Georgia In Phase 1A, Vaccines Are Available

By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor

Dade County Public Information Officer Carey Anderson noted that Georgia is still in phase 1A during the weekly county update on Thursday, Feb. 11.

Phase 1A means that the vaccine is currently available to people ages 65 and older and first responders. It is not known when Phase 1B will start.

The vaccine available in Dade County is the Moderna vaccine. If you got the first dose of the vaccine elsewhere, you can still get the second dose here. However, both doses need to be Moderna, and the same with Pfizer. The different vaccines cannot be mixed.

Call the Health Department at (706) 657–4213 to make an appointment for the first dose of the vaccine. The Health Department will call you to make an appointment for the second dose.

COVID-19 drive-thru testing is still available in Dade County on Wednesdays from 9 to noon and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

“This is not rapid-testing. There is no rapid testing happening right now in Dade County that we know of. But standard testing is happening and we are encouraging people to get that because the results are more accurate,” Anderson said. “Typically you will get the results within 24 hours so it is not terribly long.”

Dade County has seen 72 cases in the past two weeks, for a total of 1,038 COVID-19 cases. The number of cases can be found at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report.

“We had started to see a downward trend, but now it looks like we are going back up again” Anderson said.
Anderson noted that a lot of people have asked about the South African variant of COVID that has been identified now in the United States, as well as the B.1.1.7 variant, also known as the European variant.

“The South African variant has not been found in the state of Georgia … As of last week the Georgia Department of Public Health did confirm that there were 19 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in Atlanta area counties,” Anderson said.

Anderson continued, “Wash your hands, wear a mask and stay six feet away from people.”

Anderson noted that County Executive Ted Rumley and Vice Chair Robert Goff were in Atlanta for the legislative meeting.

The Dade County Sheriff’s Office lobby is still closed, but fingerprinting is available every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. For more questions, call (706) 657-3233.

Anderson also wanted to remind citizens that the County offices close on Fridays at 2 p.m.

Shotgun sign-ups for Dade County 4-H will be held at the Dade County UGA Extension and 4-H Ag Center on both Feb. 16 and Feb. 25 from 6–7:30 p.m. This is for grades 7-12. Estimated season cost due at registration is $65. Practices will begin March 2. Regular practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 until dark.

County Road 6 is coming along nicely, Anderson said.

“I just spoke with Billy Massengale, who is the project manager. He says they are on pace and figure to be completed around mid-March. They have finished phase 1 and are moving into phase 2. Of course with rain there could always be a setback so please keep that in mind,” Anderson said.

Anderson said that photos of the road work can be found online at Dadecounty-ga.gov.

The special election date for E-SPLOST, the education tax, will be Tuesday, March 16. Advanced voting hours will begin Feb. 22. Advanced voting hours will be in the Administration building Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All precincts will be open on March 16.

Tire Amnesty Day is tentatively in May. The original date in February was denied by the state. More information will become available when the date is approved.

The County’s weekly update is held on Thursdays at 3 p.m. and is broadcast live on Facebook.