Georgia officials are rejecting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that suggest that the Peach State is one of the worst for COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
According to the CDC, more than 3.3 million total vaccine doses have been delivered. More than 2.1 million total doses have been administered. About 12.3% of the population is receiving one or more doses, and about 7.6% receiving two doses, data show Thursday (March 4).
But state officials say there’s more to the story than what the numbers are saying. That’s because doses of the vaccine are increasing, so vaccinations are also going up, according to 11 Alive.
“You don’t see on that website where Georgia’s at 60% of vaccinating people over 65 years of age, and the national average is 49%,” Gov. Brian Kemp said Wednesday (March 3). “We have got to target the population that gets hit the hardest.”
Kemp also noted that CDC data includes vaccine doses that went to private providers and the state health department. That's why there's a difference in the number of vaccine doses delivered that the CDC displays, and the number the state displays, officials said.
The Georgia Department of Public Health has tracked more than 824,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide as of Thursday. That includes more than 1,800 confirmed cases reported today, state data show.
Photo: Getty Images