Cobb health department moves to weekly sign-ups for vaccine appointments

Cobb & Douglas Public Health officials will give the vaccinations Monday through Saturday at Jim Miller Park at 2245 Callaway Road SW in Marietta.

Monday was the first day the health department began offering appointments for public safety personnel and people age 65 and older who fall into the Phase 1A+ group. It started vaccinating frontline healthcare workers last week. Cobb’s appointment system is available only to those groups who qualify to get the vaccine at this time and identification will be required.

According to the health department’s website, an enrollment form must be completed online and then those who qualify will receive an email from the health department on how to register for their vaccine. The health department will prioritize Cobb and Douglas county residents, it said.

The state has come under criticism for the difficulty many have reported in signing up for a vaccine. Websites have crashed repeatedly as residents race to sign up for limited doses.

On Thursday, the state Department of Public Health reported 9,036 net new confirmed and suspected COVID-19 infections in Georgia. The seven-day rolling average of confirmed and suspected cases has dipped slightly to 9,694, but it remains at a rate three times higher than Georgia reported Dec. 1.