COVID-19 Vaccine Administered To Bartow County Schools Staff

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Numerous facilities were closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the Bartow County Health Department remained open for a short period of time just to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to 49 Bartow County School System employees.

“Nurses and a variety of staff 65 and older, including teachers, bus drivers, custodians, school nutrition and district support staff, qualified for the first round of doses,” Chief Human Resources Officer for the school Macy Defnall said in a statement. “So, last week, we worked quickly with our friends at the Bartow County Health Department to reserve appointments for those employees interested in the vaccine.”

Bartow County School System Superintendent Dr. Phillip Page also serves on the local health department board and noted the "exceptional partnership between the Bartow County Health Department and the school system."

“They were very quick to respond,” Page said in a statement. “Within 24 hours of communicating names, they had reserved appointments for the qualifying staff members who wanted the vaccine. We appreciate the Bartow County Health Department and its ongoing support of our system.”