Gov. Kemp signs Executive Order expanding Health Professionals’ eligibility to administer COVID-19 Vaccine

On Friday, January 22, 2021, Governor Brian P. Kemp signed an Executive Order to ease requirements and allow more medically trained professionals to safely administer the COVID-19 vaccine.  Licensed Professional Nurses (LPN), Medical Assistants (MA), and Physician Assistants (PA) were already permitted to administer the vaccine, but this Order eases supervision requirements. Previously, the law specified that LPNs, MAs, and PAs could only administer the vaccine under direct supervision. Now they are able to administer the vaccine while being supervised remotely upon completing a required training. The Order also allows registered professional nurses who have a license that has lapsed or expired in the last five years to apply for a temporary permit to administer the vaccine.  “My administration is committed to getting the life-saving COVID-19 vaccine into as many arms as possible,” said Governor Kemp. “While we await increased supply from the federal government, we will keep working to accomplish this goal with the help of our trained medical professionals. This Executive Order will allow more of our frontline medical personnel to do their jobs. Thank you to all of our healthcare heroes, including LPNs, MAs, and PAs who are essential to our mission of keeping Georgians safe and healthy.”  Previously, Governor Kemp has also signed Executive Orders allowing dentists, pharmacists, EMTs, and others to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.  For more information about who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.