Georgia, known as the “Peach State”, has a diverse and growing population, robust political landscape, and a slow growing health care environment. The distinct health care environments in rural Georgia and the urban metropolitan area are a unique challenge for the Title V MCH Program. The growing population amplifies challenges that arise from the political landscape, health care environment, economy, and the sociocultural context.

 

Geographic Description
Georgia is located on the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States whose terrain spans coastal beaches, farmland, and mountains. It is bordered on the south by Florida; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina; on the west by Alabama; and on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina. The highest point in Georgia is 4,784 feet; the lowest point is sea level. Georgia is ranked 21st in terms of land size and is the largest state geographically east of the Mississippi River.

 

Urban and Rural Counties
Of Georgia’s 159 counties, there are both urban and rural located throughout the state. The Census Bureau defines two types of urban areas: urbanized areas of 50,000 people or more, and urban clusters between 2,500 people and 50,000 people. All other counties are considered rural. Of the 159 counties in Georgia, 124 are designated as rural by the Georgia Rural Development Council. There are 20 smaller cities and urban areas with populations above 50,000. Most the state’s rural counties are in the southern half of the state. 

 

According to the 2020 census data, there are 14 Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Georgia: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Augusta (GA-SC), Savannah, Columbus (GA-AL), Macon, Athens, Gainesville, Warner Robins, Albany, Valdosta, Dalton, Brunswick, Rome, and Hinesville.1 The largely rural makeup of the state provides many challenges, and opportunities, to offering adequate health and social services to all Georgia residents. Due to the large number of counties being designated as rural, access to health care services is challenging, and as such it is essential for DPH to accommodate the needs of the rural population. DPH provides an alternative approach in meeting the needs of Georgia’s rural citizens through innovative strategies such as telehealth services in all 159 counties that increase access to health care providers and services.

 

The following map generated by the US Census Bureau based on population data for 2020 depicts the population density in Georgia.

 

Figure 1: Population Density by Census Tract in Georgia, 2018

 

 

Population
Georgia’s population has reached 10.7 million, gaining a million new residents from 2010 to 2020, up 10.6 percent, making Georgia the eighth most populous state in the nation. 7 Georgia is one of 12 states that saw more than a ten percent growth in the past decade.2 This growth has resulted in a fundamental shift in Georgia’s population- changing the state from a largely rural area with urban centers to an urban state with rural areas. Rural Georgians have health experiences that contrast their urban counterparts including, travelling longer distances to seek medical care and higher rates of chronic health conditions. It is estimated that Georgia’s population will increase to 14.7 million by 2030.10 As with any population growth, there are increasing demands on state and local governments to provide necessary services, including health and social services.

 

Georgia is growing ever more urban and ever more diverse with 2020 Census figures showing a continued shift in population toward metro Atlanta and away from the rural areas that were once the backbone of the state. The state’s fastest-growing areas remain in the suburbs of Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta. Bryan County, just south of Savannah, grew by 48 percent over the decade, making it the sixth-fastest-growing county in the nation. Forsyth County, located north of Atlanta is the 13th-fastest-growing county nationally due to its 43 percent growth.2 Sixty-seven of Georgia’s 159 counties, most of them smaller and rural, lost population, as part of a nationwide trend.3

 

Atlanta, the state capitol, is the economic, cultural, and demographic center of Georgia. Located in DeKalb and Fulton counties, Atlanta has a population 524,067. It is the largest city in Georgia and the 37th largest city in the U.S according to 2020 Census data. Atlanta is currently growing at a rate of 1.67 percent annually and its population has increased by 24.78 percent since the 2010 census, which recorded a population of 420,003. Atlanta reached its highest population of 524,067 in 2021. Spanning over 137 miles, Atlanta has a population density of 3,861 people per square mile.4 The Atlanta metropolitan area, which includes 29 counties, is home to 5.6 million, making it the ninth largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Metro-Atlanta contains about 57 percent of Georgia's entire population.5 In Georgia, approximately 6 percent of residents are under age five, 23.6 percent are under the age of 18 and 14.3 percent are over age 65. Females comprise 51.4 percent of Georgia’s population. Georgia has the second-highest LGBTQ percentage in the South with a population of roughly 4.5 percent and ranks 17th nationwide. An estimated 4.2 percent of Atlanta’s metropolitan population is gay, lesbian, or bisexual.6

