The Northeast Health District on Tuesday opened a COVID-19 testing and vaccination site based on an appointment at 355 Oneta Street in Athens, according to a press release from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Georgia has begun offering COVID-19 vaccines to people 65 and older and first responders. The vaccine has already been made available to health care workers and long-term care center residents.
According to the statement, the new vaccination site was opened to access the demand. Although there were previously driving test sites on Mitchell Bridge Road in Athens and the Winterville Center for Community and Culture, both have been closed.
Eligible must make an appointment online or by phone. Priority is given to people living or working in the Northeast Health District, which includes Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties. Vaccines and testing are free on site.
The two vaccines available, from Moderna and Pfizer, have shown similar potential side effects, including temporary arm pain, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, and fever. Vaccines will be administered in two separate doses several weeks and will have an efficacy of 94-95% in clinical trials.
Despite the availability of vaccines, Dr. Stephen Goggans, district health director, warned in the statement that supply is limited and urged people to continue wearing masks in public and to practice social distancing even when deployed. the vaccine.
Correction: Dr. Stephen Goggans’ name was misspelled in an earlier version of this article. Red and black regret this mistake and it has since been fixed.