District 2 Public Health halts appointments for COVID vaccine due to vaccine shortage

District 2 Public Health has stopped making appointments for the time being for people to receive the COVID vaccine due to a shortage.

Spokesman Dave Palmer says those who already have appointments will still be able to keep them.

That’s because the DPH budgeted enough vaccines so they could make appointments and have enough to cover the second doses. 

Palmer noted that pharmacies across the state that received COVID vaccines gave out all of their vaccines quickly without holding any back for patients to get the second dose. 

So now health departments and pharmacies must wait until Georgia gets the next allocation. 

Health departments are using the Moderna vaccine which requires a booster shot four weeks later. 

However, pharmacies are using the Pfizer vaccine which requires a booster two weeks after the first dose.

In a press conference last week, Governor Brian Kemp said 120,000 additional doses are expected to be delivered to Georgia this week but it’s not nearly enough to meet the demand. 

Kemp said for now, only those who fall into the Phase 1a category will be eligible to receive the COVID vaccine until more vaccines are available.