Georgia expects to receive several hundred thousand doses of COVID vaccines this month for its initial distribution, the state Public Health commissioner said Tuesday.
The first groups to get shots will be health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities, said the commissioner, Dr. Kathleen Toomey, at a news conference at the state Capitol.
COVID-19’s spread in Georgia continues at a relentless pace.
The number of virus cases here has surged past the 500,000 mark, including 58,000 positives from rapid antigen tests. There have been more than 9,000 confirmed COVID deaths in Georgia over the course of the pandemic.
And Georgia reported 5,500 new COVID infections Monday, including antigen test results.
Despite widespread resistance, Washington, Mo., became the latest community to flip its stance on mask wearing. The change came when the deaths hit close to home.
The Food and Drug Administration finds "no specific safety concerns" that would stand in the way of authorization of the vaccine for emergency use. Effectiveness is 95% after two doses.
Many colleges have canceled December graduation ceremonies while continuing to host in-person events, like football games. One graduating senior says it feels like "a slap in the face."
New social distancing measures are due to take effect Tuesday evening. The government warns of an impending crisis, brought on by a third wave of infections.
The U.K. was the first Western country to approve Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for emergency use. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration could vote to approve the vaccine as early as Thursday.
More than half of workers surveyed said they were reluctant to enforce COVID-19 safety measures with customers from whom they would receive tips, according to the One Fair Wage study.
Pence visited the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention to highlight promising vaccine developments, but he received a grim assessment of the current state of the pandemic in the U.S.
Across the country, they are quitting and the exodus is particularly pronounced in rural Kansas where opposition to mask mandates and other public health edicts remains strong.
Some Americans say they don't want to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with the Ad Council's CEO about public health messaging and ways to reach vaccine skeptics.
Pew Research Center found 83% of Asian Americans said they would get a vaccine compared to 42% of Blacks. White and Latinx respondents were about even with 63% and 61% respectively saying they would.
State leaders implemented sweeping measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Here's how changes in case numbers are affecting their reopening plans.