ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has tacked on two more weeks to the state’s current COVID-19 restrictions while also extending the state’s public health emergency through Jan. 8, 2021.
The most significant changes in his latest executive orders begin to address a COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan as several candidates in late-stage trials have declared their intent to seek authorization in the United States.
Those changes would allow nurses and pharmacists to administer the vaccine, including in a drive-thru setting, and permits them to monitor patients for 15 minutes after the injection.
The latest extension comes hours after the governor held a roundtable discussion with nursing home administrators to discuss the vaccine.
The state’s 52-page plan was approved by the CDC in mid-November. It details four phases for vaccinations.
- Phase one: Healthcare workers, first responders, and people over 60 with multiple underlying conditions making them high risk.
- Phase two: School and childcare workers, essential workers (such as truck drivers, grocery, and food processing workers), homeless shelter and jail staff, anyone 60 and older, and people under 60 with significant underlying conditions.
- Phase three: People 18 to 30 and those in industries with moderate exposure risk (for example hairstylists and restaurant employees).
- Phase four: Anyone else for whom the vaccine is recommended.
According to the CDC, as of Nov. 24, large-scale (Phase 3) clinical trials are in progress or being planned for five COVID-19 vaccines in the United States:
- AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine
- Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine
- Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine
- Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine
- Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine
Already, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer have said early data shows their vaccines are highly effective -- up to 95 percent.
Kemp's most recent COVID-19 update took place just before Thanksgiving and can be viewed in full here:
RELATED HEADLINES