Nearly 1 Million Georgians Over 65 Vaccinated Against Coronavirus

GEORGIA — Gov. Brian Kemp said on Sunday that nearly one million Georgians over the age of 65 have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose.

The Georgia Department of Public Health's COVID-19 vaccine dashboard reported Sunday afternoon that more than 900,000 Georgia seniors had received at least one vaccine dose, and 81 percent of all state-controlled doses had been administered.

As of Sunday, more than 2.3 million Georgians have been vaccinated, according to the dashboard. Statewide, 2.9 million vaccines have been shipped. Those aged 65-74 have received 500,000 vaccines in the state.

According to American Community Survey population estimates, with a total of 1.4 million people over the age of 65, Georgia has vaccinated 64 percent of its senior population. The national average of seniors receiving at least one dose, according to CDC and American Community Survey data, is 58 percent.

As of Sunday afternoon, Georgia has seen more than 828,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and 15,000 deaths.

Read more: GA Coronavirus Vaccine: Where To Get It, How To Schedule It

"Georgia continues to beat the national average when it comes to vaccinating our most vulnerable citizens," Kemp said. "Due to those over the age of 65 accounting for 77 percent of Georgia deaths due to COVID-19, our vaccination distribution plan prioritized them early - before the CDC recommended doing so - in order to save more lives with the limited doses the state received from the federal government."

Kemp opened up vaccinations to more groups on Monday, including public- and private-school teachers and faculty from kindergarten through 12th grade. Vaccinations also will be opened to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their caregivers, as well as the parents of children with complex medical conditions.

Read more: Coronavirus Vaccinations For GA Teachers Begin March 8

"Given the expanded supply of vaccines and the significant progress we have made in protecting our most vulnerable, more high-risk Georgians will be eligible to receive the vaccines," Kemp said.

Go online to register for an appointment with one of four state-operated mass vaccination sites, connect with a local public health department, or view appointments offered by more than 2,000 private healthcare providers at online.