SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Mayor Van Johnson shared information about the new drive-through mass vaccination site and St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Plant Riverside during Savannah’s weekly COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday.

Watch the full press conference in the video above.

As of March 17, the mass vaccination center is expected to open 1,000 initial doses of shots per day and administer them to those entitled. Eligible beneficiaries include people aged 65 and over, healthcare workers, K-12 teachers, parents of children with complex diseases, and adults with developmental disorders and their caregivers.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) works with Gulfstream Corporation’s aircraft facility to deliver vaccines from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Those entitled can register at dph.georgia.gov planning a vaccine.

“While I’m thrilled that we finally have a mass vaccination site in Chatham County, and I believe Gulfstream is logistically able to accomplish this, there is still a significant transportation barrier for individuals … to get to the Gulfstream campus. Said Johnson.

Johnson also said the city of Savannah is working on using buses and other transportation services to get Savannahians to the location.

“Obviously a mass vaccination site doesn’t mean much if you can’t get people to vaccinate,” Johnson said.

Mayor Johnson also targeted the St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Friday. Johnson said he was disappointed with the lack of communication between Plant Riverside and Savannah.

Johnson said mask and social distancing requirements are not implemented and not encouraged by organizers. He said they have the right to enforce their own private property rules. However, there are public spaces in Plant Riverside that are regulated by the city.

“We came too far in Savannah. We worked too hard. We sacrificed too much. Too many companies have lost. Too many people got sick. Too many people have died for us to get near the finish line and then we go back. ”

Johnson said the tourists who might flock to the celebration could bring COVID-19 to Savannah and infect citizens.

“Healthy employees, customers, and visitors make a healthy business world, not the other way around,” said Johnson. “This is how we live beyond St. Patrick’s Day. This is how we begin when we think about how we can safely reopen and reopen permanently. “

The mayor also said preliminary figures from urban tourism experts suggest hotel occupancy will rise from 65% on Friday to 90% on Saturday. The occupancy rate is expected to remain similarly high the following weekend during St. Patrick’s Day.

“While this is welcome news for our economy, which has taken a hit in the last year, I remind everyone that we are still in an active pandemic.”

According to Johnson, Savannah is still seeing significant community penetration requiring businesses, citizens and visitors to follow COVID-19 safety precautions. Although Savannah’s South Carolina neighbors have started lifting some mask mandates, Johnson said he would fight any rollbacks by the state government.

“For our friends in South Carolina, if they are to get over the bridge, they must live by the Georgia and Savannah mandates,” said Johnson.

Hundreds of businesses and tourism companies have re-committed to the Savannah Safe Pledge, a commitment to reopen businesses and activities while implementing COVID-19 cleaning and sanitizing protocols, Johnson said.

The mayor also said that another trade fair will be held at the Savannah Civic Center on Saturday.

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