032321 Atlanta: Some of the 222 U.S. Army troops gear up at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as operations get under way for the facility to become the largest Community Vaccination Center in the southeast serving an average of 42,000 citizens a week on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Atlanta. There are 202 soldiers from Fort Stewart and twenty U.S. Army medical specialists that will operate some of the vaccination areas located inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “Curtis Compton / [email protected]”
By Eric Stirgus and Asia Simone Burns
Update: In a major step, the federally supported mass vaccination site at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will start working Wednesday to administer 42,000 shots a week, and it is offering evening hours and weekend to reach more people.
About 220 active-duty military members were at the stadium Tuesday, preparing to join state and Fulton County health officials in the expanded vaccination effort.
Officials hope to vaccinate 210,000 people during the expanded operation period, which is scheduled to conclude on May 19. Officials said the site will be open most days and as late as 10 p.m. two nights a week, likely Mondays and Wednesdays. The later hours are primarily to help people with trouble getting child care to set up appointments during the day. Read more
Some of the 222 U.S. Army troops gear up at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as operations get underway for the facility to become the largest Community Vaccination Center in the southeast serving an average of 42,000 citizens a week on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Atlanta. There are 202 soldiers from Fort Stewart and twenty U.S. Army medical specialists that will operate some of the vaccination areas located inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Getting to the Mercedes-Benz vaccine center
You must have an appointment. No walk-up vaccines are available. Appointments are available at gta-vras.powerappsportals.us or 888-457-0186. The community vaccination center with expanded vaccine availability is scheduled through May 19.
By car: Free parking is available at the Silver, Orange and Red decks, adjacent to Mercedes Benz Stadium. Use the address 1414 Andrew Young International Blvd. Atlanta, Ga. 30313 for GPS directions to the parking decks.
On MARTA: The closest rail station is the GWCC/CNN Center station on the west line.
Original story:
Thousands of appointment slots are available at the recently opened COVID-19 mass vaccination site at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, according to the Fulton County Department of Health.
The mass vaccination site at Mercedes-Benz and is the largest site in the state. Health officials have said they plan to administer 42,000 vaccines a week at the site.
“But wait, there’s more! Free parking, tons of staff with smiling faces, a totally dope facility, and the largest vaccination location in Georgia,” Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management said Saturday in a Facebook post.
Vaccines are free and available to anyone in Georgia. No insurance or identification is required.
In Georgia, vaccines are currently open to those older than 55 years of age; people over 16 with certain medical conditions; teachers and daycare workers; disabled adults; and adults with sick children. Anyone who wishes to schedule an appointment can register at gta-vras.powerappsportals.us or call 888-457-0186.
Read the original story on AJC.com.
