1. Become a vaccine provider. Enrolling as a vaccine provider will allow you to order and administer vaccines to your staff, clients and the community. To become a vaccine provider, you must register on GRITS and complete the Pandemic Enrollment Application. Providers without access to GRITS may create an account on the website or email DPH-COVID19Vaccine@dph.ga.gov with any questions regarding registration. Existing vaccine providers registered with GRITS can check their status using the instructions below.
2. If you are not eligible to become a vaccine provider, you can choose to partner with a local pharmacy, hospital or healthcare entity that is already a registered provider or is eligible to be a provider (see option 1) to be included in their vaccine orders. NCHD will not be able to find or facilitate local partnerships on your behalf. Please reach out to existing partners in your community.
3. Entities that are unable to be vaccine providers and are not partnered with other local providers can seek vaccination through their local county health department if they fall in the current vaccination phase/tier. Vaccination will be provided by appointment on a first come, first serve basis once it becomes available locally and will depend on availability. Additionally, individuals seeking vaccination must come to the vaccination site; the Health Department does not have the capacity to provide vaccination at the facility site. Those eligible for vaccination must call 478-749-0179 or 1-844-987-0099 to schedule an appointment.

1. Vaccine Provider Enrollment Process

   1.  You can access your status in GRITS: https://www.grits.state.ga.us/production/security_ui.showLogin
   2. You will have one of three statuses:
      • Approved – You’re good to go. 
      • Duplicate – This means you have already submitted your enrollment and it is pending approval. 
      • You can enroll.  Please use the checklist to ensure you complete all the necessary steps, including training. You will need to complete training for shipping, handling, and storage of COVID-19 vaccine, along with GRITS training and administration processes. You will need your certificates as .pdf attachments. 
      • Your IIS Identifier is the organization code you use to login to GRITS. GIP staff will work with providers individually to obtain any missing information, and to verify that all requirements have been met. 
   3.  Once GIP fully processes your completed enrollment application, they will send a confirmation email to you. That email will contain your approval, your PIN, and an order survey to complete your first vaccine order.
   4. Complete the order survey using the PIN provided to you (do not include the preceding GAA). Please take a screenshot of the last page as confirmation for your records.
   5. Beginning Monday, December 14, you will receive an email when your order has been placed.
   6. Please send any questions to: DPH-COVID19Vaccine@dph.ga.gov.
   • GRITS COVID-19 Pandemic Online Enrollment Process

   PLEASE NOTE: Neither DPH nor NCHD will create or otherwise provide COVID-19 vaccination consent forms to external healthcare providers. Georgia Hospital Association has created a COVID-19 vaccine consent form template that can be used by facilities to create a form.

    

   Vaccine Order Cancellation

   Providers should not contact Pfizer or Moderna to cancel a vaccine request.  If a provider is not able to store a vaccine delivery, they should immediately notify the Georgia Immunization Program by calling 404 657-3158 and also notify their local health department.  Public health staff will work to locate a facility where the vaccine can be transferred.  The facility that initially requested the vaccine should accept the shipment.  Do not open the shipping container.  The vaccine should be kept in a secure location until it can be picked up and moved to another location

   GRITS Hotline (Technical/IT questions):  866-483-2958 or email at dph-gaimmreg@dph.ga.gov

   Provider Support (Provider enrollment questions, Pin #s):  888-920-0165 or email DPH-COVID19vaccine@dph.ga.gov

    

No. The is no component of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) in the Pfizer BioNTech nor the Moderna vaccine. These vaccines utilize synthesized mRNA, which the body uses to make it’s own “spike” protein. The immune system reacts to the spike protein by creating blocking antibodies. Later, if we are exposed to coronavirus, those antibodies would attach to the spike protein on a real coronavirus particle and prevent the virus from entering our cells.

No. The vaccine only contains salt water, synthetic mRNA and inert fat globules. There are no eggs nor preservatives used in the vaccine.

Yes. Both the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two doses to be fully effective.

• Pfizer BioNTech requires 21 days between the first and second dose.
• Moderna requires 28 days between the first and second dose.

Both vaccines have an extended period of time between doses 1 and 2. The second dose should be administered as close to the recommended interval as possible. However, if it is not feasible to adhere to the recommended interval, the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be scheduled for administration up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose. There are currently limited data on efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines administered beyond this window. If the second dose is administered beyond these intervals, there is no need to restart the series. Read more: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html#Administration

PLEASE NOTE: As of Oct. 2021, CDC now recommends booster doses for each brand of the vaccine.

Yes. It is highly recommended to go with the same company’s vaccine for both doses. There is no information at this time to see how different vaccines work with one another. If you get the Pfizer BioNTech shot for the first does, you should get the Pfizer BioNTech shot for the second. If you get the Moderna shot first, the Moderna shot should be your second.

Mixing Booster Doses

CDC recommendations now allow for mixing vaccines as booster doses. For example:

• A person that received 2 doses of Pfizer can receive a Moderna or J&J booster 6 months after their 2nd Pfizer shot.
• A person that received 2 doses of Moderna can receive a Pfizer or J&J booster 6 months after their 2nd Pfizer shot.
• A person that received a J&J shot can receive a Pfizer or Moderna booster 2 months later.

Yes. There is very limited information about how much natural immunity a person may have after recovering from COVID-19. Both this disease and the vaccine are new. We don’t know how long protection lasts for those who get infected or those who are vaccinated. It is recommended that people who have had COVID-19 and recovered get vaccinated.

No. Vaccination should wait until you are symptom free and are able to discontinue isolation.

Based on the available data from vaccine manuacturer clinical trials, the following side effects were observed, though they were mild and short lived:

• injection site reactions
• fatigue
• headache
• muscle pain
• chills
• joint pain
• fever

In addition, the Pfizer BioNTech clinical trial document four cases of Bell’s palsy in those that received the vaccine. There have been a few serious allergic reactions that have led to hospitalization after individuals with histories of allergies received the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.

These may not be all the possible side effects of any COVID-19 vaccine. All vaccines are still being studied. 

Yes. CDC has created a voluntary, smartphone tool called v-safe that uses text messaging and online surveys to provide health check-ins after individuals receive a COVID-19 vaccine. V-safe allows users to report side effects to CDC, and CDC representatives may conact the individual for more information. Side effects can also be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. Reports can be made online or by calling 1-800-822-7967. 

• CDC – v-safe
• v-safe Information Sheet

CDC will work with the FDA and vaccine safety partners to quickly review any issues if safety concers are discovered. Up-to-date vaccine safety information will be shared with ACIP, which may make changes to the vaccine recommendations.

Yes. With the rise in breakthrough cases, it is important for everyone to continue to use all the tools we have available to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Indivduals should still be aware of local regulations, and those enforced by businesses and other organizations.

Public health departments, hospitals, primary care providers, pharmacies and other healthcare providers all around Georgia are COVID-19 vaccine providers. Each county health department in Georgia’s 159 counties will play an important role in getting vaccines to all parts of the states, including rural areas. Find COVID-19 vaccine sites using Vaccines.gov.

No. COVID-19 vaccine is free. Vaccine providers may charge an administration fee, but providers must administer COVID-19 vaccine regardless of the recipient’s ability to pay administration fees.