FEMA Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Site Coming To Atlanta

Caption

A nurse holds a phial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guy's Hospital in London, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, as the U.K. health authorities rolled out a national mass vaccination program.

Credit: Frank Augstein / AP

The federal government plans to open a mass vaccination site in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, officials said Friday.

The site is expected to open within the next two weeks and will vaccinate up to 6,000 people each day, seven days a week for eight weeks.

"The goal of establishing these joint federal pilot centers is to continue to expand the rate of vaccinations in an efficient, effective and equitable manner, with an explicit focus on making sure that communities with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection are not left behind," The White House said in a press release.

Gov. Brian Kemp previously opened four mass vaccination sites, with five more set to open March 17 in Chatham, Ware, Washington, Bartow, and Muscogee counties.

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Andy Slavitt with the White House said sites in Atlanta and Cleveland, Ohio, were chosen because of the effects of COVID-19 locally.

"Both of these sites sit in neighborhoods hit hard by the pandemic and are well-known in the community," Slavitt said.

During this pilot period, the federal government will provide limited direct vaccine allocation to the site through FEMA — as the agency does through federal entities for other federal programs.

The governor opened eligibility to receive COVID-19 vaccinations to Georgia Pre-K through 12 teachers, school staff and other vulnerable groups starting Monday.

Georgia is currently vaccinating heath care workers, long-term care staff, and residents, along with adults who are 65 or older and their caregivers.