made in the county where the person lives or works.
“As of Friday, they were still booking thousands of appointments throughout our health district,” said Jennifer King, NGHD public information officer.
King said anyone who’s not yet received an appointment for their second dose of vaccine should call their local health department directly.
“Both (that) recommendation and our online registration for first doses seem to be alleviating some of the volume of calls (the call center was) receiving. Although the phone lines do continue to be busy, as more people are being scheduled and more appointment times become available, the easier it is becoming for people to get in,” she added.
The Gilmer Health Department transitioned its COVID vaccination efforts to a new location as of Monday, Jan 18.
Those who make a vaccine appointment with the local health department will now go to the Piedmont Community Center, 824 Industrial Boulevard, for their first and second shots confirmed Krystal Sumner, the health department’s nurse manager. The building is located between Holt’s Mini Mart and the Piedmont Physicians offices, also on Industrial Boulevard.
“For Gilmer County, we anticipate that moving the health department’s vaccination clinic to the community center will make it possible for them to vaccinate even more residents. They’ve already been doing a wonderful job of vaccinating hundreds a day,” said King.
Last week, a total of 8,700 COVID vaccinations were given in the six-county health district comprised of Gilmer, Pickens, Fannin, Murray, Cherokee and Whitfield. Of those, 1,170 were given at the Gilmer Health Department.
“We’re working with the state and receiving vaccine periodically. So far, we have an adequate supply,” said Sumner.
Drive-thru COVID vaccination clinics are not being planned here, she noted.
“There is a mandatory 15 minute observation period after receiving the vaccine,” Sumner added.
New site added
Ingles locations across Georgia are among new vaccination locations added to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s online directory within the past week. Availability of vaccine depends on the amount received by each store.
The vaccine is being given at the East Ellijay Ingles pharmacy by appointment only. A store employee said the pharmacy is calling eligible persons who’ve pre-registered and scheduling appointments.
The registration form can be found online at Ingles-markets.com under the Pharmacy tab.