MACON, Ga. — For 58-year-old Camille Bielby, Governor Brian Kemp's Wednesday's announcement means she could have some normalcy soon.
"I never thought I'd be saying, 'I can't wait until they let people who are 55 have a shot' -- that's crazy," she says.
Starting on March 15, Georgians 55 and older can get vaccinated.
"It would be great to not have to run around feeling like you're gonna get something from somebody and more importantly, the risk of giving it to somebody else," she says.
Bielby says before the pandemic, she'd hang out with friends and visit nursing homes regularly.
She says most of them have already rolled up their sleeves, but she has had to wait until now.
Bielby says she knows exactly what she wants to do after her second dose.
"Eat in a restaurant, sitting down. Finish out the whole meal with friends, that is the first thing I'm gonna do. Then maybe try to start visiting some people," she says.
The new group eligible also includes people over the age of 16 with high risk conditions.
These conditions include asthma, cancer, obesity, and other heart and lung diseases that could all be affected by COVID-19.
Kerry Futch, who works for the state and oversees the Macon mass vaccination site, says the workflow will stay the same.
"We're prepared here on site to expand our operation. We've already got the footprint laid out where we can open additional lanes. We are receiving additional help, additional nurses and stuff will be coming in to help," says Futch.
Futch also adds that they expect appointments to fill up quickly with many returning this week to get their second doses.
Starting next Wednesday, there will be another mass vaccination site in Central Georgia.
The site in Washington County will open on March 17 in Sandersville.