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Monroe County Health Department Administers Covid-19 Vaccine to 120 Georgia Public Safety Training Center Personnel

This article is a direct street report from our correspondent and has not been edited by the 1st Responder newsroom.

Monroe County, GA - The Monroe County Health Department, in partnership with Region 5 Office of EMS and Trauma and Georgia Department of Public Health-Emergency Preparedness, administered the first of a two-shot series, to 120 public safety personnel from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) on Friday, January 15, 2021.

The health department allocated two days, of Georgia’s Vaccine Administration Phase 1A+, specifically for the men and women who are serving to provide essential training for Georgia’s Public Safety Community. Personnel from all divisions of GPSTC, Georgia State Patrol (GSP) and current GSP cadets, Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) were among those who were vaccinated.

“The Georgia Public Safety Training Center sincerely appreciates DPH, Emergency Preparedness, Office of EMS and Trauma and Monroe County Health Department for their role in coordinating efforts with GPSTC to provide personnel the opportunity to be vaccinated in just one day,” stated Chris Wigginton, Executive Director of GPSTC.

The Department of Public Health (DPH) continues to focus their efforts towards the completion of Phase 1A+ of the Georgia Vaccine Administration Matrix and move into Phase 1B. At the close of business on January 14, 2021, 329,506 vaccines had been administered to Georgia residents. Phase 1B of the vaccination matrix will include: essential workers (non-healthcare) who perform job tasks across critical infrastructure sectors, ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health, safety, economic and national security.

According to DPH, the vaccine supply is still very limited and public health departments are scheduling vaccines by appointment only, as are most other providers. Depending on vaccine supply allocations from the federal government, it may be weeks before additional providers will have vaccines available for quicker and more widespread distribution. The personnel from GPSTC receiving the vaccinations are the public safety instructors that are continuing to provide essential public safety training through the pandemic.

Executive Director Wigginton added, “We continue to monitor our operational procedures to ensure we are complying with all recommendations of the CDC, Georgia Department of Public Health, and the guidance of both the Governor’s Office and Georgia POST Council. Many of our non-essential personnel are still teleworking at this time.”

GPSTC remains concerned about the health and safety of staff, customers, and students and continue to take all appropriate precautions to safely provide critical, essential training to Georgia’s public safety personnel.

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GPSTCCorrespondent

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