DeKalb County will host another vaccination event this weekend — and will again offer $100 prepaid debit cards to anyone who gets a shot.
Actor, comedian and DeKalb native Chris Tucker is also scheduled to make an appearance.
The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, and will be held at The Mall at Stonecrest (2929 Turner Hill Road in Stonecrest). Anyone 12 or older -- including those who have gotten shots and received incentives at previous events -- is eligible to receive the free vaccine.
Shots will will be offered via drive-thru to allow people to stay in their vehicles, but walk-ups are also welcome.
Credit: RYON HORN/AJC
Credit: RYON HORN/AJC
Those who choose to get a shot can choose between the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Those who have already been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and are eligible for a booster can also receive those shots. (Booster shots have not yet been approved for those who originally received other vaccines).
The event will be the third in which DeKalb County — believed to be the first and still one of the only Georgia governments to offer monetary vaccine incentives — has provided $100 prepaid debit cards to participants.
A similar event held in Stonecrest last month drew more than 2,500 people. Another held at the Gallery at South DeKalb saw more than 1,100.
The prior events have featured appearances by Atlanta Hawks legends like Dikembe Mutombo and Dominique Wilkins, but DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said Tuesday that Tucker — the “Rush Hour” and “Friday” star — would be visiting the upcoming event.
Tucker is a graduate of Columbia High School.
“COVID-19 has impacted lives globally and The Chris Tucker Foundation is proud to partner with DeKalb County and DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond in driving awareness and increasing access to vaccinations and information to combat this pandemic,” Tucker said in a news release.
“Being from Decatur, I am personally invested in seeing DeKalb County thrive in every way possible. We are at a critical place in our fight against COVID-19 and I’m excited to do my part in advancing the efforts in DeKalb County.”
Like previous events, representatives from the DeKalb County Board of Health and DeKalb County Fire Rescue will be on hand Saturday to administer vaccines. Thurmond said staff from Emory Healthcare will also be assisting to help reduce wait times.
MedCura Health will be on hand to offer free COVID-19 tests as well.
As of Tuesday, about 51% of DeKalb County residents were fully vaccinated.
All three events offering $100 vaccine incentives have been (or will be) in the southern part of DeKalb. Thurmond said the administration is still working on organizing a similar event on the northern end of the county.
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