 

Race/Ethnicity

Georgia grew substantially more diverse over the last ten years as its Black, Hispanic and Asian populations surged and as its number of white residents dropped slightly. Statewide, the number of Black Georgians increased by 13 percent, while the White population dropped by 1 percent. Meanwhile, the state’s Asian population jumped by 53 percent and its Hispanic population increased by 32 percent. Georgia’s residents who identify as White and non-Hispanic shrank to the lowest on record, signifying the state’s transition to majority-minority. The state's population is now 51.9 percent White, 31 percent Black, 4.5 percent Asian, and 6.9 percent who identify as more than one race. Approximately 10.5 percent of the population say they are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The raw number of people who identify as White alone fell by more than 50,000 to under 5.4 million. Some of that change is because more people are identifying as a combination of races or ethnicities, with changes in how the Census asks about those subjects.2 Such a growth in diversity and population necessitates the availability of culturally competent health care, education, and human services.

 

Age and Gender
According to the US Census Bureau estimates in 2019, Georgia’s population is younger compared to the nation, with the eighth largest percent of population under 18 years old (23.6 percent). The median age in Georgia is 36.2 years, with a gender difference of 51.3 percent females and 48.7 percent males across the state. There are approximately 2.1 million Georgian women of reproductive ages (15-44 years old). In 2019, there were 126,250 births in Georgia.4

 

Immigration
Georgia’s population is continually evolving with the immigration of foreign-born individuals that add to the racially and ethnically diverse population of Georgia. In 2018, approximately 1.1 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) comprised 10 percent of the population. Georgia was home to 502,347 women, 493,737 men, and 67,989 children who were immigrants. The top countries of origin for immigrants were Mexico (22 percent), India (nine percent), Jamaica (four percent), Korea (four percent), and Guatemala (four percent). Seven percent of Georgia residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.11 Over the years, there has been an increase in naturalized citizen from 33.8 percent in 2010 to 46.0 percent in 2019.

 

Immigrants in Georgia are concentrated at either end of the educational spectrum. More than a third (35 percent) of adult immigrants had a college degree or more education in 2018, while one-quarter (25 percent) had less than a high school diploma. In 2019, 24.7 percent of foreign-born residents, ages 25 and older, had less than a high school diploma, 20.5 percent had a high school diploma or GED, and 18.4 percent attained some college or their associate degree. In 2019, 33.6 percent of foreign-born residents fell below 200 percent of the poverty level and 28.8 percent had no health insurance coverage.11

 

Language Proficiency
According to the 2019 American Community Survey, over 14 percent of Georgia residents, ages five years and older, speak a language other than English. Of the other languages spoken, Spanish is the most spoken language at approximately 8.1 percent. Other Indo-European languages accounts for approximately 2.7 percent, Asian and Pacific Island languages accounts for approximately 2.5 percent, and the remaining one percent of residents speaks another language. Of those that speak a language other than English, 37.7 percent speak English less than very well.11 These factors can have implications on the services offered to residents and may necessitate investment in interpretation and culturally competent approaches to health care delivery.

 

Family Household Type

Children growing up in single-parent families typically do not have the same economic or human resources available as those growing up in two-parent families. Compared with children in married-couple families, children raised in single-parent households are more likely to drop out of school, to have or cause a teen pregnancy, and to experience a divorce in adulthood. In 2018, according to the 2020 Kids Count data, 39 percent of Georgia’s children lived in single-parent families. Children living in high-poverty areas decreased from 14 percent in 2012 to 12 percent in 2018.  In 2019, the average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2.13

 

Educational Attainment
Public schools are the primary source of education in Georgia. In 2019, an estimated 62.8 percent of children attended a public nursery school and/or preschool while 37.2 percent attended a private nursery school and/or preschool. In 2019, 90.3 percent of students in Kindergarten to 12th grade were in public school and 9.7 percent were in private school.11 According to the 2020 Kids Count Data, young children, ages three and four, not in a preschool program has remained at 50 percent over the past ten years. Fourth graders not proficient in reading improved from 71 percent in 2009 to 68 percent in 2019. Eighth graders not proficient in math improved from 73 percent in 2009 to 69 percent in 2019 and high school students not graduating on time reduced to 18 percent in 2019 from 33 percent in 2011.

