by Robin Kemp
People age 16 and up will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine–that is, as supplies are available–as of April 1, Gov. Brian Kemp announced March 10.
What’s more, people age 55 and older, as well as those who suffer from a number of medical conditions, will be eligible starting Monday, March 15.
Those eligible for the vaccine as of Thursday, April 1 include people with disabilities and people 16 and older with “certain medical conditions that increase their risk of severe illness from COVID-19,” meaning:
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD
- Cystic fibrosis
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Heart conditions
- Immunocompromised state
- Liver disease
- Neurologic conditions
- Overweight and obesity
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Sickle cell disease
- Thalassemia
The only approved vaccine for 16- and 17-year olds is Pfizer, GDPH says.
As of 4:20 p.m. Monday, March 10, the Clayton County Health District said it does have vaccine on hand. Call (678) 479-2223 to schedule an appointment.
As of March 10, the Georgia Department of Public Health says these people are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine–again, when there is vaccine to be had:
- Healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, EMS personnel, environmental services, etc.)
- Residents and staff of long-term care facilities
- Adults aged 65+ and their caregivers
- Law enforcement, firefighters, first responders
- Educators and staff (Pre-K, K-12, DECAL licensed or exempt childcare programs)
- Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers
- Intellectual disability: a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills, starting before age 22.
- Developmental disability: a physical or mental impairment before age 22, expected to last a lifetime, that impacts at least three activities of daily living (self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, economic self-sufficiency).
- Parents of children with complex medical conditions who are at high risk for COVID complications
- Malignancies requiring active treatment
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system), including organ transplant (bone marrow or solid organ) within two years
- Critical congenital heart disease
- Asthma (moderate to severe)
- Sickle cell disease
- Diabetes
- Obesity (BMI >95%)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Significant neurologic injury or condition (e.g. hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, traumatic brain injury, congenital anomaly, acute flaccid myelitis) with functional/developmental impairment (e.g. cerebral palsy, developmental disability, prematurity, mitochondrial disease)
- Technology dependence (e.g. BiPAP, trach)
If you have concerns or questions about COVID-19 illness or the COVID-19 vaccine, you can call (888) 357-0169.
