Georgia Judges and Court Staff to Become Eligible to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

Atlanta – Chief Justice Harold D. Melton announced that Georgia judges and court staff are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. “Thanks to the work of our Judicial COVID-19 Task Force, in collaboration with Governor Kemp and Dr. Toomey, our judges and court personnel will now be able to receive the vaccine. This is extremely important and necessary as we resume jury trials across the state – the more people who are vaccinated will decrease the risk to the public interacting with the courts,” Chief Justice Melton said.

As vaccine supply has become more plentiful and so many of Georgia’s seniors and high-risk citizens have been vaccinated, the eligibility is expanding to include court administrative and judicial agency staff, court clerks and their staffs, court interpreters, court reporters, court staff, courthouse food and service workers and janitorial staff, judges and justices, as well as prosecutors, public defenders, and court-appointed conflict attorneys.

The state’s court system includes approximately 1,600 judges, along with staff, across Georgia’s 49 judicial circuits encompassing 159 counties.

“We have a duty to take all available precautions,” said Chief Justice Melton, “especially when compelling our citizens to serve on a jury. It is imperative that jury trials resume to provide both the victims and those accused of crimes their day in court. That day in court needs to be as safe as reasonably possible.”

To find a vaccine location near you or to schedule an appointment, log on to www.myvaccinegeorgia.com or https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.