 

Georgia's high school graduation rate continues to rise and increased by 14.1 percent since 2012. In 2020, Georgia's high school graduation rate rose to 83.8 percent, an all-time high since the state began using the adjusted cohort calculation now required by federal law. A portion of the increase in graduation rate can be attributed to a waiver the Georgia Department of Education received from the U.S. Department of Education in 2019 for students with significant cognitive disabilities. This waiver allows for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to be counted in the four-year graduation rate the year they graduate, even if they began high school more than four years ago.11

 

Large racial and ethnic differences exist in postsecondary educational attainment in Georgia. In 2019, about four in ten Georgians, ages 25 years and over, had an associate degree or higher. Approximately two in 10 Latino Georgians and one in four African Americans have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Almost six in 10 Asian Americans have a bachelor’s degree or above, the highest rate of attainment of any racial or ethnic group.15

 

Household Income

According to the American Community Survey (ACS) of the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income for Georgia was $58,700 in 2019, the latest figures available. Compared to the median U.S. household income, Georgia’s median household income is $4,143 lower.8

 

Table 2. Median Household Income in Georgia and the US, 2009-2019

Year	Georgia	United States
2019	$58,700	$62,843
2018	$55,679	$60,293
2017	$52,977	$57,652
2016	$51,037	$55,322
2015	$49,620	$53,889
2014	$49,342	$53,482
2013	$47,829	$52,250
2012	$47,895	$52,117
2011	$47,650	$52,306
2010	$49,605	$53,469
2009	$51,684	$54,541

 

Poverty
Poverty is more prevalent in Georgia than in many states across the nation. According to the latest available data, in 2019, 13.3 percent of Georgians were living below the federal poverty line, compared with 12.3 percent for the United States overall. Over eight percent were below 50 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) and 22.9 percent were living at less than 125 percent of the FPL. As of 2019, 18.7 percent of children in Georgia under the age of 18 live in poverty, which is an improvement from 25 percent in 2010. Poverty disproportionately affects race and ethnicity in Georgia. The poverty of Georgians living below the FPL based on race and ethnicity in 2019 was 10 percent White, 18.8 percent African American or Black, 24.5 percent American Indian and Alaska Native, 10 percent Asian and Pacific Islander, and 19.1 percent Hispanic or Latino.11

 

Health Equity and Social Determinates of Health (SDoH) Disparities

According to the 2020 Kids Count Data Book, Georgia ranked 38th in overall child well-being, 35th in economic well-being, 46th in health, 39th in family and community, and 37th in education. The annual Kids Count Data Book uses 16 indicators to rank each state across four domains– health, education, economic well-being, and family and community– that represent what children need the most to thrive. Though Georgia’s children and families still face many challenges, there are some promising trends for the state. When looking at outcomes such as maternal mortality, infant mortality, low birth weight, and preterm birth we see consistent trends based on race/ethnicity. Georgia’s maternal mortality rate illustrates that Black, non-Hispanic women are three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than White, non-Hispanic women. In 2019, racial disparities were also seen in infant mortality rates with a rate of 10.7 in Black, non-Hispanic or Latino infant deaths compared to a rate of 5.2 in White, non-Hispanic or Latino infant deaths under one year of age. The percent for Black, non-Hispanic or Latino low birth weight infants was 14.7 percent compared to 7.2 percent for low-birth-weight White, non-Hispanic or Latino infants. Premature births in 2019 occurred at 14.7 percent in Black, non-Hispanic women compared to 10.0 percent in White, non-Hispanic women.23

 

Economy

A vital component to Georgia’s economy is the transportation system, which includes a robust rail and highway infrastructure, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and the deep-water ports of Savannah and Brunswick. Eighty percent of the U.S. market is less than two days away by land or within a two-hour flight.

