Georgia permanently closes state mass vaccination sites

Last day of GEMAHS mass vaccination sites

GEMAHS workers felt a sense of accomplishment as the sites closed. Workers at those locations have administered a combined total of more than 350,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

ATLANTA - After 13 weeks in operation, the state has now shut down its mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMAHS) opened four sites on February 22 in Hapeville, Clarkesville, Albany, and Macon. Officials later added sites in Emerson, Sandersville, Columbus, Savannah, and Waycross for a total of eight throughout the state.

In the time since, workers at those locations have administered a combined total of more than 350,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Georgia controlled mass vaccination sites close

State officials say workers at the sites administered over 350, 000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"In the beginning, these sites were developed to get mass vaccinations. We wanted to get a lot of population through really, really quickly to try to stem this pandemic and I think we've accomplished that," said GEMA Field Coordinator Sheri Russo, who managed the Delta Flight Museum site.

Russo said at their peak, the Hapeville site was administering as many as 3,500 shots per day.

"Slowly, as more vaccine became available and people started getting vaccinated, our numbers took a dip, which is a good thing, and now on the final day, we've actually been able to close some lanes," said Russo.

Their assignment may have ended, but Russo said the memories she and her colleagues made will last.

"The people that have worked here have really given everything that they have for this one common goal. [We feel] accomplishment--we're definitely tired. It's been a long 13 weeks, but we get to go home knowing that we've been a part of history and we're changing the tide of this pandemic by what we're doing here," Russo said.

For information on how to make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.