A congressman, health officials and the White House are partnering to bring free COVID-19 vaccinations to DeKalb County residents while they get a haircut this weekend.
From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, the county will host the “Shots at the Shop” vaccination event at First Class Barbershop at the Centre at 3051 Panola Road in Stonecrest. Congressman Hank Johnson, who represents much of DeKalb County, will be at the event, which is a collaborative effort by the DeKalb Board of Health and White House.
The effort is a part of President Joe Biden’s National Month of Action campaign, which aims to get at least 70% of adults to receive at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose by the Fourth of July. On Tuesday, Biden said the country will likely be short of his administration’s goal, which is forcing local government leaders to think of new ways to encourage residents to get vaccinated.
“Congressman Johnson is enlisting the help of other prominent members of his community — barbershop owners — to make the vaccine available while you get a haircut,” a news release from his office said.
Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available Saturday. Second doses will also be available if it has been 21 days since a resident received their first Pfizer shot or 28 days since they’ve received their first Moderna shot.
While positive cases of COVID-19 are at the lowest statewide rates since May 2020, health officials have sounded alarms about coronavirus variants, such as the delta strain.
“Variants are beginning to target our young people,” Johnson said, encouraging 12- to 17-year-olds to get vaccinated as well. “It’s threatening to take us back to the early days of the pandemic. We all need to get vaccinated to stop COVID in its tracks and crush the virus.”
Just down the road, two DeKalb commissioners will host their own “Don’t Wait, Vaccinate” clinic on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, hosted by commissioners Mereda Davis Johnson, Lorrain Cochran Johnson and CVS Pharmacies, will take place at the Lou Walker Senior Center at 2538 Panola Road in Stonecrest.
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