 

Georgia is served by two Class I railroads, CSX and Norfolk Southern, along with 24 short line companies. These rail providers offer 5,000 miles of track, making it the most extensive rail system and largest intermodal hub in the Southeast. The railroads work conjointly with the seaports to annually move nearly 200 million tons of cargo.22

 

Six U.S. interstates, with over 1,200 miles of highway, connects Georgia to neighboring states and the rest of the nation and help move workers from their homes to places of employment in the major cities. Three of the interstate highways converge in Atlanta, making it, along with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the transportation hub of the southeast. Atlanta is one of only five cities in the nation to be served by three separate interstate highways. The construction of these interstate highways was instrumental in the booming growth of Atlanta in the latter part of the 20th century. The highways helped attract business, industry, and more transportation facilities to the Atlanta area. These advantages have led more than 450 Fortune 500 companies to have a presence in the state. As of 2020, there are 18 Fortune 500 companies and 30 Fortune 1000 companies with global headquarters in Atlanta.22

 

Two of the interstate highways (I-85 and I-285) are near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Hartfield-Jackson is one of the busiest airports in the nation. Business travelers and those visiting Georgia add enormous impact to Georgia’s economy. There are approximately 2,700 daily flights arriving and departing from Hartsfield-Jackson, moving 100 million passengers annually. Hartfield-Jackson contains three cargo complexes, with more than 2 million square feet of warehousing, and hosts the only USDA-approved On-terminal Perishables Complex in the Southeast- allowing for rapid movement of agricultural products. In addition, Hartsfield-Jackson is home to the Georgia Foreign Trade Zone, where Georgia companies can produce products at reduced cost, facilitating trade and increasing the overall competitiveness of companies doing business in Georgia. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) 2020 Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International contributes $66.7 billion in annual economic benefits, which accounts for 90 percent of all economic activity among the state’s 103 public airports. Hartsfield-Jackson supports 383,242 jobs with a total annual payroll estimated at $16.7 billion.

 

The deep-water seaports of Savannah and Brunswick are integral to Georgia’s economy as they allow products to be sent via ship to all parts of the world, while allowing foreign products to come into Georgia. The port of Savannah, home to the largest single container terminal, is the fastest-growing and third-busiest container port in the U.S. The port of Brunswick is considered the number one terminal in the nation for new automobile imports.20

 

The film and television industry is another industry elevating Georgia’s economy. Georgia offers lucrative tax incentives for television and movies making the state a popular site for filming and production, stimulating further growth. The industry was boosted substantially by tax incentives introduced in 2002 and strengthened in 2008 when the state passed a tax credit that allowed productions to collect a credit of up to 30 percent of its budget, enabling studios to save money or increase their budgets. Producers also prefer the state’s generally lower prices compared with California or New York, as well as the geographic diversity with cities such as Atlanta and many rural locations which offer a variety of settings. In 2020, Georgia was ranked the number one Film Production Leader by Business Facilities Magazine. The 234 film and television productions that filmed in Georgia during fiscal year 2020 spent $2.2 billion in the state, putting it on pace for another record-setting year before the COVID-19 response paused productions.24

 

Georgia has a rich, varied, and ongoing tradition of producing quality sports teams that enhance the economy. Atlanta is home to several professional sports franchises, including the Braves (Major League Baseball), Hawks (National Basketball Association), Falcons (National Football League), Dream (Women’s National Basketball Association), and Atlanta United (Major League Soccer). In 2020, an additional professional sports league (Major League Rugby) was established in Georgia with the Rugby ATL. Atlanta was home to NFL Superbowl LIII with more than 500,000 attending and more than 150,000 out-of-state visitors. In addition to Atlanta’s major league sports teams, minor league franchises are hosted by several Georgia cities. Augusta, Georgia is home to the Masters, professional golf’s most famous and prestigious event. Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts one of NASCAR’s biggest races each Labor Day weekend. Sports provide an economic boost for the city and remain a key revenue-generator within the tourism industry.17

 

