Site will give shots to 200 people a day; online registration required —
YourTown Health, a non-profit network of seven Community Health Centers, is partnering with officials in Chattahoochee Hills, Fairburn, Palmetto, and Union City to create a mass Covid-19 vaccination site in Palmetto. This provides South Fulton County residents additional vaccination opportunities.
YourTown Health operates a Covid-19 vaccination site at the Palmetto Community Center in cooperation with the City of Palmetto. YourTown Health manages the process and provides the vaccines. First responders, including paramedics and firefighters, from Chattahoochee Hills, Fairburn, Palmetto, and Union City administer the vaccines.
South Fulton County was in dire need of a mass vaccination site, says YourTown Health CEO Jon Wollenzien. Fulton County backed away from providing point-of-distribution sites in the area. Since we were the only community-wide vaccinator in the vicinity, officials from surrounding cities contacted us to see if we could work together to administer vaccines.
Chief Henry Argo, the fire chief of Palmetto, and Chief Gregory Brett, the chief of fire, EMS, and emergency management of Chattahoochee Hills, initially brought the idea to YourTown Health.
“This vaccination site represents a true grass-roots partnership,” says Chief Brett. “Four cities are working hand-in-hand with YourTown Health to get the vaccine close to everyone in South Fulton County and quickly available. It wasn’t hard to put together an operational plan with the professionals of YourTown. They had a very well-defined vision already, and it immediately synced with ours.”
The YourTown Health vaccination center vaccinates nearly 200 people each day, approximately four people every 10 minutes. It’s fully equipped with vaccination bays and logistical systems to help the process run smoothly. Each recipient is guaranteed a second dose of the vaccine, and that appointment is scheduled when the first dose is received.
“A partnership like this is very unique,” explains Wollenzien. “Watching first responders from different communities come together to administer vaccines provides a sense of hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.”
In accordance with Phase 1-A+ roll out regulations, the following patients are eligible to receive a vaccination at this time:
• Healthcare workers
• Paid or unpaid people serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including but not limited to nurses, physicians, EMS, laboratory technicians, environmental services, etc.
• Long-term care facilities (LTCF) staff and residents.
• First responders.
• Adults 65 and older
Those who register will be put on a waiting list and contacted on a first-come, first-served basis.
YourTown Health: YourTown Health is a non-profit network of seven Community Health Centers serving the communities of Meriwether, Pike, Lamar, Carroll, Coweta, and South Fulton counties.
