COVID-19 Vaccines Arrive In Atlanta Monday Morning

ATLANTA, GA — The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Atlanta Monday morning, according to a FedEx spokesperson that spoke to 11Alive. It is not clear where the vaccines that arrived in Atlanta will be going, or if Atlanta is being used as a vaccine distribution center.

The Pfizer vaccine — the first vaccine to be authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — first rolled out at its Michigan facility on Sunday, according to the Associated Press. Federal officials have said the first shipments of Pfizer's vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with another 425 sites on Tuesday and 66 on Wednesday.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said in a press conference last week that upon arrival, the first shipment of vaccines will go to the most vulnerable population, including the elderly and health-care workers. Essential workers and people age 65 and older can receive the vaccine after that.

The first shots are expected to be given in the coming week to health care workers and at nursing homes nationwide. Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine will set in motion the biggest vaccination effort in American history at a critical juncture of the pandemic that has killed 1.6 million and sickened 71 million worldwide.

Initially, about 3 million doses were expected to be sent out, and the priority is health care workers and nursing home residents as infections, hospitalizations and deaths soar in the U.S. With numbers likely to get worse over the holidays, the vaccine is offering a bright spot in the fight against the pandemic that's killed nearly 300,000 Americans.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the vaccine Friday, saying it is highly protective and presents no major safety issues. While U.S. regulators worked for months to emphasize the rigor and independence of their review, they faced political pressure until the final stages.

Nearly 80 percent of Georgians who responded to a Patch survey said they plan to get vaccinated, Patch reported Dec. 9; however, the majority of readers who said they plan to get a coronavirus shot also said they're still unsure if the vaccine can be trusted or will even be effective.

"I'm just concerned if you never had the virus once you take vaccine," one respondent said. "Will you then get sick ? And is it a cure all for this disease? I'm in healthcare industry and I'm skeptical in its delivery and effectiveness. "