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted several industries in Georgia. Not including agriculture, over 531,000 jobs were initially lost, with 373,000 have returned since October 2020. The hospitality industry experienced the greatest impact, initially losing over 223,000 jobs. While 71 percent of those jobs have returned since October 2020, many of them cannot be done remotely. Hospitality workers are also disproportionately represented by people of color and typically perform “essential jobs” which include frontline, close-contact tasks. During the peak of Georgia’s job loss in April 2020, the unemployment rate was 12.6 percent. As of October 2020, it stood at 4.5 percent. As of August 2021, over 4.1 million Georgians filed for unemployment benefits. Most recently, the Georgia Department of Economic Development announced a new record for jobs and investments during fiscal year 2021. More than 34,000 jobs were created across all regions of the state by economic development projects between July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.18

 

Homelessness

According to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report that provides estimates of homelessness, the total homelessness number in Georgia for 2020 was 10,234. Of which approximately 59.4 percent (or 6,078 people) were sheltered in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs or safe havens. Almost 25 percent are people experiencing homelessness as a part of a household that has one adult and one child (people in family with children). Nearly five percent are unaccompanied homeless youths under the age of 18. Of the homeless population, approximately seven percent are veterans and 12 percent are considered chronically homeless individuals.16

 

Insurance Status
Georgia’s uninsured population rate rose slightly in 2019 to 13.7 percent giving Georgia the third-highest percent of uninsured in the U.S. In 2019, approximately 7.3 percent of Georgia’s children, ages 0-18, are uninsured, making it the state with the 9th highest rate of uninsured children. The most recent data available show that among Georgians between 19 to 64 years, 19 percent are uninsured, ranking it the fourth highest in the nation. Those that identify as White and Black have the highest percentage of being uninsured at 39 percent and 31 percent, respectively. Twenty-four percent of Hispanics are uninsured.20 This is yet another disparity that further contributes to the delay in seeking health care, increased visits to the emergency room and poor health outcomes.19

 

Medicaid and PeachCare provides vital health services to nearly two million Georgians, including children, pregnant women, low-income seniors, and those with physical and developmental disabilities. Medicaid and PeachCare covers 1.3 million Georgia children, which is nearly half of all children in Georgia.

 

Health Reform
The Affordable Care Act, signed in 2010, went into effect in 2014. Georgia does not participate in Medicaid expansion. More than 460,000 people enrolled in plans for 2020 during open enrollment, a drop of more than 20,000 from 2018. Four insurers offer coverage in 2020 through Healthcare.gov. Average rate increases for plans in Georgia’s individual market are less than four percent for 2020.19 DPH will continue to adapt to the changing health care landscape to promote the health of women and children.

 

Department of Public Health Priorities

DPH is the lead agency in preventing disease, injury and disability; promoting health and well-being; and preparing for and responding to disasters from a health perspective. In 2011, the General Assembly restored DPH to its own state agency after more than 30 years of consolidation with other departments. At the state level, DPH functions through numerous divisions, sections, programs and offices. Locally, DPH funds and collaborates with Georgia's 159 county health departments and 18 public health districts. Through the changes, the mission has remained constant- to protect the lives of all Georgians. Today, DPH’s main functions include Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Maternal and Child Health, Infectious Disease and Immunization, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Emergency Medical Services, Pharmacy, Nursing, Volunteer Health Care, the Office of Health Equity, Vital Records, and the State Public Health Laboratory.

 

In 2019, DPH achieved national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board. The national accreditation program works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and transforming the quality and performance of health departments. Under the leadership of DPH Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey, DPH continues its mission to prevent disease, injury and disability, promote health and well-being, and prepare for and respond to disasters.

 

DPH’s workforce is guided by the following core values in carrying out public health work:

 

People– We value our employees as professional colleagues. We treat our customers, clients, partners, and those we serve with respect by listening, understanding, and responding to needs.

 

Excellence– Commitment, accountability, and transparency for optimal efficient, effective, and responsive performance.

 

Partnership– Internal and external teamwork to solve problems, make decisions, and achieve common goals.

 

Innovation– New approaches and progressive solutions to problems. Embracing change and accepting reasonable risk.

 

Science – The application of the best available research, data, and analysis leading to improved outcomes.

