Signed by Governor Brian Kemp

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that specifies who is able to administer a COVID-19 vaccination.

Highlights:

• Defines 'administer' as the provision of a unit dose of vaccine by a pharmacist or nurse pursuant to a vaccine order contained in a vaccine protocol agreement with a physician (Sec. 4.a-1).

• Authorizes emergency medical technicians to administer a vaccination during a public health emergency upon the order of a duly licensed physician (Sec. Sec. 1.a-3).

• Authorizes cardiac technicians to administer a vaccination during a public health emergency upon the order of a duly licensed physician (Sec. 2.e).

• Authorizes individually identifiable vaccination information regarding a person may, without the consent of the person or the person's parents or guardians, be provided to the department by, or released by the department to (Sec. 3.e-1):

• A health department, hospital, physician, or other provider of medical services to the person;

• A school or child care facility in which the person is enrolled if the person is 18 years of age or younger; or

• For vaccines administered to a declared public health emergency, a third party that is authorized by law to collect and receive such information for the purpose of averting a serious and imminent threat to life and safety, so long as such third party adheres to state and federal privacy laws without the consent of the person or the person’s parents or guardians.

• Classifies 'vaccine' as the following (Sec. 4-9):

• A vaccine that is included on the adult immunization schedule recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention administered to an individual 18 years of age or older;

• An influenza vaccine administered to an individual 13 years of age or older; and

• Any vaccine for an illness that has resulted in a declared public health emergency.

• Authorizes a physician engaged in the active practice of medicine to prescribe a vaccine for a group of patients via a vaccine order contained in a vaccine protocol agreement to be administered by a pharmacist, provided the physician resides in Georgia and is registered with the Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (Sec. 4.b).

• Requires the pharmacist or nurse or his or her employer to retain documentation of each dose of vaccine administered. Such documentation includes, but is not be limited to (Sec. 4-6):

• The administering pharmacist's or nurse's name, address, telephone number, and professional license number;

• The name, dose, manufacturer, and lot number of the vaccine;

• The vaccine recipient's name, address, date of birth, and telephone number;

• The date of administration and injection site;

• A signed and dated consent form by which the vaccine recipient acknowledges receipt of the Vaccine Information Statement, consents to the administration of the vaccine, and authorizes the pharmacy or nurse to notify the vaccine recipient's primary care provider of the vaccine administered to the vaccine recipient; and

• Any adverse events or complications that occur.

Full Bill Text