Half of all Georgia residents are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 _ a figure that still trails the national average. The state Department of Public Health announced the 50 percent milestone on Monday.
Nationally, a little more than 57 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The best performing states have vaccination rates above 70 percent. Georgia continues to experience a decline in the number of new COVID cases following a surge fueled by the delta variant of the virus. But public health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey said COVID is still spreading in the state, particularly in areas of low vaccination.