 

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, DPH employees have remained committed to carrying out the public health work required to meet the mission of advancing Georgia’s people, excellence, partnerships, innovation, and science. Below are a few recent highlights of the outstanding work DPH teams across the state continue to do to prevent disease, injury and disability; promote health and well-being; and prepare for and respond to disasters.

 

DPH’s Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) provides CDC information and guidance about COVID-19 to all health care and hospital facilities throughout Georgia and holds weekly calls with the entire public health and hospital/health care community to update information and answer questions. DPH serves as the clearinghouse for coordination between state agencies, health care providers and medical facilities and has created communication strategies for presenting CDC messages such as billboards, Public Service Announcements (PSA), flyers and videos. DPH provides infrastructural and leadership support to improve the health of mothers, children, and families and continues to implement evidence-based approaches to address COVID-19. MCH programs share COVID-19 messaging with district staff, partners, and families and have adapted policies, procedures, and ensured continuity of care for home visiting programs, early intervention, child health services, and CYSHCN services. MCH programs have developed innovative strategies utilizing telehealth that have enabled continuity of care in providing home visiting and early intervention services. Expanding telehealth services to traditional in person service delivery programs have allowed for an opportunity to ensure that families receive vital support while following COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

 

DPH epidemiologists are on-call to help health care providers evaluate individuals presenting with symptoms of COVID-19 to ensure that possible cases are managed safely, support laboratory testing, and implement recommendations from the CDC. DPH epidemiologists monitor outbreaks and recommend control strategies, including guidance regarding testing and isolation. The Georgia COVID-19 Dashboard illustrates daily status of cases and hospitalizations with interactive charts and graphs, including the most current information around COVID-19 testing, vaccine distribution, vaccine locations, and procedures and protocols to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine is available to all Georgians 12 years of age or older and testing is available to all who request it, whether they have symptoms or not. Georgia continues to utilize the best scientific information and data from the CDC and work with state partners and health care communities to incorporate the most up to date guidance in planning and mitigation efforts.

 

DPH’s robust telehealth services continued to grow in response to COVID-19 and the need to ensure continuity of care. During the 2020 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 307 which changed provisions of the Georgia Telehealth Act, such as allowing health care providers and patients to participate in telehealth services from home. It also prevented insurers from placing additional requirements for telehealth, such as requiring in-person visits first.

 

Healthy Georgia Collaborative

DPH’s Healthy Georgia Collaborative is an extensive effort to build and develop the state’s COVID-19 response team and contact tracing. Contact tracing is the process of quickly identifying, assessing, and managing people who have been exposed to a disease to prevent additional transmission. When used with other public health measures like widespread testing and social distancing, contact tracing is a key strategy for preventing further spread of COVID-19. DPH has trained a large contact tracing workforce to stop the transmission of COVID-19. DPH maintains long-standing relationships with many of Georgia’s colleges and universities, and these relationships are more important than ever in the fight against COVID-19.  

 

DPH is currently hiring COVID-19 Heath Equity Navigators to assist in community outreach and engagement, training, and support in connecting community members with resources and services. This group will work with populations at higher risk, underserved, racial and ethnic minority populations, and rural communities.

 

In an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and its Delta variant, DPH is hosting a series of pop-up events to get more Georgians vaccinated. DPH’s Say “YES” Summer vaccine events partner with the CDC, Communication Organization Relief Effort (CORE), National Endowment for the Arts, and local art organizations and artists for conversation, education, and vaccination across the state. At the Say “YES” Summer events, CORE and health district vaccination teams will offer free walk-up vaccinations that do not require appointments, insurance, or identification. Each experience will feature live, interactive installations using varying mediums, ranging from performance to visual arts. DPH will also unveil a participatory art installation, the “I Said ‘YES’ Because…” community mural, for residents to write their own reasons for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and inspire others to do the same.

 

DPH recently released an “Ask an Expert” video in Spanish that features the DeKalb County Board of Health District Health Director discussing basic facts about COVID-19 vaccines, such as side effects and cost.

 

As of August 5, 2021, Georgia providers have administered over 8.9 million COVID-19 vaccines across the state. Forty seven percent of Georgians have received at least one dose and 41 percent are fully vaccinated.