ATLANTA — The White House is prioritizing extra doses of the monkeypox vaccine to Georgia ahead of Atlanta Black Pride.
In a news release, the Biden Administration, along with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, decided to provide the additional vials before events attracting large crowds of people who identify with the LGBTQI+ communities. HHS and CDC said they're taking a similar approach ahead of Southern Decadence in New Orleans and Pridefest in Oakland, California, according to a White House news release.
Georgia will get up to 5,500 doses of additional vaccine leading up to and during Black Pride events in Atlanta, White House leaders said. Atlanta Black Pride kicks off Sept. 1 with about 25 events planned throughout the weekend, organizers said.
In anticipation of Black Pride, metro Atlanta counties like Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb and Gwinnett have been holding vaccination clinics. Previous 11Alive reporting shows appointments have quickly been booked, with patients even struggling to get a shot.
One organization, in particular, Atlanta Vision 4 Hope, has been catering services to people in Black and Brown communities for weeks. The executive director, DeWayne Crowder, explained he'd tried different tactics to ensure people get the vaccine.
"It's very important that we look at this from approach this different than traditional, especially when we're dealing with a community that's already underserved with much low resources for things like this." he told 11Alive.
One tactic that he says has been particularly popular is hosting open vaccine clinics once a week in the lead-up to Atlanta Black Pride Weekend.
" We also have here every Thursday open clinic where we have a line at the door of black and brown individuals who come in to be vaccinated."
However, starting this week, the Georgia Department of Health, along with other county health departments, will help support 12 additional vaccination events across the broader metro Atlanta area, White House health leaders said.
Part of the weeklong series of events includes the Pure Community Festival, with festival leader Melissa Scott adding that there are plans to recognize Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burrus and have appearances by rapper Latto.
Scott said apart from entertainment and celebrations, this Atlanta Black Pride event will also have a special focus on health.
"We're going to be doing some monkeypox testing and vaccines as well as COVID-19 tests and vaccines," Scott said in an interview with 11Alive's Karys Belger.
According to data from the CDC, Georgia is fifth overall for monkeypox cases. The condition is mostly spread through consistent, close physical contact.
Scott said monkeypox testing and vaccinations would be available at some Atlanta Black Pride events, but organizers are working on making sure people are vaccinated before Labor Day weekend.
"The Black gay community and especially the HIV-positive Black community, you know, they're heavily affected right now," Scott said. "We're being proactive with regard to getting as many people vaccinated as possible to minimize the spread."
Event organizers added that Atlanta Black Pride would also help lay the groundwork for public health initiatives targeting monkeypox for Atlanta Pride, which is scheduled for October. Beyond vaccination, organizers said they are also prioritizing education and awareness.
There are 12 pop-up clinics that will take place during Atlanta Pride weekend. Here are some upcoming dates for vaccines.
- Thursday, Sept. 1, (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.) at Atlanta Vision 4 Hope
- Thursday, Sept. 1 (10 p.m. - 1 a.m.) at Mixx Atlanta
- Friday, Sept. 2 (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.) at Atlanta Vision 4 Hope
- Friday, September 2(10 p.m. - 1 a.m. ) at Marquette
- Saturday, Sept. 3 (5 p.m. - 10 p.m.) at Mixx Atlanta
- Saturday, Sept. 3 (11 p.m. - 4 a.m.) at The Loft
- Sunday, Sept. 4 (4 p.m. - 8 p.m. ) at X Midtown
- Monday, Sept. 5 (10 p.m. - 2 a.m.) at Heretic