GA DPH: COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility Will Expand March 8

Georgia Department of Public Health: Governor Brian Kemp announced February 25 that COVID-19 vaccination eligibility will expand March 8 to include educators and staff (Pre-K, K-12, DECAL licensed or exempt childcare programs), adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers, and parents of children with complex medical conditions. More information will be shared soon to provide clear definitions of these categories.

The Southeast Health District will begin scheduling appointments for those within the expansion on Friday, March 5. If you are part of this newly expanded phase, you may ONLY schedule an appointment that occurs on or after March 8 as we will not be able to vaccinate you before that date.

Prior to scheduling for the expansion, we encourage anyone in Phase 1A+ who has not yet scheduled their vaccination to do so as soon as possible. This includes those 65 and older (and their caregivers), all law enforcement personnel, all fire personnel, staff and residents of long-term care facilities and healthcare workers in clinical settings.

To schedule an appointment, please call 1-855-473-4374, and one of our agents will assist you.

Below are the extended definitions of the groups that will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 8, 2021. These can also be viewed at dph.georgia.gov.

• Educators and staff (Pre-K, K-12, DECAL licensed or exempt childcare programs)
• Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers
  – Intellectual Disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 22.
  – A developmental disability is a physical or mental impairment that happens before the age of 22, is expected to last a lifetime, and impacts at least three activities of daily living. Activities of daily living include self-care; receptive and expressive language; learning; mobility; self-direction; capacity for independent living; and economic self-sufficiency.
• Parents of children with complex medical conditions who are at high risk for COVID-19 complications*
  – Malignancies requiring active treatment
  – Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including organ transplant (bone marrow or solid organ) within 2 years
  – Critical congenital heart disease
  – Asthma (moderate to severe)
  – Sickle cell disease
  – Diabetes
  – Obesity (BMI >95%)
  – Cystic fibrosis
  – Significant neurologic injury or condition (e.g. hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, traumatic brain injury,       congenital anomaly, acute flaccid myelitis) with functional/developmental impairment (e.g. cerebral palsy,   developmental disability, prematurity, mitochondrial disease)
  – Technology dependence (e.g. BiPAP, trach)

*Children are defined as ages 0-21.