WTOC News

The CDC says fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks outdoors or in many indoor situations. Hear from President Joe Biden and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky on the change.

Plus, digital anchor Jake Wallace speaks with Chatham County Health Department administrator Dr. Chris Rustin about the change and what it could mean for southeast Georgia. Dr. Rustin also discusses the departments upcoming mobile vaccination clinics.

On this week’s podcast, Jake Wallace speaks with CBS News correspondent Skyler Henry about the COVID-19 vaccine push from President Joe Biden and his administration.

Trials for COVID-19 vaccines continue for companies that signed up initially, but also for new ones looking to offer something different.

A local research office is now enrolling patients for a new plant-based product.

Dr. Paul Bradley, Chief Investigator here at Meridian Clinical Research says their latest trial combines plants and science.

More info here >>> https://www.wtoc.com/2021/04/19/savannah-research-office-enrolling-patients-new-plant-based-covid-vaccine-trial/

Coastal Health District Director Dr. Lawton Davis joins Cyreia Sandlin to discuss all things COVID vaccine, including the news about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

COVID-19 restrictions have been loosened in the state of Georgia, per an executive order by Governor Brian Kemp.

The Savannah Civic Center is now also being used as a vaccination clinic. WTOC's Cyreia Sandlin talks with Hospice Savannah's Tiffany Fordham and Gulfstream's Mark Bennett about it.

All adults ages 16 years and over are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in South Carolina, and the Coastal Health District celebrates a vaccine milestone.

Plus, WTOC digital anchor Jake Wallace speaks with Georgia Southern University Health Services medical director Dr. Brian DeLoach about running a health center on a college campus during a pandemic, their efforts to provide vaccines to students, and how they plan to help the school’s return to full in-person instruction in the fall.

On March 30, 1981, Memorial Health director of cardiology Dr. Randy Bottner was just a medical student- on his first day of rotation at an emergency room- when President Ronald Reagan was brought to the ER, minutes after being shot in an assassination attempt.

Forty years later, Dr. Bottner gives his account of what happened next in this WTOC News podcast.

COVID vaccine eligibility expanded in Georgia this week to everyone 16 and older.

Tourism remained strong on Tybee Island this past year despite the pandemic. Mayor Shirley Sessions joins the pod to talk all things Tybee and look forward to the beginning of spring/summer travel. 

This was an eventful week in Savannah and Chatham County with St. Patrick’s Day and the opening of the state’s mass vaccination site on Wednesday. Jake Wallace looks at both events.

This week’s guest is Coastal Health District medical director Dr. Lawton Davis. In the interview, Dr. Davis discusses how St. Patrick’s Day could impact the spread of COVID in Chatham County, reflects on one year since the first confirmed COVID case in Chatham County, and gives his thoughts on how the new mass vaccination site can assist in the fight.