Georgia begins vaccinating seniors in long-term care facilities

Vaccine arrives at long-term care facilities

Cobb County assisted living facility residents receive Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Christmas came early for residents and staff at Sterling Estates in East Cobb, as they had the opportunity to get the first of two doses of Moderna’s vaccine Thursday.

People buzzed with excitement as a line of masked seniors formed to get the shots.

Marvin Moon, a retired Atlanta police major, said he was honored to be one of the first seniors in the state to be vaccinated.

Georgia seniors in long term care facilities to receive vaccine

Residents at a long term care facility in Cobb County are set to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

"I was happy to lead the crowd because I think [the vaccine roll-out] is one of the best things to happen in the City of Atlanta, in the United States and the world with all the hardworking scientists and doctors," Moon said.

The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the senior population. In Georgia, roughly 85 percent of the COVID-19 deaths have been adults 60 years and older. 

Nathan Madigan, Sterling Estate’s vice president of operations, acknowledged their East Cobb location was one of the first long-term care facilities in the area to feel the effects of asymptomatic spread earlier this year. But since then, Madigan said they’ve learned best practices to keep their residents and staff safe, and he’s confident the vaccine will build on those measures.

All three of Sterling Estates’ metro Atlanta locations will be administering the vaccine on Christmas Eve, including in West Cobb and Azaela Estates in Fayetteville.

"Once we get this vaccine out and it makes its way across other senior living communities, other parts of the state and the country, we just know that there’s better days ahead," Madigan said.

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Georgia received about 174,000 doses of Moderna’s vaccine this week, according to Governor Brian Kemp. The shots have a similar effectiveness to Pfizer’s vaccine but do not have to be kept in ultracold storage.

"With now the Moderna vaccine, we can literally cover the state with vaccinations, and we're very excited to begin that process," said Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Public Health.

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