Citizens of the Week: Blackwell, Harlan and Viamonte help drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinics run smoothly

Published 5:47 pm Thursday, February 18, 2021

Whitfield County, with a population of approximately 104,000, had seen 30,438 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Thursday, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

By comparison, Cherokee County, with a population of approximately 248,000, had 29,143 doses of the vaccine administered; Clayton County, population 284,000, 18,204 doses; Forsyth County, population 228,000, 21,782 doses; and Henry County, population 225,000, had just 8,653 doses administered.

The Whitfield County Health Department has done excellent work in getting the two available vaccines, from Moderna and Pfizer, out to the public. The county has benefited from a partnership of the county government, the city of Dalton and the North Georgia Health District to provide drive-thru vaccination clinics at the Dalton Convention Center, which have provided both of the vaccines.

“Those drive-thru clinics have really helped us stay ahead of the curve,” said county Board of Commissioners Chairman Jevin Jensen.

Since Jan. 18, six drive-thru clinics have been held at the Dalton Convention Center, where more than 5,000 doses of the vaccines have been administered. The clinics are made possible by several agencies, including the Dalton and Whitfield fire departments that provide firefighters to help administer the vaccines.

Local officials say three volunteers have been key to making the clinics run smoothly.

Retired physicians James Blackwell and Luis Viamonte have spent dozens of hours at the Dalton Convention Center administering the vaccine. And Annalee Harlan, a member of the Dalton City Council, has helped organize the clinics.

“Annalee really put all of this together,” said Dalton Mayor David Pennington.

For their efforts to make sure the COVID-19 vaccines get to those who need it as quickly as possible, the Daily Citizen-News names James Blackwell, Annalee Harlan and Luis Viamonte Citizens of the Week.