Pickens Seniors in mind for Covid-19 vaccine

According to the Centers for Disease Control as of November 30, 2020, there are reported 1,143 COVID-19 cases confirmed in Pickens County. There are 2,047 new cases in Georgia reported with a falling trend in the area surrounding Pickens.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s newest COVID-19 executive order was signed on Monday, November 30, 2020 to extend Georgia’s Public Health State of Emergency until January 8, 2021.

The order includes changes to allow nurses and pharmacists to administer the pending COVID-19 vaccine, including a drive-thru setting. It also allows any nurse or pharmacist to observe patients for the required 15-minute window after administering the vaccine.

Governor Kemp suspects the vaccine will be available the second or third week in December. The availability will be dependent upon federal approval. The vaccination will be offered first to front-line healthcare workers, long term care facilities staff, and priority populations.

Pickens County boasts a total of nine health care centers that cater to seniors. These facilities include but are not limited to assisted living, senior housing, and nursing homes. This information is provided according to senior guidance information Pickens County, Georgia.

Hear what the Ask the Docs say about COVID-19. 

According to Governor Kemp, more than 95 percent of Georgia assisted and long-term care facilities have enrolled in the vaccination program. Residents of these facilities will be considered as a priority population. Many of the Pickens County senior facilities are among those enrolled.

Moderna and Pfizer announced that the COVID-19 vaccine is coming in at 90 percent effective in the late stages of clinical trials. Moderna plans to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization for its vaccine in the coming weeks. The drug company stated that it is working with the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prepare for the distribution of said vaccine should approval be granted. It anticipated to have approximately 20 million doses ready to ship in the U.S by the end of 2020. It is estimated that 500 million to 1 billion will be produced globally for 2021.