02/10/2021 —Atlanta, Georgia — DeKalb County Board of Health medical worker Lisa Bridges administers a COVID-19 vaccination shot during a DeKalb County Board of Health and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. COVID-19 vaccination event at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Stonecrest, Wednesday, February 10, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / [email protected])
By Tyler Estep
The DeKalb County Board of Health is moving one of its COVID-19 vaccination sites to a MARTA station.
The vaccination site initially operated at the BrandsMart store in Doraville will move to the Doraville MARTA station (6000 New Peachtree Road) starting Friday morning. Those with appointments for the BrandsMart location on Friday or future dates should now go to the MARTA station’s parking deck to receive their shot.
Short-term parking is free.
Officials said having the site directly on the transit agency’s Gold Line will make it more easily accessible to a wider range of residents.
The county also plans to open a vaccination site at the Indian Creek MARTA station in eastern DeKalb in the future, “as the vaccine becomes more widely available,” a press release said.
“DeKalb County has enjoyed a long partnership with MARTA and [the Doraville] vaccination site is conveniently located so our residents may take MARTA or drive to receive their shots,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. said. “This set up at Doraville rail station is not only easily accessible by transit, it’s more secure for our county medical professionals who are working virtually ‘round the clock to protect the health of DeKalb County residents.”
Georgia remains in Phase 1A of vaccine distribution, meaning only residents 65 and older and their caregivers; first responders; health care workers; and residents and staff at long-term care facilities are currently eligible.
Like communities across Georgia and the country, DeKalb has received a limited and inconsistent supply of the vaccine. Things have been further complicated this week by weather-related shipping delays and, in DeKalb, some residents expecting their second dose of the Moderna vaccine have had to reschedule.
A health board spokesman said Thursday that residents with such appointments for Friday and Saturday were also being contacted via email and phone to reschedule.
Appointments for first doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Friday and Saturday are still being honored.
New vaccine appointments can be scheduled at dekalbhealth.net/covid-19-vaccine/, but availability is sporadic. Vaccines are also available through retailers like Publix, Kroger and CVS.
Read the original story on AJC.com.
