Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, received the highly anticipated first doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine yesterday evening. Wellstar will begin voluntary team member vaccinations at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital today, followed by vaccine administration for frontline staff across its network of 11 hospitals starting this week.
What: The first shipment of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine arrived at the Wellstar delivery point the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 16, with a second shipment anticipated to arrive next week. The Georgia Department of Public Health determines the number of vaccine doses, shipping and arrival date, and recipient hospitals. According to Georgia DPH, more than 84,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to be shipped to Georgia for Phase 1. Wellstar received 3,900 doses as part of the first shipment.
Who: Healthcare workers working tirelessly on the front lines of the pandemic who have requested vaccination will be the first to get the vaccine at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital beginning the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 17. The first group of team members to be vaccinated represents a diverse cross-section of Wellstar employees on the frontlines of the pandemic from several departments, starting with our Emergency Departments, ICUs, Urgent Cares, Skilled Nursing Facilities, paramedics (1st responders), and adult & pediatric primary care offices.
Note: Additional photos and video of the first shipment of the vaccine are available for media to use upon request. Wellstar will capture photos and video of the first doses administered at hospitals across Wellstar System, which will be shared with media along with information about the recipients. For more information, contact PR@wellstar.org.
