Carlos del Rio, MD administers COVID-19 vaccine to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms

On March 30, 2021, Carlos del Rio, MD, Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, had the honor of administering Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ first COVID-19 vaccine dose! The vaccine administration took place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Downtown Atlanta, a new mass vaccination center for the city.

Read our interview with del Rio to learn about his relationship with the City of Atlanta during the pandemic and his thoughts on the importance of vaccine administration.

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Can you share more about how you were given the opportunity to administer the mayor’s first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine? 
I discussed with her [Keisha Lance Bottoms] about getting vaccinated back in January, but she wanted to wait until police, first respondents, and others in higher priority groups had been given the opportunity to get vaccinated. When the governor announced he was opening eligibility for anyone 16 and older, it was time for her to also get immunized. The site selected was Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as this site is an excellent example of a partnership between Fulton County, FEMA, the State, Arthur Blank, etc. She requested that I be the vaccinator.

How does it feel to have the support of Mayor Lance Bottoms and the City of Atlanta during this challenging yet exciting time?
I think that I impacted her greatly when I was asked to speak at the Atlanta Committee for Progress meeting last March and sounded the alarm to her and city leaders about the pandemic. Since then, she has consulted with me frequently and listened to my advice.

How do mass vaccination centers such as the Mercedes-Benz stadium help our community?
These centers are a great way to help the community access vaccines. They can do approximately 6,000 to 10,000 shots per day, and it is an easy to access facility.

For anyone still on the fence about receiving their vaccine, what would you like to say?
Get the vaccine. These are great vaccines and they are key to ending the pandemic. Please get vaccinated and get your loved ones to get vaccinated as well.

Related Links

• Georgia Department of Public Health
• City of Atlanta COVID-19 Information
• Emory Forward (Campus COVID-19 Information)
• Emory Division of Infectious Diseases

Photos: City of Atlanta Instagram and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Instagram