Half of all Georgians now fully vaccinated against COVID, state health officials say

State health officials said Monday that 50% of all Georgians, or 5,154,793, are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers individuals have been fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of a two-dose series (Moderna or Pfizer) and two weeks after a single-dose vaccine ( Johnson & Johnson).

More than 56% of Georgians have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, according to the state Department of Public Health. “Having 50% of Georgians fully vaccinated is a positive step toward ending the COVID-19 pandemic in the state,” Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Kathleen Toomey said.

“However, COVID-19 continues to spread in Georgia, particularly in areas of low vaccination rates, causing severe illness and death – deaths that are preventable.”

As of last week, all three COVID vaccines – Pfizer, J& J and Moderna – have been given Emergency Use Authorization for booster doses for some individuals. Third doses and booster doses of COVID- 19 vaccine have been administered to nearly 120-thousand Georgians.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.