Cobb COVID vaccine town hall Archives

We continue to get many questions from readers about their frustrations booking appointments for the COVID vaccines being offered by Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, when next week’s appointments were released, they were already filled.

On Saturday morning Cobb County government sent a message saying that it’s holding a virtual town hall meeting on Tuesday with health department leaders to answer the public’s questions about the vaccinations and appointments.

That town hall starts at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 19, and you can watch live at at facebook.com/cobbcountygovernment or youtube.com/cobbcountygovt.

You’re also invited to send questions in advance to comments@cobbcounty.org.

The current phase of testing is for health care workers, first responders and people 65 and older, and it’s the latter group we’re hearing from most of all.

People are frustrated that the server for the appointment page is down—it’s been crashing all week—or when they’re able to get through, there are no more bookings available.

As we posted earlier this week, Cobb and Douglas Public Health is taking appointments a week at a time, based on vaccine ability.

A few comments we got Friday night:

Please take care of these older people! The website is the only way and it is constantly jammed.

I have tried all day every day for last 2 weeks when vaccine became available and have not been able to get through. I am 82 and been praying every day as I am doing what I should ie wearing Masks, staying mostly home and am scared due to very high people in hospital with COVID.

On Tuesday, Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, admitted that “there are just not enough vaccines” to meet the heavy demand.

Late Friday afternoon, she said there only 80,000 vaccinations available a week to providers throughout Georgia.

“Our bi-weekly talks with the Georgia Department of Health reveal that they are actively working on plans to further increase the number of providers able to offer vaccinations including large retailers like Wal-Mart and Kroger,” she said. “Although it is difficult to hear as this pandemic wears on, we urge patience to allow more providers to come online to offer the vaccination.”

She said growing COVID case numbers “is an additional concern to an already dire situation.” In the last two weeks, there have been more than 10,000 PCR and antigen cases in Cobb and Douglas counties, with the highest levels of hospitalization yet during the pandemic, which is in its 11th month.

Nearly 500 cases also were reported this week in the Cobb County School District, which is going fully remote next week.

Memark said that while “we are all fatigued and stressed by the effects of this year-long pandemic . . . the vaccine is here and will be distributed faster and faster. We must all do what we can to give this plan time to work. The cases are exceptionally high right now. We will be feeling the effects of holiday gatherings. We urge all citizens to do what needs to be done to control the pandemic. Try your best to not leave your homes unless you absolutely have to leave. Try to telework when you can. Try not to gather with those outside of our households. Wear your masks in public. Wash your hands frequently. Do not leave your homes if you have COVID-19 or are in close contact with someone who had it.

“Working together as a community is the only way we will beat this pandemic.”