By Amanda Cooper
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp discussed plans for a vaccine distribution during a Roundtable on Monday with nursing home administrators.
Health officials are reporting an increase in COVID-19 data across all the key metrics and Kemp shared that cases have been steadily increasing since October, along with hospitalizations, and unfortunately deaths. He also expressed his gratitude and sincere appreciation for the fight staff in nursing homes are battling every day. The Governor also extended the COVID-19 order, allowing nurses and pharmacists to administer the pending COVID-19 vaccine, including in a drive-thru setting.
Earlier this fall, Kemp announced that the state would be allocating more than $78 million in CARES Act funds to support regular staff testing in nursing homes.
On Monday, he also announced that Georgia had committed more than $46 million in funds throughout the pandemic to support augmented staffing in over 160 skilled nursing facilities through the end of the year.
COVID-19 has struck the long-term care industry harder than any other sector. During the meeting, the Governor also provided a timeline for vaccine distribution in Georgia. Pending the federal government’s review of the data at the FDA and the CDC establishing priority populations for initial distribution – including long-term care facility staff and other frontline healthcare workers – the state expects is looking to begin vaccinating individuals the second or third week of December.
This week, public health officials reported over fifteen hundred new cases in Monday’s afternoon report; currently, there have been nearly 8,778 hundred COVID-19 related deaths in Georgia.