Kemp Announces New Vaccine Sites, Defends Georgia’s Effort

People line up last month for COVID-19 shots at a mass-vaccination site at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta. Gov. Brian Kemp said Wednesday that Georgia’s government will open five more mass-vaccination sites beginning March 17.

John Bazemore / Associated Press

Gov. Brian Kemp said Georgia’s government will open five more mass-vaccination sites later this month as he defended the state’s performance in delivering COVID-19 vaccines.

The state will open sites beginning March 17 in Columbus, Emerson, Sandersville, Savannah and Valdosta, joining sites the state is already running in Albany, Clarkesville, Hapeville and Macon. The Republican governor said Wednesday that the sites are being set up in advance of a further expansion of vaccine eligibility in the state to be announced later this month.

Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Georgia has administered only 68% of the vaccines it has received and has 1 million unadministered doses. The data show only the District of Columbia and Kansas lag further behind.