Delta Flight Museum near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will soon turn into the state&rsquos largest COVID-19 vaccination site. Delta Air Lines and the state of Georgia have announced that the museum will be one of four mass-vaccination locations in the southeastern US state.
Scheduled to start from February 22, eligible recipients under the state&rsquos vaccination guidelines will be able to go to the facility and get the vaccine either inside the museum or via a drive-through lane. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said that the current model can serve as a blueprint for other states to replicate.
Residents of Georgia and working people of the state including healthcare workers, caregivers, staff of long-term care facilities, law enforcement personnel, firefighters, first responders and those above the age of 65 are allowed to register for the vaccine. With the expansion of eligibility rules, more people will be able to head to the Delta Flight Museum for their inoculation.
Later this month, a clinic run by the airline in partnership with a certified health provider will allow people to get vaccinated within the museum itself. For now, a drive-through lane run by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) is the main point of vaccine delivery.
The latest facility is meant for residents living near the airport. In an effort to provide transportation for people without cars, the city&rsquos Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority will also run shuttles to Delta&rsquos campus from the College Park railway station.
Apart from this initiative, the airline has put several policies and practices in place during the pandemic. High-traffic areas, surfaces and lounges at the airport are cleaned and disinfected. No-contact options for check-in and boarding have been created.
In addition, the airline has partnered with Quest Diagnostics and CVS Health to test customers and its entire workforce for coronavirus. Delta is also the only major airline in the United States that is still blocking middle seats to ensure social distancing. Recently, this policy was extended till April 30, 2021.