Georgia Coastal Health District

ATLANTA – The federal government has changed the way COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments will be distributed in the United States, including Georgia. The decision announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the result of supply shortages and extraordinary demand for the treatments across the country, particularly due to the rapid spread of the delta variant. Health care providers will no longer be able to order the treatments directly.

HHS will determine each state’s weekly allocation of monoclonal antibody products based on use and the number of new COVID cases. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) will identify which sites in the state will receive the product and the amount each site receives. Healthcare providers must record their administration of the products in order to be eligible to receive additional shipments.

DPH will work to provide monoclonal antibody treatments quickly and equitably to as many Georgia providers as possible. The Department will also address the backlog of requests previously made to HHS, which DPH was not made aware of until yesterday.

Monoclonal antibodies are synthetic, laboratory-created antibodies. They help people at high risk for severe COVID illness, individuals who have recently tested positive (within 10 days) for the virus, or people who are close contacts of persons who have tested positive for COVID.  They do not teach a patient’s body how to create its own antibodies.

Monoclonal antibody treatments are not a replacement for COVID-19 vaccination.

“We have safe and highly effective vaccines to protect against COVID-19. It is much easier to get a vaccine than risk becoming seriously ill with life threatening complications,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Monoclonal antibodies are in short supply and high demand and hospital beds are full. What Georgia does have is enough vaccine for all Georgians aged 12 and over to be vaccinated.”

As of today, 53% of Georgians have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine and 46% of Georgians are fully vaccinated. COVID vaccine is available statewide and is our best tool for ending this pandemic and reducing the overwhelming strain on EMS, the healthcare system and healthcare providers. To find a COVID vaccination location, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.

There are currently 136 locations in Georgia where monoclonal antibody treatments are being administered. https://protect-public.hhs.gov/pages/therapeutics-distribution. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider about monoclonal antibody treatments and must have a prescription or physician’s referral to receive the treatments.

ATLANTA – The number of Georgians who have died from COVID-19 now surpasses 20,000. As of 3 p.m. today, there have been 20,041 confirmed COVID deaths in Georgia since the pandemic began.

“It is tragic but not surprising that we have surpassed this grim milestone of 20,000 COVID deaths in our state,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., Georgia Department of Public Health commissioner. “Ninety seven percent of COVID deaths since we’ve had vaccine are in unvaccinated individuals. These deaths are preventable.”

COVID vaccines are safe and effective at protecting against COVID-19 infections. COVID vaccines also help prevent severe illness and death if an individual does get sick. The vaccines also reduce the risk of people spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

COVID cases are surging in Georgia, driven by the delta variant. The delta variant is more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 and research shows that it results in a higher rate of severe illness and hospitalization than other variants. COVID-19 is spreading fastest in areas with low vaccination rates. Currently, only 44% of Georgians are fully vaccinated.

All Georgians aged 12 and older are urged to get vaccinated, wear a mask in public settings and wash their hands frequently.

COVID vaccine is available statewide and is our best tool for ending this pandemic and reducing the overwhelming strain on EMS, the healthcare system and healthcare providers. To find a COVID vaccination location, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.

COVID testing is recommended immediately for anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Additionally, individuals who have had a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be tested, even if they are fully vaccinated. People who are fully vaccinated should get tested 3-5 days after exposure. Unvaccinated individuals should quarantine and be tested immediately after being identified, and, if negative, tested again in 5–7 days after last exposure. To find testing locations, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting. Please do not go to hospital emergency rooms for COVID testing.

ATLANTA – The current surge of COVID cases throughout Georgia is stretching hospital and EMS personnel and resources to unprecedented levels. As a result, many hospitals are having to declare themselves on diversion meaning they are temporarily unable to provide normal emergency care to patients arriving by ambulance. Diversion is a term specific to ambulance transports and is a request to ambulances to transport patients to other local facilitiesif possible.

Diversion does not apply to individuals seeking emergency medical care. Individuals experiencing a medical emergency should call 9-1-1 and ask for assistance.

The statewide hospital diversion website https://georgiarcc.org is a tool intended to be used by EMS agencies across Georgia so that they may take into consideration the diversion status(es) of hospitals they may be transporting patients to.

The Georgia Coordinating Center (GCC) is a communications center for use ONLY by ambulance crews who are transporting patients to emergency departments that are located in the 13-county metro Atlanta area. The public should NOT call the GCC with questions or concerns.

To help keep hospital emergency departments open and able to treat medical emergencies, individuals seeking COVID testing should not go to hospital emergency departments. COVID-19 testing locations are available throughout Georgia and can be found on the DPH website at https://dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting. COVID vaccination is available statewide and is our best tool for ending this pandemic and reducing the overwhelming strain on EMS, the healthcare system and healthcare providers. To find a COVID vaccination location, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine. Georgians aged 12 and older are urged to get vaccinated and wear a mask in public settings where social distancing is not possible

On Thursday, August 19^th, Health Departments in the Coastal Health District will begin offering a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to individuals with certain immune conditions. Third doses are only recommended for immunocompromised individuals who previously received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

“Studies have shown that people with compromised immune systems may not develop a strong enough immune response with just two doses, so getting a third dose will enhance that response,” said Dr. Lawton Davis, health director for the Coastal Health District. “If your immune system is compromised because of a medical condition or a medication you’re taking, this additional dose can help strengthen your body’s defense against this dangerous virus.”

Those seeking a third dose can provide documentation of their medical condition from their physician or sign a consent form attesting they have a qualifying condition. Examples of qualifying conditions include receiving an organ or stem cell transplant, undergoing treatment for cancer, having advanced HIV infection, or taking certain immune-suppressing medications.  A list of qualifying conditions can be found at coastalhealthdistrict.org/covidvaccine/.

To make an appointment for vaccination at your local county health department in the Coastal Health District, visit chdcovidvax.org or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Phone Line at 912-230-5506. Some vaccination sites allow walk-ins, but appointments are preferred at all sites and are required at the Long and McIntosh County Health Departments.

Later this fall, the Centers for Disease Control expects “booster” doses of Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines to be available for residents without immune system concerns. A booster dose can create longer-lasting protection. More information on the timing and availability of booster doses will be released soon.

All counties in the eight-county Coastal Health District have vaccination rates below 50 percent. As cases continue to surge and hospitals reach and exceed their patient capacity, Davis issued an urgent plea for residents to get vaccinated.

“I know some people are still hesitant about the vaccine, but billions of doses of COVID vaccine have been given and it is saving lives. I have no agenda and no reason to be anything other than completely honest. I believe in the vaccines and the science used to create them. I was one of the first in line to get vaccinated and I will be one of first to get a third dose,” he said. “We – all of us – have the power to stop this virus, but we can’t wait any longer.”

For more information on additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine, please visit cdc.gov.

From the Georgia Department of Public Health:

Following the FDA’s authorization of an additional COVID vaccine dose for immunocompromised individuals, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is now recommending that certain patients with weakened immune systems receive an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. The recommendation does not include J&J vaccine recipients at this time.

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is awaiting guidance from the CDC that clearly defines what conditions make an individual eligible for an additional dose of vaccine. Once those conditions are known, DPH will establish statewide protocols for health departments administering additional doses of COVID vaccine. Until then, DPH will hold off on administering third doses.

Patients seeking additional doses of vaccine should contact their healthcare provider for guidance and recommendations.